Riot in Johto

Danger, Confusion and a Pichu

Jop, also, das ist meine erste englische Fanfic, meine erste Pokemon Fanfic usw. usw.. Viele Debüts halt!

Aber nun erstmal, viel Spaß!

The screech of a wild Noctowl echoed through the nightly Ilex Forest. The sky was clouded and little moonlight enlightened the ground. Bushes and tall trees, partly hidden under dark shadows, lined the small path, which led to an unknown destination.

This was the way a lost Dawn with her Pokemonpartner Piplup followed, growing more and more anxious as the forest only seemed to deepen more than to lighten up. For hours they had walked around without taking more than a few breaks and the little penguin Pokemon already showed its weariness by stumbling over little rocks. Dawn wasn't feeling any better, nevertheless she picked up the water type and went on.

A small sigh escaped her lips as Piplup shot her a tired look.

"I know, Piplup. I'd love to rest, too, but remember, there is still our contest to win!" Dawn tried to motivate her partner but without success. The little penguin just turned its head and muttered its name. Although she understood her Pokemon's feelings, although her legs began to ache and she wanted to sleep badly herself, that attitude unnerved her. "Come on, I already said, I'm sorry!" She shot a quick glance on the tiny map of her Poketch. "And wasn't my fault. How could I have known that there was a nest of Beedrill? Or that an Ursaring would be sleeping behind those bushes? Oh and I don't even wanna think about those Stantler –"

Suddenly the rustle of some bushes startled the two companions. Dawn froze in the middle of her movements and looked in the direction the sound came from. Piplup almost jerked out of her arms, only her good reflexes could keep it from falling.

Just mere seconds later a shadow appeared on the path and almost bumped into Dawn. Surprised, she jumped back and tried to make out the silhouette, which stood before her. The humanlike shape was clear to see, but without enough light Dawn couldn't make out the stranger's face.

But they had a good view on her features illuminated by the moonlight. A hiss cut through the air and a more or less familiar voice exclaimed "You!".

Surprised Dawn blinked a few times, then narrowed her eyes, trying to see anything in the darkness. "Ah... do I know you?" The voice was clearly that of a woman and the coordinator was sure, that she knew it. She just couldn't remember from where...

But she didn't need to wonder for long, as the stranger took a few steps forward until she was illuminated by the light, too. Almost jumping back, the terrified Dawn put some distance between her and the woman. She had recognized her as soon as she saw the silver hair and grayish blue eyes, glaring at her fiercely.

"Pokemon Hunter J!"

Confusion, shock and a bit of fear could be seen on Dawn's expression that moment, as countless questions raced in her mind.

How is this possible? J died! She died five years ago at Lake Valor! And now she's here in the middle of the Ilex Forest! What am I supposed to do? What is she even doing here?!

As soon as Dawn thought about the reason of J being there she took another step back and reached into her pocket for a Pokeball.

"I don't know what Pokemon you stole this time, but you won't get away with it!" She exclaimed and glared at the huntress.

J clearly wanted to reply something but was cut short by an inhuman screech, which let the girl cringe. In anticipation of a sudden attack, Dawn faced the direction the sound came from and let her guard drop for an instant. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a fast shadow moving towards her. Something hit her side but instead of pain, there was an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her behind a huge oak. A gloved hand covered her mouth as well as Piplup's beek and J hushed in her ear to be silent.

At first Dawn wanted to resist, but she stopped her struggle soon herself, as she heard the closer coming steps of a man hurrying through the bushes and onto the path. The soft noise of flapping wings accompanied his panting and curses.

"Damn, where did that woman go?! Golbat, let's search in that direction!" The Golbat let out an approving screech and soon the noises of the two disappeared in the distance.

Dawn let out a relieved sigh. Past events taught her not to trust cursing people with Golbats, especially not in the middle of the night. That was the main reason she and her Piplup did not fight the huntress, although she could see her Pokemon ready itself for a strong Peck attack.

Just before it could make use of this attack though, J released the two and shot them an annoyed glare. Then she turned around and faced the path, almost as if she looked out for more people to appear. That unusual behavior of hers started to worry Dawn. She couldn't recall J to hide from her enemies, she rather faced them head-on with her Pokemon, which were not there either.

Hesitantly she asked the huntress a question. "Uhm... Who exactly was that person?"

She didn't really expect an answer. When it came, though, she was even more surprised by the mere fact, then the words itself. "A member of Team Rocket."

"Team Rocket? But why? Did you steal a Pokemon from them?"

J snorted. "If it was so easy..." She muttered and faced Dawn once again. The blue haired girl didn't have a clue, what was going on in the hunter's head and soon the piercing glare was beginning to unnerve her. She then noticed the headset, which was placed on J's forehead instead of her eyes. Lowering her gaze Dawn looked at the dark grey cannon on J's arm. It had a rather huge crack on its surface and looked unusable.

Dawn frowned. Just what was going on? She remembered some members of Team Rocket like Jessie, James and Meowth. But it was impossible for them to cause that much damage to the infamous huntress, wasn't it?

Before Dawn could get a clear view on J's clothing, which appeared to be victim of a rampage, too, the silver haired woman caught her attention. "Where are you going, girl?"

Taken aback from that question, Dawn just blurted out with an answer. "Uh... Goldenrod City. Our next contest is there, tomorrow."

J blinked. Then she raised a brow and looked at the girl in disbelief.

"Goldenrod City? Are you serious?" Confused, Dawn frowned at J's reaction. The huntress pinched the bridge of her nose and let out an impatient sigh. "You must be lost. Goldenrod City is on the other side of the forest. It's a two-days-walk away, but-"

She was interrupted by a rather loud shout of a shocked Dawn. "Two days? But my contest is tomorrow and-"

The huntress quickly covered her mouth and let out an annoyed hiss, not wanting the girl to attract any attention. "But we can make it, if we run. I haven't planned on being stuck in this forest for more than one night."

At first Dawn wanted resist, but yet again she was lost in her confusion, which didn't seem to end too soon. She could feel, how J removed her gloved hand from her mouth and for a few seconds, there was nothing she could do, expect of blinking.

Obviously J was getting irritated by the silence, but before she could say anything, Dawn finally found her voice again.

"You just said 'we'..."

"Yes. I will guide you out of the forest. In return you trust me and follow my orders. Got it?" Her voice sounded a little annoyed, but there was no hint, whether this was a trap or not. Dawn frowned and took a step back, never letting her eyes of the huntress.

"Why would you help me out? Are you planning some kind of trap?" She could only guess, what J wanted, but that answer made most sense to the bluehaired girl. J rolled her eyes, her impatience was growing more and more.

"What would I want with you? Or your Pokemon?" She was fast to point out, when Dawn was about to say something. "Look, girl. I don't want to waste anymore time, so decide quickly. Either you follow me and get to your contest savely or I knock you out. I can't take any risks by letting you walk around on your own. If Team Rocket caught you, you might reveal where I went to.

Now, descide quickly or else!"

Dawn was still a little baffled. J was willing to help her? Why? She was not satisfied with the reason, either. If so, it would still be much faster, just knocking the girl out, wouldn't it?

Dawn didn't have anymore time to wonder, though. J made an annoyed hissing sound and clenched her hands into fists. A little startled by that the young coordinator staggered backwards, until she hit a tree. "Okay, okay, I come with you! Just don't hit me, okay?"

J let out a sigh, which sounded somewhat relieved. The bluehaired girl could not tell. Usually her empathy was really good, but that night she was just to tired for it. The adrenaline of being together with one of the most wanted criminals was only effecting her body and rational thinking. And right now it was better to trust her enemy, then getting knocked out by her in the middle of the forest, Dawn figured and followed J walking deeper into the wood.

"Don't forget my condition. You'll have to trust me and follow my orders. Got it?" J didn't even wait for a reply and just walked on through the brush. Dawn didn't like the thought of trusting the Pokémon Hunter, but she didn't have too many options to choose.

So she tried to follow closely behind, which was a rather difficult task that took all of Dawn's concentration. The shrubs were thick and her skirt short. For what felt like the hundredth time, she told herself not to wear that kind of clothes in a forest. Her legs always looked like a mess afterwards, but somehow she kept forgetting it.

With Piplup in her arms she had even more problems to keep up with the quick pace J had. A small hiss escaped her lips, when she felt some branches slice into her skin. The pain and annoyance of her struggle almost made her forget the presence of the infamous hunter. And so she didn't notice the look full of disbelief J threw over her shoulder back to the girl.

Five minutes later they finally reached a cleared path, which was lit by a little moonlight. Dawn let out a relieved sigh. Their journey through the forest had not even began, but the tired girl was already unwillingly to do anymore steps forward. J didn't help her situation at all, in fact, she spoilt her mood even more.

"What kind of tourist are you, running around in a skirt? You have already been travelling years ago, haven't you? You should think, people learn," J exclaimed with an irritated voice. She received an annoyed glare.

"Says the woman, who keeps up hunting innocent Pokemon, even after her ship was blown up!" Dawn was certainly not in the mood for being insulted. At that moment she did not even care about the consequences her reply would earn her, although the dark expression on J's face put some fear back into the girl.

"You should be grateful. I will ignore your comment, now. Don't dare to try that again!" She turned around and took a first step forward. She then mumbled something under her breath, something Dawn barely heard. "And I'm not here to hunt any Pokemon down."

J turned her head and faced the girl once more. "We will run from here on. Don't fall back or I might reconsider my decision earlier." With that said the huntress rushed down the path, leaving Dawn no time to react. After some hesitation, she followed the older woman as well as she could. It was difficult for her to keep up with J's faster pace, yet alone catch up to her. But the monotonous rhythm of the run helped Dawn gather her thoughts and so she tried to look through her situation, while she watched the back of the huntress the whole time.

All right... I'm in the Ilex Forest, in the middle of the night and I'm not alone. Apparently, Team Rocket is here and worst of all, J! I really thought, she died! The police officers said so!

Dawn did not mind J being alive, no matter how cruel she was. The girl was not the type of person to wish others death, she couldn't even imagine despising anyone that much. But finding out about that in such circumstances was hard to swallow, although it wasn't the worst part.

The mere fact that J had offered her help to the lost Dawn was shocking her most. What could have been her motive? The excuse with Team Rocket sounded absurd, even in the ears of the tired girl. She still wondered, whether she was about to run into a trap. Maybe J took that as opportunity to ask for some kind of reward and Dawn didn't even want to think about the huntresses ideas of an equal pay.

She clutched Piplup closer to her chest and shot it a brief glance. It had a confident look in its eyes and nodded assuringly at its trainer. If they had to fight, the little penguin would be ready for it. However, Dawn wasn't as optimistic as her partner was.

Although she did think about an attempt to escape, she couldn't help but ponder on all the odds against them. J was a lot faster than her and could catch her only seconds later. Her unbelievably strong Pokemon were the next nearly insuperable obstacle. No confidence in the world could deny their power and the tiredness of Dawn's own party. And even if she managed to escape, what would happen next? She had still no clue, where she was and with Team Rocket around, there would be no time to find her way out, either.

No matter how she looked at the situation, the young coordinator had to stay with the huntress for the sake of her and her Pokemons' safety.

Dawn managed a small, crooked smile at Piplup before she turned her attention back to her temporary guide. There was something else on her mind and although there wasn't too much light to see clearly, she knew that something happened to the huntress. She remembered her battered appearance well and to her chagrin worries began building up inside her. She didn't enjoy seeing people suffer and looking at J she noticed a little abnormality in her steps. It was as if she slightly limped on her right leg. The silver haired woman did not show any kind of reaction, but the empathetic girl was sure it hurt.

I shouldn't care about it! She probably deserves it... After all, I have other problems to worry about. Like my legs! She thought and bit her lip. It was true. After walking around for hours, that sprint was pushing her to her limits. Her legs were burning and cried for a break. It felt, as if there wouldn't be enough air for her lungs pretty soon. Who knew, how long they would stay that way? Dawn didn't even know, if J really led her to Goldenrod City.

So many doubts and questions were already troubling her, but she simply couldn't shake of the worries about J. Sometimes Dawn was to kindhearted for her own good.

I guess it can't be helped. She thought and despite her aching legs she increased her pace until she was on the same level as J. She called out the hunters name and immediately received an annoyed glare.

"Are you all right?" Obviously, that question took the silver haired woman by surprise. She batted her greyish eyes at the girl, her expression showing some confusion. "I asked, whether you're all right. You're limping. Is your leg hurt?"

"Don't be ridiculous," J snapped at her as soon as she regained her composure. "I am fine. If you want a break, forget it. You do remember, what I said, don't you? Hold me back and you will face the consequences."

Dawn let out a sigh. She simply nodded and fell back a bit. Had she really expected a proper answer? Now her legs burned even more because of the little extra effort. She wanted a break badly, but she didn't want to risk J knocking her out, either. Not only would she miss her contest, during the run she had completely lost orientation and she didn't want to spend anymore time in the Ilex Forest. So she gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the burning sensation.

But eventually all the threats were futile. Not even ten minutes later Dawn's body reached a level of exhaustion, when it simply refused to take anymore steps. She came to a halt and fell down to her knees, panting. She could hear J slowing down and soon approaching her.

"I don't care, if you knock me out... I can't go on, I need a break..." Dawn squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the pain of a sudden hit. Instead she heard the soft noise of something lowering itself to the ground.

"Fine. A few minutes won't hurt, I guess."

Baffled, Dawn blinked a few times. "What?" She looked at the Pokemon Hunter with a shocked expression. The older woman sat calmly and leant against a small wooden building behind her back. Her eyes showed no emotion, as she repeated her words loud and clearly for the dumbfounded girl.

Dawn just kept blinking. She watched the huntress relax a bit, until she felt save enough to do the same. Hesitantly, she put down Piplup, which immediately took a protective stance in front of its trainer. As nothing happened she let out a sigh of relief. She savored the refreshing feeling of the cool air on her heated skin.

Finally, she had the opportunity to find at least a clue of where they were. They had arrived at a huge glade, the first one Dawn had seen for the past few hours. A few paths led through the middle of it, each crossing in front of the wooden structure. It looked like a shrine and the blue haired girl recalled some details she heard, when talking to the people of Azalea Town about the Ilex Forest.

"Isn't this the famous Ilex Forest Shrine?" Dawn asked aloud, but didn't really expect an answer.

"Yes, it's the shrine of the guardian of the forest, Celebi," J stated and shifted her position a little. She still seemed to be relaxed, but that was about to change.

"Don't tell me, you're here to steal Celebi?!"

The silver haired woman stiffened, then exhaled slowly, She looked at Dawn and her Piplup, which took over a fighting stance, trying to look intimidating. "Look, girl. I'll tell you just this once: I am not here to hunt any Pokemon. Although I really have a grudge against those pathetic guardians" A sour look crossed her face. "I don't have any interest in Celebi. Or any other Pokemon around here."

"Why are you here, then?"

"That's none of your business, girl."

Dawn frowned. That "girl" was getting on her nerves, but she remained silent about it. Other questions were burning on her tongue and now, she felt, was the chance to find the answers.

"Why do you help me?"

"I told you, didn't I? If Team Rocket-"

"J, do you really think I would believe that? How stupid do you think I am?" She interrupted the huntress and frowned. Such an excuse would just not do for her. Dawn wanted an answer that would help her look through in the thick haze of confusion, she was caught in. "There has to be another reason and I want to know it."

J eyed the girl thoughtful for a moment, then crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave a simple and unsatisfying reply.

"That's still none of you business."

"It is! It's about helping me, right?"

"Wrong! You're asking about my reasons, but they are my concerns, not yours. I don't care about your motives and you should do the same," The huntress snapped back, obviously annoyed of the whole conversation.

A little taken aback, the young coordinator remained silent and just looked at the huntress, her expression clearly showing her discontent. Couldn't J be just a little more cooperative for at least once?

In contrary. J was already about to stand up. She angled her knees to push herself up from her sitting position.

"We've wasted enough time here. Let's -"

"Wait!" Dawn exclaimed and held an arm out. Annoyed, the silver haired woman shot her a glare, but stopped in her actions. The young coordinator was still tired, but that wasn't the main reason, she kept J from going on.

Dawn hesitated for a moment, than took all her courage together and slid right next to the huntress, even placing a hand on her leg and holding her down a bit.

"I know you're hurt..." She looked at J, who remained silent, neither admitting not denying her statement. "I mean... It will be bad, if we run again, right? It could slow us down," She tried to explain her concern reasonably. In fact, Dawn just wanted to ease the pain, both to feel better herself and to help J. "Just let me take care of it, okay?"

At first, the huntress didn't show any reaction, but then she slid down the wall and outstretched her leg. Dawn was relieved to see, that J didn't only remain seated but also let the bluehaired girl take care of her injury.

She took her yellow backpack and pulled out some bandages and medicine, as well as a flashlight. Carefully, she slid the lower part of J's right pant leg up and could already feel warm liquid on her fingers. A grimace appeared on her face, when she illuminated the wound with her flashlight. A rather wide gash was ajar on the side of her lower leg. The edges were partly crusted, but there was still fresh blood seeping out of an opening. It didn't appear to be deep, though.

How J was able to move on like that was a mystery to Dawn. Quietly she ordered Piplup to create a bubble filled with water, which she used to clean the wound carefully. With the same cautiousness she put some of the salve on the gash and wrapped the bandage around the leg.

Any other person would have stopped treating the injury, but Dawn had something more to add. Once again she used the strength of her Pokemon. Although Piplup was not too fond of helping the huntress, it used a weakened form of its Ice Beam to seal the spot under a freezing layer of ice.

Satisfied with the result Dawn looked at the huntress and couldn't help but smile a bit. "Done. No need to worry, the ice will melt eventually. But until then it will cool the would and actually make the spot go numb. You shouldn't feel anymore pain soon..."

The young coordinator frowned, when she saw the changed expression on J's face. It looked, as if she was in deep thoughts about some kind of realization. "Is something wrong?" Dawn asked, putting some distance between her and the huntress. Who knew, what idea just popped into J's mind?

But the silver haired woman just kept staring at her. When she finally said something, Dawn was barely able to make out the words. "It is really you, huh..."

Before the young coordinator had anytime to ask, what J was talking about, a loud screech echoed over the glade, followed by loud steps. Whoever made his way to the clearing was close, but not there yet. Dawn had no time to react, when J already jumped to her feet and pulled the younger girl up by her wrist. Piplup stumbled after them and hid behind the shrine.

Dawn could feel the unexpected warmth of the wood behind her, but she was still to shocked to give it any thought. What mattered was the potential danger she, her Pokemon and probably even J were in. Worries began to build up in her. She was capable of batteling, but she and most her partners were exhausted from the previous day. They wouldn't be able to endure a long fight.

Her anxiety was growing even further, when she heard another screech, that time from a closer distance. She tensed her muscles, as her mind raced in order to make up some kind of strategie. So occupied with her thoughts, Dawn almost didn't hear J whispering in her ear.

"Girl, I need your help. You have to knock down those Pokemon, quick. Don't give them anytime to react, understand?"

Surprised Dawn blinked at her and wanted respond something, but J simply waved with her hand, an impatient look on her face. "We don't have time for this. How you do it, is up to you. Just make sure the attack will incapacitate them. A surprise attack, understand?" Rolling her eyes, she added something more. "I'll even explain later. For now, just do as I say!"

The huntress turned around and now Dawn even noticed, that she was covered from view by the older woman's body. At that moment, she decided to trust the huntress with the plan. It was nothing she did gladly, but it felt safer than the alternative and whatever that was, it sure sounded bad.

By then, the steps and the permanent flapping of wings were close enough, to hear them clearly. A Pokeball was activated and a dark growl joined the noises.

"This time there won't be any mistakes. You won't be able to run away now" Finally, the grunt reached the edge of the little shrine and looked straight at the huntress. "J."

From behind the older woman, Dawn could only see a Crobat flying at the right side of his head and she knew, there had to be some kind of probably doglike Pokemon at the ground. She gripped her own Pokeball tightly, ready to attack any moment. J didn't show any kind of reaction, she simply waited.

Probably the grunt understood her silence as a quiet surrender and was about to bark an order at his Pokemon, when Dawn quickly tossed her Pokeball in the air. "Mamoswine, quick, use Blizzard!"

The giant mammoth Pokemon popped out and immediately engulfed its opponents in a freezing wind. The plan worked, the grunt was too surprised to react. Crobat was frozen into a solid block of ice and crashed down, while his Houndoom had a hard time, remaining at its posture.

But just when Dawn was about to order another attack, a sudden white glow flashed up out of the shrine. Startled, she diverted herself from the battle and looked at the wooden structure. The light had not ceased yet, but the coordinator had no time, finding out, what it was. The grunt had overcome his initial surprise and fought back.

"Houndoom, Roar!" The fire-type bared it's sharp teeth and let out a loud growl. Mamoswine didn't seem to be too intimidated, but it still returned to it's respective Pokeball. Fortunately for Dawn, she didn't need further help of her giant friend. She focused her concentration once more on the battle.

"Piplup, Hydropump!" The small penguin didn't hesitate, when it created a powerful stream of water. Houndoom had no chance against the pressure and was pushed back by it, as well as it's trainer. The attack wasn't over, though. Even without an order, Piplup knew, what it had to do. Using Bubble Beam, it enveloped the three opponents in a huge bubble that grew rapidly.

"Let's finish with Ice Beam!" Dawn shouted and her partner obeyed. After mere seconds the whole surface was frozen and untransparent. The enemies were incapacitated. Relieved, she thanked her Pokemon for the help and turned around to look at her guide.

J glared briefly at something yellow sticking out of the shrine, then quickly focused on her surroundings. While Dawn stepped closer to find out, what had caused the glow earlier, the huntress spoke up.

"If you're done, we will go on, now. "

She was about to continue their sprint, but the young coordinator was a little occupied with the tiny Pokemon directly over her head. "A Pichu! " She exclaimed and held a hand up to its nose. It sniffed her curiously and squeaked all the time. Although she had turned her back at the silver haired woman, she could almost feel her annoyed glare.

"This little rat almost made you lose. If we get caught because of it, I'll make sure you despise it. Come on!" J said and started running, before Dawn had time to react. Pichu was faster and tried to jump out of the shrine. It almost fell down on the hard earth, but she was quick enough to catch it.

Hastily, the bluehaired girl chased after the fast huntress with the Pichu now in her arms and Piplup in another bubble sliding over the ground. It took her a while, but eventually she was able to catch up to J. The older woman shot her a side glare, before she focused on the multiple ways in front of them.

"You don't seem to grasp your situation yet, girl," She spoke and took the right way, a narrow, partly hidden path. "This is not about some Pokemon. It's about your life! And you go waste our time with that little rat."

"It's not a rat!" Dawn protected the mouse Pokemon. "And that's the reason I took it! You should know best, what people like them would do with it..."

J just snorted at that reply and kept running. Although silence fell over them, the coordinator felt save enough to ask another question. After all, J at least seemed to be in a cooperating mood. "Hey, what was it, you wanted to explain? Why can't you battle yourself?"

The woman shot her an annoyed look as if she had hoped, that Dawn had forgotten that remark after all the excitement. "This isn't important right now. When we have time for a short break, I will tell you. Now we have to focus on putting as much distance between us and those pathetic pursuers as we can. I'm sure he already broke out of that bubble."

After all the hard work, the young trainer and her Pokemon had put into that technique, she felt rather underestimated. "No way! Out Bubble Cage won't break that easily, right Piplup?"

The penguin chirped approvingly. J on the other hand wasn't convinced at all. Her expression told likewise, when she faced the younger girl. "Really? The ice bubble with the firetype inside?"

Dawn frowned. That sarcastic remark once again showed her, how little the huntress thought of her. She couldn't just let that statement drop, so she dared to correct the rather dangerous woman. "It's not just ice. The cage consists of many layers of bubbles and water, which are very flexible and move back into place, when an attack hits it. The ice is just there, to make it a little more stable. We've already tested it with a Magmar, so it should be working..."

Her eyes were fixed on J's greyish ones, waiting for a reaction. She didn't know, what the silence meant, but eventually the older woman gave a simple reply. "I see. Just hope, you're right."

Once again, silence fell upon the two running girls. The adrenaline of the surprise attack had refreshed Dawn's tired muscles, but she could already feel the burning pain return. On top of the, Pichu began to make a ruckus. It squealed and struggled to escape her grip.

"Hey! Stop it!" She tried to hush the tiny mouse. It shot her a pleading look and repeated its name. The young coordinator let out a sigh. "I don't understand a word you're saying..."

"But you should be able to understand me, girl," J's voice called out from behind her, as she, pointed into the forest. Piplup and Dawn came abruptly to a halt and turned around. "We'll continue our way here. Don't fall behind." With that said, the huntress vanished behind the trees. The young coordinator and her Pokemon quickly followed and soon they found themselves in another nearly impassable sea of underwood.

Thick branches and thorny scrubs covered the dark ground. Dawn had to climb over some obstacles and Pichu took the opportunity to dash of in J's direction. While the tiny mouse had no problems, slipping through small holes in the brush, Piplup had a hard time finding its way. It's big, blue head often got stuck and it tripped more, than it walked. Clearly annoyed it repeated its name loudly over and over again.

The young coordinator could understand her Pokemon and she glared at J's back. Just where was the huntress leading her to? For a moment Dawn considered her chances once more, if she escaped. Now, that she knew the shrine's location, she was able to regain her orientation. Maybe she could find her way to Goldenrod City and her contest. Maybe she was lucky enough to evade anymore encounters with Team Rocket. Maybe she could just grab Piplup, turn around and flee from J.

But what, if not? Too many ideas about the worst and most likely outcomes of her little attempt to escape were popping up in Dawn's mind. J, Team Rocket and even the Pokemon of the forest meant potential danger to the blue haired girl. It was very frustrating to her, that the only safe way out of that situation was to follow Pokemon Hunter J. How much bad luck could a person have in one single night?

Frustrated by those circumstances, Dawn let out a hiss and fought herself free from the thorny scrubs that wrapped around her legs. She lost her balance doing so and almost fell to the ground, but instead bumped into something softer.

J had stopped and it was her body, the surprised coordinator crashed into. Hastily, she jumped away and stumbled over the branches, That time however, she was grabbed by the collar and held into place.

"We take a short break here. Don't make yourself too comfortable, though," the huntress said. She went over to a trunk, which laid on its side and took a seat, her watchful eyes fixed on the girl. Part of Dawn was relieved to take another break, but mostly she was very irritated. Grumbling, she picked up her Piplup and sat down in front of a huge ilex.

They had arrived at a little clearing and the clouds let enough light shine to the ground, that the blue haired coordinator had a good view on J. And on Pichu, which was seated right beside her, and looked up to the huntress with big shiny eyes. Dawn frowned a bit at the scene, but brushed it of for the moment. After all, the older woman had said, she would explain everything and that was just the time for it.

"So..." Dawn began. "What was it, you wanted to tell me?"

J didn't reply immediately, but rather let out a heavy sigh. She crossed one leg over the other and leaned back a little. "You saw the guy with the Crobat and the Houndoom. That damn Crobat knows a certain frequency to disable Pokeballs and Houndoom can use Roar. I think you get the idea. Fortunaly, this also disturbs radio waves. They are not able to communicate, thus they can't locate us that easily."

Dawn blinked. And her jaw dropped. "That's it? You can't use your Pokemon? I could have just fled without worrying over your Pokemon?!" She couldn't help but feel even more angered. The reason she kept following the huntress - it never existed?

The fact, that J even snorted at her remark, stirred her irritation even more. "You want to run away? Fine. Go and get lost again. Or, more likely, get caught by Team Rocket. I am sure they will enjoy their opportunity to use their methods on a girl like you. They would do anything to find out, where I am."

"I could beat any of them! And I would find my way out in no time!" Dawn snapped back at the huntress. That moment she was so fierce, she didn't even notice, when she jumped to her feet.

"I would love to see that. After all, they were able to incapacitate me, why should your chances be any better?"

"Because I -" Dawn tried to think about some kind of reason, at least a little one to back up her claim. But she knew, she had lost the argument. She had known it even before the fight. The truth behind J's words was something the young coordinator couldn't deny. Feeling, that all her strength was suddenly gone, she sank to her knees and hung her head. She didn't let herself cry in front of the huntress, but she felt like it.

"I don't care! All I want is this night to come to an end! I'm somewhere lost in the Ilex Forest, chased by Team Rocket and you are here! But not only that, you're helping me! I don't understand any of it!" She took a moment to catch her breath, her voice not giving away her actual shakiness. "I don't even care anymore, whether I make it to the contest or not... I just want this - this... nightmare to end!"

Piplup chirped worryingly and looked up at its trainer from the ground with big, black eyes. She patted its head with her hand and tried to ignore the huntress, which was approaching her after a while. Even, when J stood directly in front of her, Dawn didn't turn in her direction. Only Piplup paid her attention, by glaring threateningly at her. A sigh was heard, as the older woman spoke up.

"All right, girl -"

"Don't" Dawn interrupted J, without lifting her head. "Don't call me girl."

"Then how?" That moment, J's voice was a mere whisper and sounded so different from her normal way to talk - almost empathetic - the coordinator couldn't believe her ears. She had to see the greyish blue eyes of her with her own ones, to assure she was still talking with the same evil huntress. Baffled, Dawn said the next words without thinking about them.

"My name's Dawn..."

"Well then, Dawn," J emphasized her name briefly. Her voice still had the changed tone in it, as she went on. "I know, this must be very confusing and I am certainly not the person, to give you any satisfying answers. But what I can tell you is, that those henchmen pose a severe threat for both our lifes. I have my own personal interest in your survival - I just can't reveal them to you. Trusting me is probably the most impossible task I can ask for, but -" Now she offered her hand to Dawn. "But you can believe me, when I tell you, that I will lead you out of this forest safely and in time. All I need is you to accept the help."

When Dawn was still hesitating, the huntress added something more to her little speech. "I can even promise you, that I won't deceive you. All right?"

The blue haired girl looked straight into her eyes, trying to find out, whether J was lying. But it didn't feel like it. As far as Dawn could tell, her words were honest.

She was still a little reluctant, accepting the help from the huntress - after all, they were enemies. But that moment, Dawn decided to trust her. She took J's gloved hand and let herself be pulled up. Her legs were shaking and were about to give in. Without the support of the older woman, Dawn would have fallen to the ground.

As soon as she had found her balance, J let go of her hand. "It'll take just an hour or two, so -" She stopped in mid sentence, when she saw a little, yellow Pokemon on her shoulder.

"Pichu!" It squeaked happily and tried to nuzzle its head against J's neck. She intercepted that movement with her index finger and pushed it some inches away.

"Get down, now!" She ordered with her old tone. Obviously, the mouse didn't understand her words and kept squealing. J grabbed it at it's back and was about to put it away. When she saw Dawn, who wanted to take the electric type, though, she quickly rethought her decision. "If I think about it, you can stay." Apparently, Pichu was happy. Sparks danced around its pink cheeks, but the huntress paid no mind. She was already continuing her way, only stopping to wait for the younger girl.

Dawn picked up Piplup and quickly followed J, pushing her worries back in a corner of her mind. The last part of their road was rather uneventful. With J's help, the young girl had fewer difficulties and because they were far away from the usual paths, there were no more encounters with Team Rocket. Although Dawn's legs were still hurting, the slower pace helped her relax her tense muscles at least a bit.

It took them a little longer, to reach the end of the forest and by the time they passed the last trees, the sun already rose in the east. Exhausted, but relieved, Dawn let herself drop to her knees and let out a sigh. "We made it! Finally!" She exclaimed and Piplup chirped approvingly. There was a little house with a great yard in the vicinity and somewhere in the distance, they could already see some skyscrapers towering over the trees. "That must be Goldenrod City! We're really here!"

"It just takes about fifteen minutes to get there. There shouldn't be anymore of those incompetent idiots around, so you can just go," J said, as she walked up to the young coordinator. Pichu was still on her shoulder and it appeared to be fast asleep. Although her tone was back to normal, Dawn still didn't sense any danger behind it. She must really have been very, very tired.

"You just let me go like this? Really?" She asked once more, still shocked by the fact. "That's... still confusing..."

The huntress merely shrugged her shoulders. "There is no need to understand it." With her left hand she picked something up and seconds later, she held out the peacefully slumbering Pichu to Dawn. "That's yours. After all, you wanted to keep it."

Carefully, she took the tiny mouse in her own arms and brushed against its fur. In the new light, she could now see some spikes at its left ear. The unusual behavior made her wonder. "Why did it follow you all the time?"

"Well," J snorted. "The shrine shined. I guess that Pichu just hatched and Baby-Pokemon like this, tend to believe, that the first living thing they see was responsible for its egg."

"Oh... So if it saw you first, it must think, you're it's -"

"You don't have to say it," the huntress quickly interrupted her. "I don't want that mouse to get anymore attached to me, so you better stay out from my business. Got it?"

Dawn only nodded, feeling a wave of tiredness washing over her. The silver haired woman took the opportunity, to return to the forest, but was soon stopped by a quiet voice.

"Wait..." Despite the burning sensation in her legs, the young girl got up and faced the huntress once more. "Thank you... for guiding me here, J..."

After some hesitation J replied. "Well. I guess, thank you for my leg." She was of course referring to the bandage, which was still wrapped around the wound. "Now, go to sleep already."

With those words each of the two girls continued their own ways and despite her condition, Dawn couldn't suppress a smile at the thought of her upcoming contest. But there was a certain thought alway lingering at the back of her mind, even as she began following the road.

What had really just happened and what would it bring in her future? Dawn could only guess and hope, that she would find the answers some day.
 

Das war Kapitel 1 und ja, meine Kommentare schreibe ich auch weiterhin auf deutsch... Auf meinem Steckbrief werde ich im übrigen daraufhinweisen, wie weit ich mit dem nächsten Kapitel bin, also, falls ihr wissen wollt, wann ich denn in etwa was neues hab, schaut dort nach.

Write ya next time.
 

Mood of a Teenager

Das dieses Kapitel so schnell on war heißt leider gar nichts, ich hatte es halt schon feritg gestellt^^'

Der Titel ist super, nicht? Ach ja, bevor irgendwelche fragen aufkommen, ich habe im späteren Kampf absichtlich einen Teil der Befehle ausgelassen, da sie einfach beim lesen stören, find ich. (Keine Sorge, meine Charas sind nicht stumm. Dumm ist vllt ne andere Geschichte..)

"So, your name is?"

"Dawn."

"And your age?"

"16."

"And you are from?"

"Sinnoh."

"A bit more detailed, please."

Dawn let out a heavy sigh. She and her Pokemon were in a small office at the Goldenrod City police station. A grumpy looking officer sat on the other side of the small desk, noting her personal data in some files. Piplup had fallen asleep in Dawn's lap and Pichu was busy exploring the room with curious eyes.

"I'm from Twinleaf Town."

The policeman nodded and wrote something down. "How long have you been in Johto and what are your plans here?"

The young girl frowned at the question. "What does this have to do with yesterday night?"

"Well, formalities," He said, but then he folded his hands infront of his face and fixed Dawn with his glare. "And to find out, how you are connected to either criminal organization, which caused us much havoc in the Ilex Forest."

His sharp tone gave Dawn a certain idea and she didn't like the direction, it took. "Are you assuming, I am an accomplice?" His expression told the whole story and baffled as she was, she needed a few seconds, to find her voice again. "I would never help any of them! I'm not a criminal!" She actually glared at the policeman, a guy with a serious look on his face and short, black hair partly hidden under his hat. He had put on his uniform neatly, but it looked rather worn down.

On the whole, he looked like an officer, who had chased and arrested countless criminals, risking his life more than once. Determined, brave - and hardened enough to believe, that a 16-years-old girl could be an assistant to any evil act. Why did he have to interview Dawn? Where was the nicer, soft Officer Jenny, when you really needed her? Handing out parking tickets?

He simply replied by returning to his notes. "That is not for you to decide."

Sighing in defeat, Dawn dropped her shoulders and answered his previous question. "I've been in Johto for one and a half months and I'm here to participate at the Grand Festival."

"Grand Festival?" He repeated her words and raised an eyebrow. "Well, you seem to be very confident in your skills, regarding, how little time is left until it begins. A month, I believe? Most suspicious." Before Dawn could defend herself, the officer already went on, his eyes fixed on the document. "I believe, you are here to participate at the Goldenrod Contest?" A nod. "You know, it had been delayed?"

Now her expression darkened and she let out a huff. "Yes, I know." One of the only reasons, she accepted Hunter J's help, and it had been delayed?! What kind of sick joke was fate playing with her?

"Well, before we digress too much from the most important information, what happened yesterday night? And don't try to make me believe, you didn't notice anything until our units caught you this morning. I want to know every detail, of what happened, understood?"

Letting out a sigh, Dawn nodded and reluctantly, she told him about the previous events. How she got lost in the forest, how she met J and how they escaped the apparently very dangerous woods. She didn't hundred percent follow his instruction, though. There were a few details, she felt the officer wouldn't need to bother his time with. Like the wound on J's leg, which was treated by the young girl. Or that they had helped each other on different occasions. No, the busy policeman surely had other duties, then listening to such insignificant data, which would put the coordinator in a bad light anyways.

"... and that's when I was suddenly ambushed by your colleagues," She concluded her tale and grimaced. The memory of her "arrest" was still vivid on her mind. Just when she was about to enter the city, just when she was about to leave the incident of the Ilex Forest behind her - suddenly dozens of policemen lunged at her, roaring fiercely all the while. Dawn had a déjà-vu of Mamoswhine falling onto her during their training.

The officer still had many questions, especially about possible hints about J's plans. As the young girl already had enough of that interview, she only answered in monosyllables. But when he asked about something unusual about the huntress, Dawn couldn't help but wonder again.

"She did behave strange today..."

"Strange? In what way?" He pressed her, now at best attention.

A little hesitantly, Dawn gave a reply. "She seemed to be troubled and later on she was.." She searched for the right words. "Friendly. Helpful, kind of nice..."

Suddenly, the blue haired girl remembered a little detail in her conservation with J, which seemed to be important. The huntress had said, that she had some personal interest in Dawn's survival. What was the meaning behind those words?

The officer seemed to be lost in thoughts, while he wrote down some more notes in the file. "Well. Even the most ruthless criminals can be friendly to their accomplices."

Her jaw dropped. He was still accusing Dawn of assisting J? Apparently, the policeman read her expression, as he spoke on. "You want to deny it? You received help by a wanted criminal, you did nothing that would help putting this Hunter to justice-"

"She is dangerous!" Dawn interrupted the officer, but he just spoke on, unaffected.

"And you have arrived in Johto only a few weeks later, than Hunter J did. Not to mention, that she stopped her crimes at about the same time you came. I do not believe in accidents. The facts you told me lead me inevitable to the assumption, that you have something to do with her. Could it possibly involve poaching rare Pokemon?"

"I would never do that!" Dawn had her voice risen, to match the volume of the officer. The longer she listened to his words, the more irritated she became. How could he believe something like that? The blue haired coordinator was the last person, who would be involved in hunting business! "I would never work with such a cruel, ruthless person! I could never put harm to anybody, especially not Pokemon!"

The policeman wanted to respond and even stood up from his chair, but an excited squeak jolted them back to reality.

"Pichu! Chu Pi!"

Turning their heads to the little electric type, they both gasped at the sight. The two had concentrated on the discussion so intensely, they never noticed, how the computer started. Pichu jumped around happily on the keyboard and poked the mouse from time to time. Multiple windows opened, all featuring reports of criminal organizations. One of them showed the big headline "Team 'Missile' Rocket - Radical Group of Pokemonthiefs".

"Team Missile?" Dawn asked, frowning, but remained at her seat, as she was not in the mood to take care of Pichu. The officer on the other hand was quickly approaching his computer, his eyes never leaving the yellow pipsqueak.

"Yes, Team Missile, the political correct term for the radical group, which separated from Team Rocket three years ago. They still pursue the original goal of world domination by stealing strong Pokemon. Well, I guess they could not accept helping people with charitable projects." He arrived at the desk and tried to catch Pichu. The tiny mouse managed to dodge his attempts effortlessly and let out some sparks. The officer snorted. He definitely didn't want his computer to be damaged by an accidental ThunderShock. "I'm sure, they were not too happy about Pokemon Hunter J rivaling their crimes and tried to get rid of her. Then you probably came to save her and now she gets her revenge by sabotaging their operations! And you are here to help her!"

Dawn blinked. The officer just rattled through his speech so fast, her unfocused mind couldn't understand everything he told her. Something about radical groups of people, who wanted world domination by charitable projects. She definitely needed her sleep. And seeing the policeman being busy with his own problems, she saw a chance to leave finally. "Excuse me, can I go now?" She asked, but was simply ignored.

"Did you just send that? To my superior?!" He shouted in horror and tried to push Pichu off the keyboard. The tiny mouse jumped away and accidentally pressed a button. Suddenly, the alarm went off and red lights flashed through the office, startling the three. Pichu's scared cry filled the air and sparks began to build up in its cheeks. It didn't take too long for the yet unexperienced Pokemon to discharge the weak, but effective ThunderShock that hit everything in direct prolixity - including the officer and computer. The now crispy-fried policeman watched with horror, how the screen flickered, before it went black.

Phones were ringing loudly, officers stormed into the room, Growlithe were barking fiercely. Nobody cared for neither Dawn nor Pichu, which had already taken its place on her shoulder, muttering its name. The chaotic mess was the perfect chance to get away and the blue haired coordinator didn't hesitate, as she took it.

Finally, she was able to step behind the glass doors and the moment she did so, she let out a relieved sigh. The warm late morning sun shone at the tired girl, almost mockingly. Goldenrod City was already awake and busy. People were hurrying to their jobs or took walks in the lively streets, most likely unaware of the riot in the police station. Many shops lined the road, their labels attracting potential customers. Any other time, the young coordinator couldn't wait to explore, what the city had to offer, what kind of fashion products she would find or what culinary specialities awaited her.

But not that day. While Pichu scrambled around her shoulders, simply astonished by the view and Piplup still peacefully asleep in her arms, Dawn only thought about the nice, soft bed in some nearby Pokemon Center. Both her body and mind were exhausted and she wished for nothing more, than a long rest. From afar she could already see the giant 'P' that indicated her destination and a faint smile played on her lips.
 

At last she arrived at her room. A sigh escaped her lips, as Dawn went over to the single bed and let herself drop on the soft mattress. Piplup hadn't woken up even once, when she put it onto the pillow and watched it curl up. She then turned her attention at Pichu, which was busy exploring the room. It sniffled around and squealed all the time. When it found the lamps, or more precisely, the switch of the lamp, it even let some sparkles of excitement dance around it cheeks. As it was playing with the light, it drew a giggle from the blue haired girl.

"You really are a Baby Pokemon. You're so cute!" She went over to the tiny mouse and picked it up. It looked at her with big, shiny eyes and tilted it's spiky ear to the side. "I bet you're hungry. After all, you haven't eaten anything yet, right?" Although Pichu didn't seem to understand, what Dawn just said, it snuggled itself close to her chest.

She took a pink poffin out of her backpack and held it in front of Pichu's nose. The electric type sniffled at it and licked it. It let out a squeal of delight and tried to nibble some of the sweet candy, but failed. How could it, without teeth?

"Oops, I forgot." Dawn exclaimed and put Pichu onto the bed. She exited her room and returned shortly afterwards with some fresh milk. Together with the poffin she created a bowl full with pink yoghurt. The tiny mouse immediately started to lick the sweet substance and quickly splotched it's cheeks. It just looked adorable and Dawn couldn't help, but shake her head.

"How can such a cute thing think, J is its mother? I mean, it's Pokemon Hunter J we're talking about!" Although it couldn't have understood her words, Pichu looked up and squealed questioningly. She stroked it's head with her hand and let out a sigh. "But you really like her, don't you? Well, I guess, it can't be helped. If we ever meet again, I'll think of something, okay?"

Although the tiny mouse had no clue, what Dawn just said, it seemed to have understood the message and happily returned to its meal. The girl on the other hand dropped on the mattress and once again thought about the past events. She was still wondering about the unusual behavior of the older woman. Or her motives of being in Johto, sabotaging Team Rocket or Team Missile, or who ever they might be. And why had she helped Dawn? Why was she interested in her survival? Whatever the reasons were, it was most likely that Dawn would never find out about them. But she was curious. Really curious.

The answers would have to wait, though. Since it was still morning and Dawn didn't want to sleep through the whole day, she set her alarm-clock a few hours later. She would then go and explore the city for a bit, until it was time to get ready for her contest the next day.

Quickly, she changed into her pajamas and hopped onto the bed. "There's one more thing..." She said and grabbed an empty Pokeball. She held it directly in front of Pichu's little black nose, which sniffed the device. "As long as we didn't figure out, what we will do with J, you should stay with me, okay?"

With a slight movement of her wrist, Dawn catched the tiny mouse. When the red light stopped blinking, she released the electric type. Pichu seemed to be troubled by the device and frowned, an act that drew a giggle from the young girl. Yawning heartily, she made herself comfortable on the bed and soon fell asleep, in a world without any dangerous woods, hunters or annoying police officers.
 

The next day, Dawn was roused from her sleep by the penetrate beeping of the alarm clock. It took her a moment to find the annoying device and to slam the snooze button. Immediately, she curled back into her sheets and enjoyed the warmth.

Until suddenly something small and fluffy jumped around her, preventing her attempt of falling back into her peaceful slumber. No matter how hard she tried, the young girl couldn't ignore the noisy squealing of the energetic little Pokemon. Still reluctant to leave her sleep just yet, her eyes flung open and she shot Pichu a glare. The tiny mouse didn't mind, as it hopped around and sent out sparkles in every direction. Piplup accompanied the electric type and chirped happily at it's trainer.

Groaning, Dawn finally sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her whole body felt sore, especially her legs, which still burned after all the strain they had been through. The little rest hadn't been enough to wash the tiredness away, so that the coordinator began her day in a foul mood. Not even the thought about her contest could lift her spirits.

Unmotivated as she was, Dawn prepared herself very slowly for her performance.

With a look into the mirror she had to find out, that her legs still looked like a mess. Countless red lines covered her rather pale skin and almost shone due to the contrast. She grimaced. She couldn't just walk outside like that with her skirt - how would all those scratches look like, especially in her contest dress? A tight-fitting jeans was the only piece of cloth, which was long enough to cover her legs, but as she had found out the day before, the weather was very warm, even hot. Although Dawn didn't want to suffer a sunstroke, she couldn't just wander around as if she had been attacked by a horde of Rattata.

Sometimes I hate being a girl, She thought as she eventually walked out of the Pokemon Center, dressed in a white sleeveless shirt and the dark jeans. Pichu sat on her shoulder, while Piplup walked right beside her on the street, chirping happily.

It promised to be a beautiful day. The sun shone and only some fleecy clouds covered the light blue sky. People were laughing and enjoying their day off, many of them obviously went into the same direction, the young coordinator did. Only Dawn did not fit the picture with her constant frown. That moment, she wished for nothing more, than her warm, comfortable bed, but instead, she found a reminder of the reason for her bad mood.

There was a huge poster that drew her attention. She stopped and looked at the picture, the Goldenrod Gym accompanied by fanfare and colorful confetti, the place, where the contest should have taken place. Another smaller note was a sincere apology of the gym leader Whitney, whose gym fell victim to an intense battle. The repairs wouldn't be finished before the contest, so they had to delay the date and rearrange the location into the National Park.

Whoever that Whitney person was, she did not leave a good impression on Dawn. Now, even more angered than before, she continued her way to the National Park in a faster pace. She was ready to blame any other person for her bad mood. The gym leader, the police officer, Hunter J - everyone! Who did they think they were, messing around with Dawn's life like that?

Frustrated as she was, the young girl wanted to vent her anger and kicked a street lamp. Not only shot a sharp pain through her big toe, the metallic sound drew the attention of some passerby and especially the older ones shook their head in disapproval. Dawn could hear a murmuring voice, complaining about "those rampaging teenagers".

The anger was still there, but now it was mixed with embarrassment. Her cheeks burned up with a deep blush and she directed her eyes to the ground, hurrying on in a much quicker pace. The day had not even started yet and Dawn wished for nothing more, than her bed and the blanket that could cover her from the rest of the world.
 

Finally, Dawn sat in front of a huge mirror in the changing room at the contest site at National Park. She was already dressed in her contest-outfit, a rather simple, but short dress in a light color. To conceal the scratches on her legs, she had to put a thick pile of make-up on her skin and even then there were still some red lines shining through. It was well enough, though and she was relieved, that she didn't have to wear tights in the heat.

The first round was still some more minutes away and gradually, the young girl felt a trace of nervousness rise within her. She couldn't help but worry about her performance. After all, she and her Pokemon hadn't been able to practice for three days, as their trainer was either occupied with getting lost in the Ilex Forest or too tired. She let out a sigh and rubbed her hands over her face. The Grand Festival was four more contests away and Dawn had only achieved two ribbons thus far. The last three would be hard to earn, especially regarding her success rate in the last couple of contests. No matter how much she and her Pokemon practiced, there would always be a mistake, which affected their chance of victory greatly. And how should she be able to win in a state like that?

A sigh escaped her lips and she leant back a bit in her chair. Dawn could see her Piplup looking at her with uncertain eyes and a faint smile played on her lips, as she made a decision. Grabbing a Pokeball from the desk, the young girl released her Quilava. Immediately, the fire type ignited the bright flames on its back and cried out its name, clearly ready to take on the first round. When it saw it's trainer's expression, though, it shot her a questioning look.

"Alright, Quilava, Piplup," She said and patted their heads. "You don't have to win this time, it doesn't matter. We haven't practiced for a few days and I'm still very tired... As long as we kind of get it over with it, everything will be alright. No need to worry, we still have one more chance! ... But today I just want it to end soon, so take it easy, okay?"

She could see and feel the confusion of her partner, but instead of answering, she just gave each of them a little squeeze. If we are already about to lose, she figured. We don't have to waste anymore energy, then necessary.

When the announcement for the first round came, Dawn turned away from her still baffled Pokemon and faced Pichu. The tiny mouse sniffed a plug socket with great interest. hastily, the coordinator jumped to her feet and grabbed the electric type. As she didn't want to put it in its Pokeball, but couldn't just let it run around freely, she called another of one of her partners.

A white light emerged and a tall Lopunny stood gracefully in front of her. "Lopunny," Dawn greeted the rabbit. "Could you take care of Pichu? I'm afraid, it will only hurt itself."

"Lo! Punny!" It sang and took Pichu into its own arms. The electric type sniffled the taller Pokemon and eventually gave it a little lick on its fluffy cheek. Despite her state, Dawn had to giggle and with that settled, she turned around to Piplup and Quilava. They still gave her those unsure looks and she smiled faintly.

"Come on, guys. The first round is waiting." She quickly retrieved her partners and dashed outside to her contest.
 

A large stage had been built over the lower half of the Pokeball-shaped grassland. Curtains had been set up in the back behind the huge fountain, which still shot water highly into the air. And there was a tribune for the cheering spectators.

"We had some interesting coordinators here," A young woman with light blue hair and a white and pink dress exclaimed. Her name was Marina and she was the Contest Annoucer of Johto. "But now, let's welcome one of the uprising coordinators of the past few years - the Bubble Queen, Dawn!"

The crowd cheered, Dawn frowned. She did a lot more, than just creating bubbles!

Brushing the thoughts about her awkward title away, the young coordinator stepped out from behind the curtains and threw her Pokeball. Fireworks emerged from the Ballcapsule and in the midist of the colorful lights Quilava appeared. When it landed, bright flames burst apart, away from its body.

"Quilava, use Swift!" Dawn yelled and her partner created a storm of stars in different shapes, sizes and even colors. They flew around the stage and illuminated everything in an almost ghostly way. "Now jump and use Flame Wheel!" A cry, followed by the hissing sound of ignited fire pierced through the air and Quilava leaped up into the sky. A wild and powerful inferno spun rapidly around its body, as the volcano Pokemon bounded from one giant star to the others, a couple of smaller ones trailing behind it like a swarm.

This is it, Dawn thought and bit her lip. This is where we will make a mistake. One of the stars will break, or Quilava will miss one, or, or, or...

But to her astonishment, nothing happened. As a finishing move, the fire around Quilava split, revealing an unobscured view to it's nicely illuminated body. The Flame Wheel was still active, but the volcano Pokemon didn't have to roll around for it. A last leap right through a giant, bursting star and the performance was over. Pokemon and coordinator stood there, grinning at the cheering crowd, surrounded by a cascade of colorful stars.

Dawn couldn't remember the last time, their performance went that smoothly.
 

As Dawn first entered the waiting room for the coordinator, she could already hear the frustrated squealing of Pichu. And mere seconds later, she could see the reason for it. A young woman with pink hair, dressed in a red sport suit, was hugging the little electric type with great affection. Or rather squeezing it to death, as the uncomfortable look on Pichu's expression became more and more visible.

"Aren't you the cutest? With those little, pink cheeks and those spikes on your ear! Waaaah, I just want to take you with me and -" Whatever that person wanted to do with the poor tiny mouse, Dawn would never know. Before she or Lopunny, which hopped up and down right next to the stranger, could do anything to interfere, Pichu let out a ThunderShock. The attack was still weak, but it was enough to knock the pink haired woman down to the ground.

Rushing over to her Pokemon, Dawn catched the electric type, which quickly hid behind her shoulder. Lopunny went to check on Pichu, looking apologetically at its trainer all the while. Slightly annoyed of the whole scene, the blue haired coordinator tapped her foot on the ground.

"Excuse me," She began and glared at the woman in front of her. The stranger had moved into a sitting position and rubbed the back of her head. "But what makes you think, you can just choke my Pichu?"

The stranger laughed nervously and sprang to her feet. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself. It was just so cute! Where did you get it and how come it has those spikes? Don't tell me, you use hair gel?" She fired questions at the younger girl, until she noticed the mood, Dawn was in. "Oh, where are my manners - I'm Whitney."

Dawn's eyebrow twitched. Hadn't she read that name just an hour before? "Oh. So you're that infamous gym leader?"

Whitney seemed to be a little intimidated by Dawn's harsh words. "Yeah, well... You're Dawn, that awesome coordinator! I watched your progress in a few Grand Festivals... Too bad about the last one in Sinnoh-" A little too late she noticed her mistake, but before the moody girl could reply anything, the announcement for the next coordinator saved the gym leader. "Ah, I need to go. Sorry about your Pichu, see you!" With that, Whitney dashed of to the stage.

Dawn let out a heavy sigh. The day was becoming worse and worse by every hour. She just wondered, when she would finally hit rock bottom. Feeling a little strengthless, she flopped onto a comfortable seat and leaned back. Pichu was happily playing with Lopunny and seemed to have already forgotten the encounter with Whitney. If only Dawn could do that... Simply forgetting about all those people she met the past two days.

For just a few seconds she let her eyelids drop and blocked the background noises out. The next time she opened her eyes again, was because Piplup shook her with its little flippers and chirped right into her ear.

"Piplup," She groaned and rubbed her face. "Where have you been? You could have stopped that Pokemaniac..." The penguin pointed proudly to the neatly bounded, black bow tie around its neck. "Oh, you managed it yourself... That's great, I guess." When it moved her attention to the monitor, where her success of the first round was displayed she straightened up and blinked confused. "When did they already decide?"

"Piplup Pip," The water type exclaimed with a chiding undertone and crossed its flippers in front of its chest.

"I know, I know. I'll sleep later, I promise! After we get kicked out, that is," She muttered the last part much to Piplup's disapproval and her amusement.

"Pip! Piplup Pip Lup!"

"Calm down, I was joking. I'll give my best, no need to worry!" That's when you usually worry the most, anyways, She grimly added in her thoughts, as she was well aware of the sleepiness that fell upon her. The second round was about to begin, so Dawn and Piplup went over to the curtain, to meet their first opponent for the day.
 

"To my left is the Bubble Queen, Dawn!" Marina exclaimed. "And to my right is Red and Black Flash, Larry!"

Dawn's brow twitched. She thought her title was already ridiculous. What did the poor biker on the other side of the stage do, to earn that nickname? He seemed to be indifferent about the absurd name, as he was grinning broadly in his black leather jacket and made such a person participate in a contest in the first place?

Dawn brushed those thought aside for the moment and called out for Piplup. The penguin was surrounded by numerous ice flowers, which rained softly to the ground like snowflakes. When it landed, it shifted its bow tie into the right position with its flippers and crossed them in front of its chest. That day, Piplup was overflowing with pride and confidence.

Alright Dawn, remember, The girl thought to herself and tried to push her tiredness away. Make your Pokemon look good and show of its strength. Use the attacks of your opponent, find the right timing to attack yourself, stay calm... She rattled through the rules for a good battle performance as an attempt, to focus her concentration. Nervousness was coming back to her and she clenched her hands into fists. When had she become that vulnerable for jimpiness?

"Heat 'em up, Houndoom!" Larry shouted and in a wild blaze a dog-like Pokemon with huge horns on its skull appeared. It let out a fierce roar and looked intimidating at its next opponent.

Dawn jaw almost dropped. "This has to be a joke!" She hissed quietly through her teeth. Immediately, she remembered the incident in the Ilex Forest and the tension that had been in the air. The burning sensation in her legs became once again noticeable, as well as the frustration she had felt that night. She could see Piplup tense up, too. That battle would be interesting, no doubt.

"Now, begin!" Marina initiated the second round.

"Houndoom, Flamethrower!" The dark type obeyed and spit its glowing fire at Piplup. Both Pokemon and trainer remained calm, as Dawn ordered a defensive Hydro Pump. Water splashed around Piplup's flippers, as it formed a shield-like circle in front of its body. The flames were deflected to the sides, without harming the penguin. Their guard lasted a moment, before it shot a powerful jet of water to their opponent.

Houndoom dodged the attack swiftly and used its Thunder Fang to splash the water at the sides of the Hydro Pump. Both attacks had cost points of both sides, but Dawn paid no mind. She was focused on taking out her anger on the Pokemon in front of her.

"Use Bubble Beam!" She yelled and Piplup created multiple bubbles that floated in the air, instead of damaging the opponent. Excited, Marina announced the upcoming moves of the blue haired coordinator, but Dawn didn't even listen to her words. Piplup was already jumping around on their own stage, dodging Houndoom's Flamethrower.

This is too easy, Dawn thought and waited for the biker to change his strategy into some kind of surprise attack. He surely wouldn't just keep up firing at them, would he? When his smirk grew wider, she readied herself for his next move.

"Now, Faint Attack!" He yelled, certain, that he would definitely hit. The dog-like Pokemon leaped into the air to smash the penguin head-on, but mere seconds, before the impact, it vanished from view. That was when Dawn ordered Piplup to dodge. The water type let it's feet sink a few inches into the bubble it stood on and waited for the perfect timing. Just as Houndoom appeared behind it, the penguin fell forward and spun around until it was hanging down and faced the fire type.

"Hydro Pump!" Quickly, Piplup created another jet of water, which was about to become a critical hit on Houndoom. But the dark Pokemon was lucky. The slippery surface of another bubble made Houndoom glide of into a different direction. The move wasn't graceful, but at least it was able to dodge the otherwise devastating attack. Dawn gritted her teeth. If it hadn't been for that bubble, she and Piplup would have already been victorious!

"Time to make things more interesting! Houndoom, Solar Beam!" Larry yelled with a wide grin. Solar Beam was an attack that needed time to charge up, so Dawn felt save enough to attack first and dodge afterwards. However, before Piplup could react anyhow, Houndoom unleashed a bright, greenish beam. The penguin had been able to avoid a critical hit, but the impact still sent it flying across the stage. The blue haired coordinator glanced up into the sky and the dazzling sun. Obviously, the light was enough to skip the long charging of energy.

"Ha! Take that! A minute's left and your chicken is almost down! Let's end this, pal! Once more, Solar Beam!" The biker was sure of his win and let his guard drop. Dawn welcomed the opportunity and smiled faintly herself.

"Piplup, get up!" were all the words her trusty partner needed to get back to its feet. Not only did it dodge the attack, it was able to shoot up highly into the air. Before Houndoom could launch another attack, Piplup already used another, less powerful Hydro Pump. The dog-like Pokemon was able to avoid a hit of the jet of water, but it didn't anticipate a huge bubble falling onto it and trapping it inside.

"Doesn't matter, the sun's still enough! Solar Beam!"

However, a quick Ice Beam froze the bubble and weakened the sunlight getting through to Houndoom. Now, that the fire-type was completely helpless, Piplup could create once more a powerful Hydro Pump, which broke easily through the frozen surface and landed a critical hit.

Houndoom crashed to the ground, steam rising up from its limp body. The battle was over in Dawn's favor. But she hadn't calmed down, yet.
 

"We're only minutes away from the grand final! Two outstanding coordinators with their respective partners - The Incredibly Pretty Girl versus The Bubble Queen - Whitney and Dawn!"

Dawn didn't mind Marina. She was a nice, talented person and her excitement for contests was catching. But where in the world did she get those absurd nicknames from?

Whitney stood on the other side of the stage. Her appearance looked much more self-confident than before and she was smiling. "I'm warning you! I'll use all my experience as a gym leader and I won't hold back! Miltank, go!" She tossed her Pokeball and released a burst of stars and her trusty milk cow Pokemon.

The crowd cheered, as they saw the Pokemon appear, which was responsible for the infamous reputation of the Goldenrod Gym. Dawn had heard about its enormous defense and attacking strength and she was not the type of trainer to take her opponent lightly.

She released her own partner. Piplup struck a pose, before it focused on Miltank and shifted into a fighting stance. The air was already filled with the tension of two strong Pokemon facing each other and as the beginning of the battle was announced, both coordinators unleashed their Pokemons' powers at one another.

"Hydro Pump!" Dawn ordered her Pokemon. Such straightforward actions were usually not her style, but she didn't plan on using that attack in any way, to show of Piplup's strength. It was all about Miltank's powers.

When Piplup launched its strongest water attack, Whitney smirked, as if she knew, what Dawn was planning. "We'll accept your invitation - Zen Headbutt!" She told her own partner and immediately, the normal type dashed forward. Dazzling blue energy wrapped itself around it's body and focused on its head. Despite it's chubbiness, Miltank was unbelievably fast and reached the Hydro Pump only a second later. As if it was running against a mere Water Gun, Miltank just kept running through the stream. Water splashed around its Zen Headbutt and before Piplup could react, the attack crashed into it's body.

As the penguin flew backwards, a trail of blue energy followed it and engulfed it. Now that Dawn had witnessed the power of Miltank, the real appeal battle could begin.

"Alright, Sandstorm," Whitney said and the normal type aroused a huge sand spout, which enveloped the whole stage. "Now, let's show them our Rollout!" Miltank jumped into a somersault and began rapidly spinning around itself. The sand was partly drawn around its body and acted like a Rough Skin, which would cause additional damage. Dawn wanted Piplup to dodge, but it couldn't move. The aftereffect of Zen Headbutt made the water type flinch and so Miltank landed a direct hit.

Once again, Piplup was pushed backwards, but that time it managed to remain on it's feet. It nodded at Dawn, a signal, that it was able move freely. The Rollout attack was coming back rapidly, still covered by layers of sand. In order to get away in time, Piplup created a few bubbles and used one as a trampoline to leap high into the air, where another one was floating in the storm.

"We're not letting you get away! Follow with Zen Headbutt!" Whitney ordered. Miltank stopped spinning and took some of the impulse to jump after the penguin. The blue energy of Zen Headbutt was building up and drew the sand into it. Miltank itself couldn't reach Piplup, but the powered up attack would. However, the penguin and it's trainer had other plans in mind.

Piplup had sank into a bubble and used it as shield to deflect most of the Zen Headbutt. Too late, Miltank and Whitney realized their mistake. "Piplup, use Hydro Pump on Miltank and on the sand!"

Another jet of water shot through the air and made direct contact with Miltanks belly. It moaned loudly, as it was pushed towards the ground. The whole stage shook, when the heavy normal type crashed on the floor. Seconds later, Piplup stopped putting pressure on Miltank and rather spun around itself, to hit the whole sandstorm with its water move.

Mud rained on the stage and covered most of the ground, as well as Miltank, which had still been lying down there. While Piplup landed on top of the mess, the pink cow hat to fight itself free from the bothersome substance. Satisfied, Dawn watched Whitney frown. She obviously just realized, that her strategy was backfiring her and she needed a solution for her problem, quickly.

However, the young coordinator didn't want to give her any time for that. "Piplup, use Brick Break!" She yelled and not even a second later, Piplup's flippers were glowing in a bright, white light. As Miltank was still too occupied with its own struggle, it couldn't prevent the strong fighting move, which hit it in the cheek. A lot of damage had been done, but at the same time it had been freed from the muddy sand, it had been trapped in.

"Okay, I have an idea! Miltank, use Rollout - but stay where you are!" Whitney said with a renewed smile. Miltank followed the order and used the spinning attack in the mud. Soon, it became clear, why she had ordered that move. As it was turning around, the sand was catapulted on Piplup and took its sight. Blinded, it staggered around, unable to fight back for the moment.

"Yes! We'll finish it with another Zen Headbutt!" Whitney exclaimed excitedly, all too sure, to become the winner. One more time, Miltank launched it's blue shining attack and jumped at the defenseless penguin.

"Piplup," Dawn called out her partner with a calm voice. "Hydro Pump against the ground." Her plan for the finishing move needed precise timing and so she tried to block out every unnecessary emotion. As Piplup heard her words, it stopped its struggle of cleaning it's eyes and simply shot another jet of water on the ground. The pressure was easily lifting it of the ground and out of Miltank's attacking rage. The normal type on the other hand, got caught in the Hydro Pump and found itself being pressed against the mud.

"Use Bubble Beam, first the smaller, than the bigger one." Some of the water had cleaned Piplup's eyes, so it could aim properly at its goal. The inside of its beak glowed, as the penguin shot many little bubbles at Miltank. The normal type was still shaken from the previous attack, so it couldn't react fast enough. Before it even had any chance of getting up again, Piplup enveloped the pile of bubbles with a huge one, before it finally landed on the ground again. It was panting heavily, but the battle was almost over.

"Miltank, get out of there! Rollout!" Whitney called out to her Pokemon, her bodylanguage showing the tension that built up in her.

"Ice Beam, Piplup," Dawn told her partner. Like it had already reacted two nights ago, the penguin froze the surface of the bubble, before Miltank could start its attack. Mere seconds later, the walls were shaking from the constant hits of Miltank's most feared move. "Alright Piplup," Dawn said, her voice slowly giving away her tiredness. "... let the bubbles inside explode." She gave her partner a faint, but reassuring smile, when it shot her a questioning look.

With a serious expression on its face, it turned back to the cage it had created. The ice walls were already giving in and many cracks covered the surface. That was about to change, though. Suddenly, loud popping noises echoed around the stage and Miltank cried out in surprise. The damage was comparatively low, but it was enough to make the normal type stop in its actions and to anger Whitney.

"How could you do this to my precious Miltank?! You asked for it, finish them with Hyper Beam!" Whitney stomped her foot to the ground, when she yelled the command, furious, about what happened to her partner. Dawn was a little surprised to hear about a special move, rather than a phyical, but Hyper Beam would work just fine with her plan.

"Brick Break through the bubble." Since Piplup already had a clue about her next steps, it was more than ready to dash of with its flippers glowing. Just to make sure, Miltank would not be able to aim for the penguin properly, it jumped on top of the frozen bubble. Ice shattered loudly, as Piplup broke through it and hit Miltank on the head. The Hyper Beam was about to be fired, but the impact made the normal type shut its mouth with the orb of powerful, orange energy still trapped inside.

That explosion was a lot more devastating, than the tiny bubbles. A dark cloud of smoke rose and engulfed both Pokemon. When it finally cleared, the time was already over. Miltank was lying more or less conscious, while Piplup was still on its feet, panting exhausted. Eagerly to see, who the winner was, both trainers looked at the monitor that displayed their points and the countdown. When Dawn saw the difference between her and Whitneys scores, she let out the breath, she had been holding the whole time since the last Brick Break.

Whitney was a couple of points behind the younger girl. Dawn and Piplup had not only won that battle round, but the whole Goldenrod Contest.

"We... we did it..." Dawn muttered. She couldn't believe it. When she had been fully rested, she had many troubles, even reaching the final round. And now, that she was tired and frustrated, she won. It didn't make sense to her.

Despite it's state, Piplup rushed over to its trainer, chirping happily all the while. She lowered herself to her knees to give her partner a warm hug. "You did a great job, Piplup. You deserved a good rest and a poffin, later. How does that sound?"

"Pipluuup!" The penguin only replied and nuzzled its head in her shoulder. Dawn couldn't help, but smile faintly.

"That was some battle! Awesome!" Whitney's voice pulled her back to reality. The gym leader has already retrieved her Miltank and was now approaching the younger girl. "Your Piplup was great - and it still looked cute!"

"The same with your Miltank. I can see, why it's feared by your challengers." Dawn got back to her feet, with Piplup in her arms. There was something that was still on her mind, though. "I'm sorry about earlier. You see, I didn't sleep properly for the last two nights, so I was a bit irritable." The blue haired coordinator shot her an apologetic look.

"Nah, there's no need to apologize," Whitney brushed the topic off. "I know, how that feels. I have a great idea! To make things up, let's go shopping tomorrow! I can show you around the city, if you like. There is an exclusive restaurant and the shopping mall is just great. Oh, not to mention the -"

Dawn had to suppress a yawn. "That's just great, but... can this wait until later?"

A little embarrassed, Whitney agreed and took her leave to the changing rooms. However, Dawn was still not allowed to just walk away on her own. Suddenly, the excited Marina ran up to her and fired questions at the fresh winner of the contest. "Dawn! How does it feel, to have won this ribbon? And against Whitney, the gym leader of this city!"

"Uh... I'm glad, I guess. And yeah, Miltank was quite the opponent," Dawn exclaimed, her voice giving away her wish of leaving fast.

"One more question, then I'll let you off the hook for now. We all saw you creating your bubbles and using them as your own stage for a while now, but never before you broke them in such a manner. Why? Is this some kind of introduction to a new style coming? Or -" Marina added to her speech, before Dawn had time to reply anything. "Or is it to make a statement, that your current low is over?!"

I would love to tell her the truth, Dawn thought with a crooked smile. But I don't think, it would be good for my career as a professional coordinator, if I told her, that I just wanted to work of my anger. "I won't reveal anything yet. You'll just have to wait and see."

But could this really be it? She wondered, while she made her way to the waiting room, where Nurse Joy would take care of Piplup. Could this be the end of my low?
 

At evening, when the sun already began to draw near the horizon and plunged the landscape in different shades of orange and red, Dawn and her Pokemon were in the National Park, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. Piplup and Pichu, together with Lopunny, Quilava and Pachirisu were happily playing around in the tall grass in the northern part of the park. Dawn watched them with a smile from a wooden bench not too far away. After they had received the ribbon, they had returned to the Pokemon Center. Finally, after a quick nap, the young girl felt refreshed.

In the distance, she could see a group of Machokes removing the remains of the stage and tribunes. There would be a Bug-Catching contest the next day and the workers wanted the park to be ready for it.

Watching them working so hard in order to accomplish their goal, Dawn couldn't help but wonder. What did she have to do, to achieve her goal, the title of Top-Coordinator? Hard work didn't seem to help - no matter how much they practiced, something would go wrong. Maybe she should try and be just as weary and ready to give up during the next contest, as she had been that day? Or rather filled with anger, because of some annoying people?

She hopped Marina was right. If that was the end of her current low, Dawn would be more than glad. But contests weren't the only problems lingering on her mind. Her thoughts always kept circling around a certain topic. Hunter J and Team Rocket. Somehow Dawn had a feeling, that she hadn't seen the last of those criminals, yet. And while another encounter with either of them meant life threatening danger to her and her Pokemon, it could also bring her the answers she was curious about.

But the next time, Dawn thought with a serious expression. Next time I won't be as defenseless as I had been yesterday. Next time I'll stop them and her evil acts!
 

Das wars! Habt ihr Marina erkannt? Für Gamer: ihr spreche von Crystal. Jop, diese Fanfic ist eine Mischung aus Anime, Spielen und teilweise aus dem Manga. Zumindest die Informationen über Pokemon kann ich was das angeht nicht mehr auseinanderhalten...

Also, write ya next time!
 

Not her day

Oder: wenn der Autor einfach scheiße ist :3 Ein gewaltiges Dankeschön an Renaki! Ich dachte schon, niemanden in Animexx interessiert diese Story und da ich ehrlichgesagt zu dämlich war, sämtliche Copy-n-paschte Optionen durchzulesen, fand ich es ermüdend immer wieder den Text neu zu formatieren. Daher die Faulheit, hier zu posten.... Aber egal! Jetzt werde ich wieder nciht regelmäßig posten (je nach dem wie schnell ich im schreiben bin, ne?) also viel Spaß beim lesen!

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Finally, they did it. After travelling Route 37 through the summerly heat for hours since sunrise, Dawn, Piplup and Pichu arrived at Ecruteak City, the site of their next contest. From afar they had already seen the old, japanese styled shingle roofs, but now they were standing right in front of the archway that led into the city. A huge smile formed on Dawn's lips, as she took in the first sight of the historical capital of Johto. Not only the buildings were old-fashioned, some of the people walking on the streets wore yukata as well. The young coordinator could already imagine herself in one of those japanese dresses during her next performance. Of course, some of her partners could wear something like that as well...

Excited, the small group made their first steps into Ecruteak City, with Pichu sitting on Dawn's shoulder and Piplup walking next to her. "Phew, that was some adventure!" She exclaimed, exhaling relieved and wiped away some sweat on her forehead. "That Sudowoodo sure had some issues! Why did it keep stalking us? And where was its face? Creepy... I hope, it doesn't follow us anymore," She added and shot a glance over her shoulder, as if to make sure, that the rock-type was not behind them.

"Piplup Pi," The penguin nodded approvingly and folded its flippers over its chest. As Dawn had spotted a breathtaking view in the distance, she picked up her partner, so that it could have a better look.

"The Bell Tower! Doesn't it just look great? Aw, I wish, we could go up there. The view must be awesome!" She gushed, never letting her eyes of the tall building, which seemed to shine in the midday sun. "I wonder how -" Suddenly, the distracted girl bumped into something. She had been so occupied with the sight, she never noticed the older man, clad in a dark blue uniform, walking towards her.

"Young Lady," The police officer with grayish hair began with a slightly rough voice. "It is dangerous, walking around as inattentively as you do. Be a little more cautious, next time."

Dawn hadn't forgotten her last encounter with the police - the bitter taste of being placed in the same position as some notorious Pokemon hunter was still on her mind from time to time. And so she was slightly annoyed by the scolding, but did her best, not to show her displeasure. "Hehe, sorry," She apologized in a sheepish voice. As a reply, the officer only nodded and moved on together with his colleagues, whispering secretively all the while. Dawn shot a glare at their backs, her brows furrowed in irritation. "And what's his excuse for 'walking around inattentively'?" She muttered under her breath and added a huff to her sentence.

That distraction from her sightseeing spoilt her mood for the time being, but as she would soon find out, it was just the preparation for the coming events. Now, Dawn had time to take a look around and there were various peculiarities, she noticed. The atmosphere was not as relaxed and carefree as she had expected it to be; people seemed to return to their homes in a hurry. And there were police officers; many police officers. Some were huddled together in small groups, whispering with stern faces, while others almost sprinted through he streets. They all wore the same, sceptical expressions, as they eyed the pedestrians.

A bad foreboding stole into Dawn's mind and she felt her own expression darken. She changed the direction of her steps and quickened her pace, as her mind focused on one thought. In Goldenrod City, she had learnt how easily a contest could suffer under certain circumstances and she couldn't shake of the feeling, that Ecreteak City wouldn't be any different from before.

Only mere minutes later, when Dawn arrived at the beautiful building of the Kimono Dance Theater, her cheerful mood was ruined completely. Another, awfully familiar note was pinned on the wooden door.

"Until further notice canceled'?!" She read out the words aloud. "'Our sincerest apology, but due to a police emergency the Pokemon Contest has to be omitted'? You can't be serious! Its happening again?! What is this stupid police emergency? Why can't they do something right for a change?"

Frustrated, Dawn stomped her foot to the ground. Piplup and Pichu were slightly troubled by her sudden outburst, especially since the penguin was still trapped in her arms. With some effort, it managed to slip out of her grip and landed on the stone-flagged street next to Pichu. Both Pokemon looked up to their trainer and made sure, they were not too close to her legs.

Dawn's mind was racing all the while. She clenched her hands into fists until the skin became white and bit her lip. Her next ribbon was at stake and she needed it, but all she could do was to wait for the police to solve their problem on their own.

Or...

With a determination, which she didn't show often during the past months, Dawn made a decision that would plunge her into a deep sea of trouble.
 

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Nurse Joy of Ecruteak City was - like all of her sisters - a very helpful individual. She took care of exhausted Pokemon and humans, injuries and annoying questions. She didn't ask for gratitude, just for a few quiet hours per day. And so, she was leaning back behind her desk at the reception of the currently empty Pokemon Center and sipped peacefully of her freshly brewed green tea.

Until suddenly the once automatic glass doors burst open from the impact with a hurrying blue haired girl, a Piplup and a Pichu. Joy's eye brown twitched. Her peace had been shattered just like the entrance.

With some difficulties, Dawn managed to push herself of the pile that had once been the glass door and rubbed her back. A pained groan escaped her lips, when she reached a throbbing, soaked spot. "Piplup! Do I look like a target? Or did you just slip with your Aqua Jet?"

The penguin jumped up, put a flipper to the hip and pointed the other one at its trainer. "Pip piplup pipipiplup! Piii!"

"Sorry for my naïve belief, that you have your own, healthy legs - but that doesn't give you the right to slam me through the door, does it?! Just look at this mess!"

"Piiiiplup! Lup -"

"Excuse me," The annoyed voice of Nurse Joy interrupted the quarrel. She had made her way over to the trio and bent down right into Dawn's face. "But this is a hospital, not a ranch with a herd of rampaging Tauros. And neither are we approved of noise nor of vandalism. I suggest you go to the gym and waste your energy on roaring around over there, while I find out, how much the automatic glass doors cost."

The scowl on her face was just as intimidating as her voice and Dawn automatically backed away. "I'm sorry! Really sorry about that, it was an accident!" She tried to save her situation as well as she could. Obviously, the nurse she was talking to,was no ordinary Joy and Dawn didn't wish to let her annoyance grow into something worse. But she came with a purpose and without answers she wouldn't leave. "I know, this is not the best time to ask, but I need your help!"

"Are there corpses lying around?"

Dawn's eyes widened in shock and she stuttered a quick reply. "No- No of course not! I just have some questions - like what's this police emergency and how can I help? I really, really have to do something about it!" She hoped, the urgency in her voice would make the nurse understand her need. It didn't.

"Do I look like their secretary? Go and ask the police. There are enough of them running around like maniacs. I'm sure, you'll understand each other perfectly fine."

"They wouldn't let me help them," Dawn explained her reluctance to talk to the police. "But I can't just let them handle this problem on their own, because..."

"Because they don't do their job properly," Joy finished Dawn's sentence. A heavy sigh escaped her lips and the young coordinator could feel her relax slightly. "When did I become an informant? First for her, now this girl. Who's next?" Another sigh. "Alright, girl -"

Girl? Dawn repeated her words mentally. Hadn't she already been called like that before?

"If you want to risk your life so badly, my suggestion stays the same. Morty, the Gym Leader is the better contact for chaos and mass attacks. Plunge yourself into danger with him far away from my center and my door. Understood?"

Dawn nodded with a slight frown and watched the nurse walk away, until a thought struck her. "What about the door?"

"First, I'll brush the shards away - I don't want to imagine how much more work I would have with them lying around. Second, you'll pay for it. But not now, I'm sure, we'll see each other again. When your life depends on it, that is."

Dawn suppressed a groan. Another problem to take care of. She pushed herself of the ground and already wondered about her luck of staying unharmed - until a painful sensation made her wince back and clutch her left hand. Some shards had dug into her skin and left shiny red cuts. Blood was already seeping out of the wound and burning pain shot through her arm, but Dawn didn't want to waste anymore time at the Center, especially not with that Nurse Joy around.

The young girl pressed a handkerchief against her palm and it didn't take long for the white fabric to absorb the blood. "Damn..." She hissed and felt anger against herself boil up, before she turned her attention to her partner. Piplup sat on a bench at the other side of the Center with its flippers crossed. "Piplup, let's go."

As the water type didn't show any sign of jumping up to join its trainer and turned its head to the side, Dawn felt her patience grow little. "Piplup, I don't have time to argue around. Come on!"

The one sided discussion reached an end, when the penguin spun around and faced the wall rather than its trainer. "Fine!" Dawn burst as she was overwhelmed by her emotions. "Stay here, I'll take care of it myself." With those words she picked up Pichu, which was still at her side and made her way to her next destination.
 

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Dawn huffed, as she wiped the blood of Pichu's little black nose with another, clean handkerchief. Out of curiosity, the electic type kept sniffling the injury, causing small, uncontrolled shocks to jolt through her body. Although the bleeding had already stopped, she was afraid, anymore contact with Pichu would reopen the wound.

"Alright, Pichu. I know you hate it, but you leave me no choice," Dawn exclaimed and took Pichu's Pokeball with her left hand, ignoring the pain. Despite its frantic squealing, she retrieved the tiny mouse and brought her focus to the large, western styled double door off the gym. She frowned at the strange change in style; the shingle roof and the shape of the building were the only hints, that that house was part of Ecruteak City. Otherwise, the walls were thick and solid and without any windows. Right beside the entrance, there was a sign with the words "Ecruteak City Gym; Leader Morty, the ghost-type user" written with scribbled letters.

"Ghost-type, huh?" Dawn read aloud, but didn't give it to much thought. The previous ghost-type gyms she ever visited, were no different then most other ones and so the surprise was huge, when she swung open the heavy door of the gym and entered.

Impenetrable darkness and iciness waved toward her and seemed to swallow her presence. The only light in front of her shone ghostly in the distance, as if it was emitted from light blue flames. A distorted voice echoed from invisible walls, like the lamentation of the dead. "Challenger, do not seek any battles at this place, for the day of doom is near. Go away and commemorate the ones who have passed, for they might soon accompany your journey."

Her blood ran cold for a moment. THIS is what I call a ghost type gym... I just hope the architect wasn't entirely allergic to light, She thought and suppressed a shudder at the thought of battling at such a place, yet alone waiting for trainers to appear. "I am not here for a gym badge! I want to find out, what kind of police emergency is messing with my contest and bring doom to the culprits!" Dawn replied in a raised voice.

Silence filled the room for a second and Dawn was sure, she heard something breath in the darkness. "You may proceed to our holy ground. But will you find the path that leads you to your desire?" Suddenly, the door to the entrance swung shut with a bang and left the young coordinator trapped in the gloom.

As Dawn overcame her initial shock, a nervous laugh escaped her lips. "Aren't you a bit exaggerated?" She murmured and made her first steps towards the light. The darkness was so impenetrable, Dawn had to rely on her sense of touch only. She understood how unnerving that feeling had to be for challengers and wondered, how many actually made their way to the gym leader.

Each step she took raised her confidence slightly and Dawn was about to return to her normal pace. Until suddenly, she couldn't feel the wooden floor beneath her foot. Before she could even grasp the situation, yet react to it, she lost her balance and fell forward into the deep sea of darkness that seemed to swallow her existence. She could only scream, as the wind soughed past her.

Suddenly, an invisible force wrapped around her waist and yanked her upwards, until she once again felt the reassuring sensation of solid ground beneath her feet. Still shocked, she sunk to her knees and tried to catch her breath. By now, the young girl highly doubted, any trainer was able top reach the light. How am I supposed to get through this? What was that in the first place?! She wondered and though her inside was still paralyzed by that sensation, she stood up. Dawn came for a purpose and she would not give up that easily.

Much more cautious that time, she checked the ground in front of her, before she even thought about placing her foot firmly. Like that, she was able to find the narrow path, which would lead her closer to the light. It was a time-consuming task and Dawn could hear some whispers in the distance, but she refused rushing. Alright, I think I am halfway through. Just a little longer, and then-

"Welcome to the world of ghosts, challenger-san," suddenly, an old, scratchy voice sounded beside her and a blue will o wisp hissed through the air. Underneath it, there was something that reminded Dawn of an unwrapped mummy. Her insides froze and she let out a piercing cry - as well as jumping backwards into the nothingness.

Once again Dawn was pulled to a different place and although she knew, there wouldn't be any harm happening to her, the young girl couldn't help but squeeze her eyes shut. As soon as she made contact with the wooden floor, she let out the breath, she had held and allowed herself to relax.

A wave of relief washed over her, when Dawn saw the bluish flames floating in the air directly in front of her. Apparently, the gym leader had lost his patience and let her skip the dark path. Now she could see him standing some mere feet away, looking at her with a highly amused expression on his face. Morty was clad in a black sweater and a purple scarf that moved in a ghostly wind. Dawn couldn't help but envy him for his clothes as the cold was making her shiver slightly.

"Usually I wait patiently until the challenger finds his way through the dark, but today more urgent affairs need my concentration. We can skip the introduction as I am sure you know who I am and I know you very well, too, Dawn." Morty cut of any words, the young girl might want to address to him. When he saw the surprised expression on her face, he quickly silenced any questions. "I involuntary saw your battle against Whitney in Goldenrod City. Congratulation, by the way." Dawn raised a brow. She could feel a slight change in his mood at the thought of the energetic gym leader. "Now, you said you want to find out about this emergency. Before I tell you anything about it, I have to find out the reason you are doing this."

Finally Dawn had the chance to speak herself. For a moment, she felt slightly irritated about Morty's monologue. "As I mentioned, my contest is at stake. It was cancelled, so the only way to save it would be by taking care of this problem soon. I can't just let the police act on their own, I need to be sure there will be any success." After a brief pause, Dawn hastily added another aspect to her speech. "A-and I want to make sure, no one gets hurt and safety is preserved and so on."

She could feel Morty's amusement as well as surprise towards her words and a bitter taste filled Dawn's mouth. I bet he thinks now, that I'm just a naive, egotistical brat, who doesn't show any respect towards the police. Great! My chances of competing in that contest are fading away.

"I am sure, certain police officers would be anything but happy about this lack of faith you display. But you are right to do so." It was Dawn's turn to feel surprised by Morty's statement. "My own experience showed me, that 'mere' Pokemontrainer are usually more successful than the police. Like that, I have no problems sending you against the threat that is hovering above Ecruteak City - if you have a convincing reason. Is your desire to save your contest strong enough to risk your physical and mental health and possibly your life? Or can you live without this one and try your luck at the next ones, which will take place?"

For a moment, Dawn hesitated. Were her reasons enough? She doubted, that anyone else would be convinced of them and wondered, why she should. Why should she risk her life for an event that would repeat itself in the future? After all, she still had enough chances to win the remaining two ribbons and even if she didn't, that wouldn't be her last Grand Festival, would it?

In the end, Dawn's self-doubts and her reasonable thoughts were futile. Her answer remained the same as it had minutes ago. "For me, they are more than convincing," Was her simple answer and she looked firmly into Morty's brownish purple eyes. A smirk appeared on his face, even a chuckle escaped his lips.

"That makes two semi-suicidical females. I'll look forward to your actions."

"Two?" Dawn asked, but that time the reply wouldn't come from the gym leader.

"Why is it, that whenever I meet you, your mind is filled with no rational thoughts but your contest? Are you an addict?" The cold, familiar voice of a woman spoke up from behind Dawn. The young girl stiffened and almost refused to turn around. Even when she finally faced the other person in the room, her eyes were shut for a few more seconds. As she opened them, she immediately took in the sight of the infamous Hunter J, standing with an unreadable expression on her face and her arms firmly crossed. Multiple flames floated around her and gave her appearance a ghostlike look.

Dawn felt her composure crumble. She spun around and glared at the gym leader. "What is that Pokemon Hunter doing here?! Is she the police emergency?!"

Morty still kept his irritating smirk on his lips. "Oh, you know each other. That should simplify the introduction. As well as complicating everything else."

The girls paid no mind to his comment, something he was slightly grateful for. Who knew, what the blue haired, not to mention hormone-driven adolescent was capable of?

"No, I am not the police emergency. If I was, then it would be a worst case scenario with international contingent of high-class agents and Pokemonranger, girl."

"I told you before, don't call me girl! I have a name, you know."

"And suddenly I have to treat you like an individual. I have to admit, I do like my title, but I have a name, too. Honestly, I don't think it's that hard to remember."

"That's not a name, it's a letter!"

"It's what I call a name."

"Really? What does it stand for, jerk maybe?"

That reply made J hesitate with her next words. A frown formed on her face and Dawn could feel her displeasure. "Looks like I overestimated you."

"Alright, you can stop arguing for now. I'm sure you find plenty of other opportunities in a separate room," Morty ended the quarrel and stepped between the two girls. "Dawn, you wanted to know about the situation. Well, a certain organization plans an attack on the Bell Tower to bring out Ho-oh. The police judges this as a treat to the citizens and plan to focus on their well-being. While this is necessary and important, I fear for the legendary Pokemon, which would be left out without enough protection. Pokemonrangers were asked, but they can't arrive at the right time.

That's why I am dependent on strong, talented trainers, who can protect Ho-oh, maybe even the Beast Trio and stop Team Missile."

Silence filled the dark gym for a moment, as nobody moved and the only noise was the flickering of the flames. Dawn's mind was racing as she tried to wrap the meaning behind her intent. A ruthless criminal, legendary Pokemon, more criminals and life-threatening dangers. No need to worry, right? Dawn thought and was suddenly rather irritated of herself and her decisions.

"Do me a favor and stop calling Team Rocket by that name. Anyone in their right mind knows, that criminals don't change, especially not to this extent," J broke the silence with venom in her voice.

Morty shrugged and explained his reasons. "Who knows, maybe she doesn't know very much about the 'former' Team Rocket and their history. I don't want to confuse anything."

"I already know," Dawn interjected. She spoke the next words with such determination, as if she tried to convince herself. "But that won't change my decision. I will take on Team Rocket, no matter the consequences." Her fists were clenched and a slight shiver shook her body, but not because of the cold. Dawn was quietly bearing with the part of her mind that tried to stop her foolishness.

"As long as you won't regret it," Morty said, before he let out a sigh and faced both women. "There is another problem to solve, before I can let you run off with a clear conscience. I won't be able to accompany any of you on your mission, since my duties as a gym leader force me to stay here, but at the same time I cannot leave you alone. I have to take responsibility for both of you. In your case Dawn, I need to secure your well-being. As for you, J, your profession as a Pokemon hunter speaks for itself."

Dawn felt her heart sink. She had a certain idea, what Morty was indicating the thought alone made her shake in bad anticipation.

"That's why I think it would be for the best for you two to cooperate in a team. After all, your goals are similar and the enemy is probably well prepared for a counter attack. It would be the logical solution, if-"

"I will not work with her!" The two girls yelled simultaneously. They shared a fierce glare, before they brought back their attention to the gym leader. There was no reason in the world for Dawn to cooperate with the huntress again. Even if it meant fighting Team Rocket by herself, she refused to accept J as an ally.

Morty didn't show any emotional reaction, just stared at his two guests. Another sigh escaped his lips, before he spoke on. "Well, if you can't accept my terms, then I guess, I'll have to find other, better suited candidates."

The tension in the air rose and suddenly the sizzling noise of the flames seemed to become louder. Morty was obviously bluffing. He couldn't afford waiting any longer for help, or else he surely wouldn't cooperate with a Pokemon hunter. But Dawn still felt concerned. Morty radiated a threatening aura and she could only guess, what his reaction would be in case the two girls kept refusing his conditions.

"Now that I know who is responsible for this situation," Dawn tried to avoid his requirement. "I can just go to the tower by myself, without J. I know it's forbidden, but this case requires it, doesn't it?"

A smile appeared on Morty's lips, as if he already expected that suggestion to come up. "Even if you break the rules, you won't be able to fight Team Rocket. You will be teleported back here and stay trapped in my gym until the attack is over. When you said, your contest is important enough for you to risk your life, did you lie? Or is working together with J worse than death?"

That question took Dawn by surprise and for a few moments she remained quiet. She hadn't thought about that aspect for even a second and felt rather foolish, when Morty mentioned it. No matter how much dislike she felt towards the huntress, those emotions weren't worse than death. However, working with J did not suit Dawn's plans at all.

As the silence remained for even longer, she shot J a side glance. She had almost expected her to argue with Morty about his idea of them cooperating, the huntress however, simply stared at him with her arms crossed. J displayed her displeasure very well, so why didn't she say something?

"I won't stop you from fighting Team Rocket, J," Morty continued. "But remember, you came here on your own account to ask for a favor. If you don't take responsibility for her safety, I won't do it for your actions, either."

Confused, Dawn shot J a curious look and watched her reaction. The huntress noticeably tensed; her grip on her arms strengthened and her eyes narrowed. Yet, she still remained quiet, as if she pondered over her decision. The young girl rivet on Morty, who seemed to tense, too. His previous, nonchalant composure was gone, replaced by an uncharacteristic nervousness. His presence revealed the impatience of a man, who was running out of time.

"Morty-san, our heroic fighters against crime wish for your attendance," The raspy voice of an old woman suddenly interrupted the discussion and Dawn felt chills running down her spine. "And tell your guests to leave with you. It is not good to keep cursed beings as they are under your roof!"

The young girl took her time, to turn around and face the old woman that stood at the end of the narrow path. With her hunched, short body she was barely able to reach Dawn's waistline, but still made an eerie appearance. Her white kimono waved in the non-existent wind and the glass pearls around her neck reflected the cold light of the will o wisp floating around the sinister figure. Like many other elderly people, she had her hands folded behind her back and glared at the two girls out of narrowed, dark eyes. The wrinkled skin of her face, which looked like a crinkled, pale sheet, matched the picture perfectly.

"A ghost!" Dawn screamed terrified and remembered the mummy like figure on the path. How serious were the constructors, when they built the ghost-type gym?!

"Who are you calling ghost, little girl-san?" The woman asked with a dangerously low voice. "I am not ready to die yet. Don't put me in the same place as her." She pointed with her crooked index finger on a certain silver haired person.

"J?" Dawn whispered in disbelief and kept a close stare to the huntress. The only reaction she showed to the verbal attack was a mere narrowing of her eyes.

"Do I look that old for you, medium?" J asked in a dismissive voice.

"No, rather like a demon, which was banned from hell itself."

Dawn watched a crooked smile appear on J's lips as the huntress put a fist on her left hip. "Banned from hell itself, huh?" The younger girl felt relieved. For a moment, the ominous surroundings made her believe, that J was a ghost. Probably the old woman just sensed her ill intentions and interpreted them in such a way.

Ghosts like these don't exist, right? I'm just overreacting, The young girl told herself.

"Looks like I have no choice," The voice of the almost forgotten gym leader interrupted the discussion. "J, I heard that you were not bad in you work as a hunter. At least you had the reputation of accepting and performing any job, clients could ask for." The air around asked huntress changed. It became a dangerous, threatening promise. If Morty didn't choose his next words carefully, the consequences would be devastating. "If I ask you now, no, if I challenge you to protect Dawn with your life to prove the rightness of your reputation, will you agree to my conditions?"

The icy silence that filled the gym outshone any other, similar moment before. Not even for a second the two counterparts broke their glare. Dawn shuddered. She could only dream about the extent of J's fury and didn't wish to become a witness.

However, the situation was easing itself, when the huntress eventually decided to speak. "Will I agree? Well, that depends on how far you will go to attract my attention. Remember, it is you, who desperately needs my help. After all, I could decide to wait until Team Rocket caught Ho-oh and only then make my move."

Knowing, that there was no other way to convince the huntress, Morty let out a defeated sigh. "Fine then. I'll offer you both money and the protection against our local police. After the attack, you will be able to openly operate in our city, until the aftereffects of the mission have ceased. Is this enough to attract you attention?"

A satisfied smirk appeared on J's face and her mood brightened up clearly. "You really love your legendaries."

"There are things in the world, which are far more important than money, J," Morty gave a cold reply, his expression showing the disapproval of J's attitude.

The huntress merely shrugged, before she turned away. "I'll keep that in mind, when I'm out saving the turkey." She was about to leave over the dark path, when something stopped her. A voice, to be precise.

"And what about me? I still haven't agreed of working with her!" Dawn exclaimed with a risen voice and looked at Morty. However, he wasn't the one, who gave the cynic reply.

"That's actually fine with me. I don't need a little girl like you standing in my way. You'll probably end up in a fight with your skirt or start to panic because of a little scratch." Each word made Dawn's anger boil up inside her and despite the pain in her left hand she clenched her hands into fists. "No, I really don't need a pathetic, weak brat to follow me around."

The last sentence was enough for Dawn to hear. J had her full attention as the huntress shot a glance over her shoulder. Dawn looked straight into J's greyish blue eyes, her body trembling in rage, but her voice under cold control. "Then you'll have to bear with it. I will come with you and stop Team Rocket. And you, if I have to!"

"Oh, really?" J asked, her glare holding a challenging look, which Dawn endured without averting her eyes.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Morty asked with an irritated voice and prevent any discussion that otherwise might have occurred. "That's enough. My services are needed in another place, for another purpose than acting as your mediator. Haunter, let's go."

Suddenly, the blackness of the dark behind Morty seemed to melt into something visible, as a pair of purple, clawed hands emerged, quickly followed by the similar looking body of Haunter. The ghost type grinned widely at the people standing on the battlefield, when its eyes flashed in a pale blue. Not even a second later, Dawn felt a discarnate force yank her backwards through the gloom. But as fast as the sensation had begun, it stopped with Dawn landing a little shaken on the floor at the entrance.

Relief washed over her in tsunami like waves, when she saw the bright daylight, which shined through the now widely opened double doors. She didn't hesitate to step out of the cold, dark gym into the warming rays of the sun.

"If you desperately want to continue this quarrel, go ahead. But keep something in mind," Morty said, before he turned around to face the two women. "Soon you two will have to work as a team, while your life depends on the other. I wouldn't want to argue with that person." He was about to take his leave, as another thought came to his mind. "Don't forget your conditions in our contract. Or you'll have to take responsibility for it personally, Pokemon Hunter J."

That was no empty threat. It was a promise to let the silver haired woman experience equal suffering as Dawn might during their mission. It seemed to have a great effect on the huntress, as she noticeably tensed her muscles and huffed irritated as she watched the gym leader stared distrustfully J as endless thoughts wandered through her mind.

In the bright daylight, Dawn had a better view on the huntresses particular appearance. She didn't wear her usual uniform, but rather something that reminded of a military attire. Black boots and a greyish pair of camouflage trousers covered her entire legs, making the young girl wonder, how J didn't suffer a sun stroke in the heat. Although the upper part of her clothes appeared to be more suitable to such temperatures with a light grey shirt, it concealed every inch of skin below J's neck. Otherwise, J looked just as she did during Dawn's journey through Sinnoh - and that lack of changes raised her suspicion subconsciously.

"What do you want?" J asked with her angry greyish eyes resting on the younger girl. As after what felt like eternity there still lingered an awkward silence in the air, the huntress decided to put an end to it. "I don't see your penguin running around here. Did it get into a fight and lost it? I wouldn't be surprised."

"Stop underestimating my Pokemon!" Dawn replied with a raised voice, carefully anxious not to yell. "Piplup is fine and its whereabouts are none of you business." She tried her best to mimic J's cold tone and satisfied watched the huntress narrow her eyes in annoyance. Although the young coordinator wanted to spend as little time with her most disliked enemy as possible, the questions that haunted her for a week longed for answers. "So, this time you get paid for my survival, huh? I wonder, what were your reasons in the Ilex Forest? Did someone else offer you money?"

She carefully observed J's reaction to her guess, but had to find out, that the huntress didn't show any sign of getting caught.

"As I told you multiply times before: None of you business," was the cold reply.

"Oh, really? A few people believe something else and it is your fault I met them!"

"Has the little girl trouble with bad guys? I'm ashamed."

"No, it's a police officer, who is convinced that I am your assistant and that I help you sabotaging Team Rockets plans."

For a brief moment, J hesitated in her mockery. Although there was no visible sign in her body language, Dawn could feel a slight change in her demeanor. What's that supposed to mean? Does she actually see me as an assistant, or is it something else? Can't she just spit it out already?

J recovered quickly and her lips curved into a smirk. "I have to admit, police officers are a pain, especially the demented ones. You being my assistant? That's ridiculous."

"You're not denying, that you sabotage Team Rockets plans. Interesting. In fact, I know even more," Dawn exclaimed and while she said her next words, she made sure not to miss any reaction J might show. "You started hunting Pokemon here in Johto, but then you disappeared, only to come back and foil Team Rockets plans. I wonder, why? Did you annoy them so much that they decided to differ from their usual methods and catch you instead of strong Pokemon? But they failed and now you're trying to pay them back, am I right?"

Dawn wasn't sure, whether her speculation was right or not. All she knew, was that her words unleashed a blazing wrath within the silver haired woman. Her greyish blue eyes pierced Dawn's darker ones and she made a threatening step towards the younger girl. "You're wrong." Another step. Dawn's body decided, that a certain safety distance would be a wise idea. "Let me give you an advice, girl." She kept backing away from the huntress, until her back hit the adamant wall of the gym. Now she was at J's mercy, who was already towering right in front of venom in her voice would probably turn a Seviper into an envious green worm. "Don't stick your nose in my business. Just because we'll have to cooperate one more time, it doesn't make me an ally and it doesn't give you any right to show interest in my private life. If you keep up annoying me," J hissed and lowered her head until she was on eye level with Dawn, their faces mere inches away. "I will show you what the expression mortal enemy actually means."

J kept up the pressure a little longer, as if to make sure, the words reached their effect, before she straightened up and took her leave. Still frightened, Dawn needed some time to regain her composure, while she watched the huntress disappear in the shadows of a narrow alley.

That- was- close! I didn't expect her to explode like that, Dawn thought and let out a relieved breath. But at least I made a little progress! I might have caused about a hundred more questions - not to mention J's intimidating fury - BUT still. Progress. Damn, if J didn't have the mood of a Gyarados, I might actually get some answers. But at least I know, who I'm up against. And where they will attack. I'll save my contest in no time!

It was then, a certain thought crossed her mind. When would Team Rocket attack the Bell Tower? Her right eye twitched. How could Dawn have forgotten such an important information? That was definitely one of those days, she wanted to kick herself for her stupidity. But there was still time, though. Precious time she didn't want to waste anymore.

Alright, I have two options. Number one, I can follow J - she couldn't have gotten too far, finding her should be no problem. Not to mention how excited she will be to see me again, less than five minutes after she threatened me! Or I can take my time and search for Morty.

She was about to head to the police station, when the familiar popping sound of a Pokeball reached her ears, as well as the happy squealing of a certain Pokemon.

"Pi Pichupi!"

Apparently, the tiny mouse had found out, how to escape from the device and before Dawn had any time to react, it already dashed off into the alley, J had taken. Panic kicked in and immediately, Dawn chased after the energetic electric type. Soon, the cooling shadows of the buildings surrounded her.

"Pichu, come back!" She tried to command her Pokemon, but it didn't listen. It was so excited to see its "mother" again, that it even dodged the red beam, which would recall it into its Pokeball.

Dawn had to catch it quickly, before anything devastating could happen. She turned around a corner, avoided a lone wandering Psyduck and increased her speed for a final sprint, when she saw, that Pichu was a mere arm-length away. Pichu squeaked and took another turn to the right. Ready to grab it, Dawn reached forward and followed her youngest Pokemon into the next alley - and collided face-first with something hard, but compliant.

The force of the impact had moved the individual some steps backwards, but they were still standing. Dawn had an idea, who the person was she crashed into and she disliked the thought with every cell in her body. Reluctantly, she lifted her gaze of the light gray fabric of an otherwise comfortable shirt and met the furious glare of an irritated Pokemon hunter through a pair of shades with mirrored glasses.

"Let me repeat myself - but this time in a language even the most demented ones can understand," J hissed through her teeth and pushed the glasses of her nose. As quickly as Dawn could, she pushed herself of J's shoulders and backed away. Not even a second too early, as she soon found out. A fist almost connected with her jaw, followed by a vicious kick to her side. While the young girl managed to barely avoid all blows, which otherwise would have brought devastating consequences, she felt, that the assault had to end soon. Dawn used all her knowledge about timing, she learnt during her contest battles, just to strike at the right moment. When J tried to land a hit with her right fist, Dawn jumped to the outer side and grabbed her arm with both hands - even her injured one. Pain jolted through her body, but the coordinator wouldn't let go.

"Nice idea," J complimented her - and yanked the coordinator of her feet, towards her left fist. "But for a stupid purpose!" Dawn saw the hand inching closer to her face in rapid speed and reacted in the only way she knew; close her eyes and wait for the impact and the shocking pain.

And pain came - in the form of a bright yellow flash and a familiar bolt of electricity that jolted through the pair. Once again, excitement had won over Pichu and it had unleashed a very effective ThunderShock or even Thunder Bolt. Dawn couldn't tell the difference, though she didn't care, as long as she was able to back away from the huntress. Sparks danced around J's unmoving body and the young girl assumed, that the attack caused paralysis as a side effect. Seeing, that that was her only chance to calm J, Dawn hastily tried to explain her situation.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry, but I didn't come here to bother you again! I wanted to catch Pichu, because it ran off and since you said last time, that you didn't want it anywhere near you, I wanted to make sure, it stays ways from you, but it was faster then me, then I crashed into you - accidentally! And I'm - I'm really sorry about that!"

"That's enough!" J barked at her with a risen voice, then continued at a normal volume, while she flexed her strained muscles. "I am experienced enough to comprehend so simple coherences; you don't have to panic around like this. Pichu is more suited for the task, anyway. You can just stand at the sidelines and watch, that would fit you better."

"Why do you always have to belittle me? I am not weak!"

"No, you're very strong, indeed. I'm shivering in fear."

"Maybe I don't have enough strength to convince someone like you, but I can fight Team Rocket, with or without you!" Dawn exclaimed and watched the huntress cross her arms in front of her chest.

"I'm amazed how much self-confidence you put into your words," Was J's cold reply and it was clearly visible, that she hit a weak spot of Dawn. "You'll have enough time to prove your strength to me - as long as you stay out of my way." J was about to leave, but was held back by a not very pleasant remark.

"Actually, I do have a question," Dawn began, but received another icy glare. "Its not about you! I still don't know, when Team Rocket will attack, so if you could just tell me, then -"

"Tomorrow night," J quickly interrupted her, without any changes in her expression. "Until then, you can relax."

A bittersweet smile crept on Dawn's face as she watched the huntress walk away. "That's very thoughtful of you, J, but I would prefer it, if you told me the truth. When will they really attack?"

J froze in the middle of her next step, obviously surprised by the statement. Pichu had enough time to climb her clothes and seat itself on J's shoulder. After what felt like eternity, the silver haired woman turned around and faced the younger girl. "How do you know I didn't tell you the truth? Did you lie to me, when you asked me about the time?" Dawn just shook her head in response and watched J narrow her eyes. "Then how?"

"I just know, when someone lies. And I would be very grateful, if you didn't do it again."

Once again, the two females were surrounded by complete silence, only interrupted by the satisfied squealing of Pichu. That was, until J grabbed the little electric type and tossed it over to Dawn, whose good reflexes allowed her to catch it. "You have a perfect timing. The attack will be tonight at the Bell Tower. Do yourself a favor, before you go there and take care of your hand. I won't take responsibility for scratches."
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

About one hour after her last interaction with J, Dawn sat in front of a little coffee shop and sipped at her iced coffee to cool off herself from the weather and the past , she rubbed the fresh bandage around her left palm and remembered the rather silent, yet annoyed reaction of Nurse Joy as Dawn reluctantly asked for her help. She would have been glad, if she had been able to leave without any further delays, but there was another major problem waiting for her, still seated at the lobby.

A tired sigh escaped her lips, at the thought of her partner. Piplup was still mad at her for running away from the Kimono Dance Theater without warning. Ever since their last attempt at the Grand Festival, their bond had fallen victim to several disputes. While Piplup felt neglected or even betrayed by its trainer's lack of belief in their powers, Dawn had to suffer under its chiding or physical attacks. As good as her understanding of Piplup's emotions was, she couldn't just ignore her own anger boiling up inside her, whenever she was soaked by another whirlpool.

That time, however, one of its attacks caused the young girl more than just the trouble of pain. Thanks to the Aqua Jet that hit her in the back, a devious bill for a broken automatic glass door hung over her head like a guillotine. Dawn hadn't told her mother just yet about the charge - but she had to, as she herself wouldn't be able to afford it otherwise.

Thus asking for Piplup's forgiveness was not a pleasant option to the blue haired trainer, as the occasional throbbing pain in her back reminded her.

On the other hand, Dawn always fought side by side with absolute trust in her first Pokemon partner and that time, with Hunter J and Team Rocket around, she wished for its presence more than ever before. Even if it was against her liking, both for the sake of their safety and, more importantly, their friendship, she had to talk to Piplup again.

That should be easy - IF we weren't so irritable. Honestly, I don't think its THAT great, when Pokemon and trainer are alike! Dawn thought and let her forehead sink onto the back of her hands. Piplup, however, was not the only Pokemon in her party, which decided to cause her more trouble than necessary.

Feeling rejected by its "mother", Pichu made a ruckus with lots of biting, clawing, shocking and noises. It tried desperately to return to J, nuzzle its head against her chest and hear some reassuring words, that she didn't abandon the tiny mouse, that she loved it with all her heart. None of Dawn's attempts of calming Pichu were successful and in the end she had to leave the tiny mouse to the more suitable paws of Lopunny.

She didn't blame Pichu; it couldn't know the ruthless, cruel Pokemon Hunter J as good as Dawn did. That woman was, without a doubt, not even capable of comprehending those pure emotions. Otherwise she wouldn't be able committing the crimes, she made a living from. But there was no way to tell Pichu about those facts, as it would upset it even more.

When Dawn straightened up, she noticed the peaceful melody of a harp accompanied by Nando's soft voice, coming out of the radio of the coffee shop. She let her gaze wander to her notebook, which was packed with sketches, doodles and, of course, notes. That particular page she was staring at, contained a long list of mysteries and information about J, Dawn could think of.

However, that only raised more questions, than it answered. Although Dawn might find some explanations on her own, like an old article about J's miraculous survival during the explosion at Lake Valor, her sources were limited. And she highly doubted, any of them could supply her with information about the reasons of the huntress.

The only way, to gain that kind of knowledge, seemed to be through J herself and Dawn knew, how she had to approach the huntress; by making assumptions and sense slight changes in her emotional composure. The risks of such interests in J's personal life didn't leave her mind the entire time. Nonetheless, the young girl was willing to try it.

Her own motivation was not just curiosity - in that case she would think at least twice, before she decided to anger the violent woman. Constant worries bothered her. Why did J help Dawn? Who would gain what kind of benefit of her survival?

The young coordinator was afraid of being dragged into a different world, full of dangers and problems, which would foil her own plans. And she certainly wouldn't allow any other burdens on her troublesome way of becoming Top-Coordinator.

Soon, Dawn finished her iced coffee and was about to head back to the Pokemon Center, when a light blue flash caught her eye. A Garchomp, using the devastating attack Dragon Rush, dove with rapid speed onto the paralyzed pair of a Pidgeot and a Bayleaf. At the right side of the stage stood the familiar figure of a pink haired coordinator, her lips curved into a confident smirk. The TV of a nearby shop for electronics displayed the last seconds of Ursula's final battle at the Sinnoh Grand Festival and her grandiose victory.

Dawn felt a bittersweet sting in her heart and frowned at the monitor, before she increased her pace.

"...And that was the stunning rise of the latest Top-Coordinator! In our next topic, we will hear the professional opinion of a famous expert, discussing those rumors about the questionable relationship of May and..." The female moderator of the TV show narrated, her voice quickly drowned out in the chatter of the pedestrians.

If I hadn't failed in the first round that time, Ursula would have never succeeded! Dawn thought, but hastily interrupted herself mentally. No, what am I thinking. She deserves that title, she deserves it! Its me, who hasn't improved, Ursula has nothing to do with it, right? She desperately tried to convince her overconfident self, which kept claiming her putative victory.

That inner dilemma haunted her until Dawn stepped through the now doorless entrance of the Pokemon Center. It wasn't the first time, she had to fight her big-headed character and like all those times before, her attempts were futile, leaving her with a sour taste in her mouth. Just when did she become so arrogant?

"If it isn't the vandal," The sarcastic voice of the local Nurse Joy drew Dawn's attention to her sitting form behind the desk. "Your mother called, she desperately wants to talk to her daughter. You're not a run-away child, are you?"

The young girl noticeably stiffened. During her intensive training, she completely forgot to call her mother once in a while. She was about to rush over to a phone, when Nurse Joy interrupted her once more.

"You should be-" She began, but quickly changed her choice of words. "I haven't told her about the, door yet. You have the honor to do so. Now, don't disappoint me."

Dawn could already feel the lump in her throat and anxiousness rise withing her. There was no desire on her part, to tell her mother more than necessary, thus she felt slightly relieved to have a good reason to stall some time. She took an attentive look around the lobby of the Center, but couldn't spot her Pokemon anywhere.

"Where are Piplup, Pichu and Lopunny?" She asked Nurse Joy sheepishly.

The pink haired woman didn't face Dawn, as she was busy with some files. "They went to the training fields in the back to play."

Dawn only nodded. She thought about joining her Pokemon, but decided against that idea. She could imagine, how hard it would be, to gather the necessary courage and call her mother eventually. The sooner she got over it, the faster she could concentrate on the next task; making up with Piplup and the fight against Team Rocket. Thus the young girl let herself slump down on the seat in front of the monitor of the phone and dialed the number of her own home.

The screen turned on and immediately showed the curve of a normal heart rate accompanied by the common beeping noise. Confused, Dawn blinked at the display, before a frown appeared on her face. Apperantly, Nurse Joy had changed the settings of the phone. What a great sense of humor, She thought annoyed, when the heartbeat increased highly, indicating the connection of the phones.

But it didn't take the other person at the other side of the line too long, to accept the call. The screen flashed and showed the smiling face of Johanna. Although she hadn't have many opportunities to think calmly about her mother, Dawn felt relieved to see her save and sound.

"Finally I get to see you on a different screen!" Johanna joked and drew a chuckle from her daughter.

"Yeah, sorry I took so long. I was busy. For how long didn't we talk? One or two weeks?"

"You mean a whole month, dear."

"A whole mo-" Dawn gasped and watched her mother's expression become more serious.

"Dawn, you should really stop concentrating that much on your contests. You're blocking out the whole world! That's the reason, I think you should take a long break," Johanna claimed and didn't give her daughter any time to respond. "I've heard the news about the Ecruteak contest. It was cancelled, right? Because of some police matters."

"Yes!" Dawn was quick to chip in. "But I'm already taking care of it myself. I'll be participating in no time, so no need to worry."

"I'll never get tired of this sentence, but whenever you tell me not to worry, that's the time I worry most. For good reasons. This police emergency sounds awfully dangerous to me, you should leave it to the experts to handle."

Dawn sighed. She hadn't thought about her mother's reaction to that plan yet, but the objection was no real surprise to her. If she didn't believe in Dawn's strength, how was she supposed to do so?

"By the way, where is Piplup?" Johanna asked curiously, her eyes searching the visible parts of the lobby.

"Its outside, playing with my new partner, Pichu. I just caught it about a week ago." And that's when my other problems actually started, She added in her thoughts, but had no intention, to tell her mother about Hunter J or Team Rocket at all.

"I see. When do you plan to use it in a contest?"

"Uh..." Since Dawn didn't feel like Pichu really belonged to her, she had difficulties to answer that question. However, there was no need to do so, as a familiar, blue Pokemon jumped in front of the screen.

"Piplup!" It happily chirped with a happy face and acted, as if it tried to hug the display of Johanna.

"In great shape as always, Piplup! Nice to see you," Johanna smiled at the penguin, while Dawn felt uncharacteristic panic rise within her. Her voice showed her nervousness at Piplup's appearance.

"Yeah, Piplup. How - how is Pichu anyway?" Dawn didn't want to get into a fight with her partner, in front of Johanna. It would just raise her suspicion and objections. Piplup, however, wasn't fond of that idea at all. It huffed at its trainer and faced the other direction, its flippers firmly crossed. It was enough, to push the already irritated coordinator over the edge.

"Stop acting so spoilt already!"

"Piiiiiiiplup! Piplup pi Piplup LUP!"

"You-!"

"That's enough!" Johanna's loud voice put an end to the quarrel and she glared at her daughter. "Dawn! I see, you had another fight with Piplup. Was it because of some impossible move, again?"

"No - no it's not like that," Dawn replied with both her hands risen in a defensive stance. "We were just-"

"What happened to your hand?" Johanna asked in a dangerously low voice, her brow's furrowed. Suddenly, the young girl felt as if a block of ice froze her inwardly.

"Yo-you mean my right hand?" She quickly hid the bandaged one behind the desk. "Nothing, see?"

"Dawn, you're not a kid anymore! I mean your left one, the one with a bandage wrapped around the palm."

Averting her eyes, the young girl let her shoulders slump down in defeat."I cut it, accidentally..."

"And how?" Johanna pressed her daughter, as she stopped talking.

"With... with some shards..."

A sigh. Then Johanna posed the final question. "And why were there shards?"

Dawn didn't want to tell her mother, why there were shards. The silence lasted for half a minute and the young girl was unable to shake off that uneasy feeling and find her voice again. The burden of confessing to her mother, however, was easily lifted of her shoulders, as someone else interfered their conservation.

"That's because your daughter managed to smash my glass door into pieces and she still has to pay for it," Nurse Joy interjected with an almost casual voice as she stood behind the terrified girl. Dawn could only try to stutter some inaudible words. "I gave you a chance, you didn't use it. And since you told me, you couldn't afford it, I had to take things in my own hands, don't you think?" With those harsh words, the doctor took her leave.

"Aha," Johanna said, disappointment evident in both her mimic and voice. "And when did you plan to tell me about that?"

Never, Dawn replied inwardly, but otherwise kept quiet. Her mother obviously didn't even want to hear the answer, as she had already the next question ready.

"What happened? I don't just mean, how you broke down the door, but why you did that."

Dawn already knew, that any argument wouldn't save her from that situation, so she gave in and told her mother the whole situation about the contest, her rush to the Pokemon Center and part of her appointments with Morty - except of Hunter J and Team Rocket. They were replaced by any enemy, Dawn had already fought before.

"But as you see, it was not just my fault. If Piplup didn't-" She tried to split some of the blame, but as she immediately found out, that plan backfired at her immensely.

"Dawn!" Her mother almost yelled, her fury clearly audible in her words. "That's enough! If you didn't focus so much on those damn contests, you wouldn't act that way!

"But Mom, I-" Dawn tried to interrupt her mother, but to no avail.

"If you don't want or even can't change that attitude, then I'll have you to quit overall!" Johanna exclaimed, serious about her words.

"You don't know how important they are to me-"

"Oh, I know. More important than your closest partners! This is no behavior I can tolerate-"

"Of course you can't!" Dawn yelled, her patience at an end. "You are already a Top-Coordinator, you made it! You don't have to worry about your next performance, you don't have to fight with your competition, because you don't even have one! You don't have to watch all of your friends achieving your goal, while you only sit at the sidelines and watch! How could you ever understand, how I feel?!"

Before her mother had any chance to brace herself after Dawn's outburst, she cut the connection, accompanied of the sustained beep of a stopped heart and sat in her chair, shaking with anger and immediate regret. She regretted the direction, their conservation took, she regretted blaming Piplup and she regretted yelling at her mother. Obviously, her most trusted partner could feel the change in her emotional composure and chirped saddened.
 

"Sorry Piplup," Dawn apologized, her remorse clearly displayed in her voice and teary eyes. She let her head sink onto the cold desk and felt relieved at the touch of Piplup's flipper on her temple. "Its simply not my day."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Arme Dawn. Ich hatte eigentlich nur ein Problem für dieses Kapitel geplant und das heißt J... Aber der Rest ist doch auch schön geworden, nicht? Bissl Hintergrundgeschichten.

Also: Write ya next -

J: Der Satz ergibt nicht mal Sinn!

Ich: Mir doch wurscht! Das ist wie'n Wortspiel aus see ya next time und ich als Schriftsteller -

*Brutalanda setzt Hyperstrahl ein*

Blazing Tower

So! Ein kleines Weihnachtsgeschenk von mir. Schön wa? Hoff ich zumindest. Habt Spaß beim lesen! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Oder freie Tage, falls ihr dieses Fest nicht feiert.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

The next time, Dawn opened her eyes, she and Piplup were hanging from the ceiling of a large, dark room and met the annoyed glare of Hunter J. Just a second ago, Dawn was about to ascend the stairs to the next floor, before suddenly some sticky threads wrapped around her arms, pulled her upwards and prevented any movement.

Dawn's right eye twitched. When she had reached the ninth floor of the nightly Bell Tower, which was contaminated by hordes of ghosts, traps and occasional warp fields, she had anticipated a big, final surprise. That sudden encounter with the huntress, however, had not been on her mind at all.

And so, she found herself at a stunning lack of words. "... Hi..." And suddenly, I wish, the Hauter from earlier were stalking me again, Dawn thought and shot a side glance at her partner. Piplup was almost completely covered by the white, faintly glowing threads, only the frantic struggle of its legs could be seen. It wouldn't be able to help its trainer, who anxiously waited for a reply.

J, clearly not in the mood for the young girl, let out a frustrated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ariados, get them down. But make sure you're not gentle."

The spider did, as its mistress had ordered and quickly climbed to the ceiling, to cut its strings. While Dawn managed to land on her feet after a low drop, Piplup met the wooden floor with its face. Enraged, the penguin jumped to its feet and chirped angrily at its enemies. Before it had the chance to make any moves, though, Dawn picked up Piplup and the flashlight she had dropped before and looked into J's eyes once again.

"Hi," J replied with probably all the sarcasm, the woman could muster. During those five years, Dawn's body had changed; especially in the height. She was grateful, that she was almost at J's eye level. Yet the sheer presence of the irritated huntress towered over Dawn, like a Darkrai over its next victim.

The bluehaired girl furrowed her eye brows at the hostility, J displayed. "You know, I just climbed this whole hauted tower. Every. Single. Floor. With ghosts trying to be scary; I don't need you to do the same, get it? You can stop being so damn intimidating, it's annoying." Dawn emphasized the word "damn" and hoped, the huntress would get the hint: Dawn was no longer a child; her journeys did a well job, hardening her.

Although the woman didn't show any physical sign, J was clearly taken aback by those words. Her frown deepened and instead of drawing back, the threatening aura became worse. "And if I refuse? What will - no - what can you do about it, huh? Little girl."

Dawn merely shrugged as a reply. "Nothing. If you want to keep on wasting your energy, then go ahead."

J clearly showed her displeasure, but at least she stopped radiating imminent danger. "So you do have some backbone. What a surprise, considering that just hours ago, you almost fainted because of me."

"Of course not! Since you were already aggressive and violent, there was no need to push you. But this time its different."

"Oh? Do you assume, that I'll just listen to every word of yours, without fighting back? That you won't end up with a blue eye in your pretty face?"

"No," Dawn said, slightly angered by the sarcasm in J's voice, but kept a cold control over hers. "It's because I already decided, that you're my enemy - not someone, I fight with together and especially not someone, I'd put trust into. I won't mind you battling Team Rocket alongside me, as long as your actions won't bother me-"

J interrupted Dawn's tirade with short laughter. The woman couldn't believe her ears. "Me? battling alongside you? The ghosts must have played some kind of psychic games with your mind; your words are simply ridiculous. You are the one, who is better of staying out of this fight and you should feel very sorry, if you bother me.But you are right at one point. We're certainly no allies. I don't accept weaklings in my team."

Dawn felt those words stinging at her instable self-confidence, but that was not the time to back away. "And I don't accept ruthless criminals in mine! Especially not cowards, who hide their true intentions behind a facade!" Similar as in the gym, the air around the two young women tensed noticeably. Yet, Dawn didn't want to withdraw; some absurd desire kept her going on, despite the regret, she would surely experience. And regarding the change on J's expression from dark to furious, the possibility of a blue eye wasn't so far off.

"I'm right, aren't I? After all, Why should you - The Pokemon Hunter J - suddenly do something good for society, huh? Until now, you didn't have any problem ignoring trainers' and Pokemons' feelings, as long as you get your profit!" She continued, but strangely, J's posture changed again. The sudden wrath seemed to cease fast and was replaced by what appeared to be... resignation? Dawn continued unfazed, but the impression only fortified, the more she spoke on. "This time, it wont be any different! Team Rocket is just a cover, right?! Your true target is Ho-Oh and the money you could make with it. Well, forget it! I'll stop both of you, if you give me a reason! That'll be the end of the great Hunter -"

"Would it help," J interrupted the younger girl with a loud voice, since Dawn had almost began to shout herself during the tirade. "If I told you, that I'm no longer a hunter?"

The words took a moment, to reach Dawn's agitated mind. As soon as she was able to comprehend the message, her jaw dropped. Did she hear right? J claimed, that she was no Pokemon Hunter anymore? Did the ghosts really hit the young trainer with a Confuse Ray and played some nasty mind tricks with her?

"You heard me right. I retired. And you can relax. I couldn't care less, whether we're trying to protect Ho-Oh, Lugia or a damn Magikarp. My aim is Team Rocket, nothing else. So watch your mouth with those assumptions, understood?" The last words were spoken with such venom and bitterness, Dawn had to gulp. Usually, J radiated only so many emotions, Dawn could recognize them, not comprehend them. That time, it was different. No matter what kind of problems the huntress had with that organization, it affected her greatly in her subconsciousness.

Yet that didn't mean, she would believe J. "Now your words are ridiculous! Just how naïve do you think I am, believing something like that?!"

J smirked as a reply and crossed her arms. "Whatever happened to; 'I just know, when someone lies'? Shouldn't you be able to tell, that I am honest? Besides, why do you think I would make that up, huh? To gain your trust?" She shook her head. "I just want you to shut up already."

Dawn didn't pay attention to J's last words; she was still in bewilderment about the revelation. "Well... Maybe you found a way to deceive me, who knows?!"

The argument had started so well. Dawn's verbal attack had definitely taken the huntress by surprise, yet one single statement had turned the tables and regarding the satisfied smirk on her face, J knew it. "And how am I supposed to accomplish that, without any useful knowledge about it? In contrary to you, I don't have the abilities of a psychic type. I can just read one's mind to a certain degree." She made a brief pause and intensified her piercing glare on Dawn. "You however..."

The pressure around J had returned and the huntress made a threatening step towards the younger girl.

"So what?! We were not talking about me, but about you! You said it yourself, right? Criminals don't change, so don't believe me to trust any of your words!" It was a useless try to safe herself from the situation, but Dawn didn't want to talk anymore about her "ability". About her secret, she tried to hide from the whole world.

J on the other hand, didn't even seem to notice her exclamation. Or rather, she obviously ignored it. "You remember what happened in the Ilex Forest, don't you? The wound on my leg?" To emphasize her words, J pointed towards her right leg. She didn't wait for a reply. "I don't recall showing you any weakness or pain, yet you still knew about it."

Of course, Dawn remembered. And she could kick herself, because she simply had to help the huntress. Now she paid the price and it made her anger and some kind of rebellious impulse return.

"How are you able to 'just know' about my pain? Or the fact that I am lying?" Somehow, they had taken in a similar position to the one earlier that day; their faces just inches apart with J's greyish eyes piercing Dawn's. For a brief second, the young coordinator wondered, whether J cornered her even consciously or not. At least, Piplup was too caught up in the tension and rather waited for something to happen, than acting on its own. "Spit it out."

Just for a moment, Dawn thought about a deal with the huntress; answers for answers. But in the end her stubbornness won and she gave a simple, definite reply. "None of your business."

J nodded with a sour expression. "And with that, our conversation is over." The huntress backed away, until Dawn could release the breath, she had been holding without noticing. Piplup showed a similar reaction, but quickly recovered and shot a ructious glare at J's back.

The huntress headed towards the staircase to the next floor and gave her Ariados an order, to renew a trap. Dawn figured, that she had stepped into the spiderweb earlier, which had yanked her right in front of J's nose. She was already wondering, whether Team Rocket would really climb the tower, but brushed the thoughts about the upcoming battles to the back of her mind.

The silence, which replaced their argument, was icy and felt even worse, than the harsh words they had spoken. Dawn almost found herself wishing for the conversation to return, preferably less tense. She even noticed faint vibrations on the left side of her belt. Pichu's Pokeball. As a prevention, she had provisionally locked the device with a inverted ball capsule. She didn't want the tiny mouse to get caught in danger; but it could feel the presence of its "mother" and tried to break out.

Dawn wanted something else than her guilty conscience, she could concentrate on. That, and the annoyingly considerate streak of hers, were probably the reasons, for her to speak up one more time.

"So... How's your leg?" Dawn asked reluctantly.

There was no reply at first, just a sigh. While the young girl wondered, whether there was anything more to come or not, and why she even tried to break the ice in the first place, J put her hands on her hips, but didn't turn around. Then came the reply.

"And that's exactly, why you're pathetic. I thought, I wasn't your ally, yet you care about my well being. Don't you realize, that such a behavior will kill you? This time I have to protect you, but if you keep up caring about your enemies, the outcome will be inevitable. Your oh so noble reasons will cost your life, I can guarantee it. Girls like you should stick to your contests and live your carefree life."

That did it. Dawn had tried to be nice, but obviously, J resisted vehemently against it. "You know what? You're right. I shouldn't care about you - after all, you deserve it!After everything you did to innocent Pokemon and trainers you deserve every ounce of illness and pain. Since you can't comprehend the suffering of others during your actions, you should at least experience it otherwise!"

To Dawn's surprise her words had a huge effect on the huntress. J flinched - both outwardly and inwardly. In the wan light, the young trainer could barely make it out, but J clenched her fists, the tension quickly expanding over all of her body.

"You want me to suffer?" She asked dangerously quiet. In a quick motion, J spun around and strode towards the young trainer, her body language roaring of the urge to punch Dawn. "Then why won't you make me?"

Suddenly, strong vibrations traveled from the ground through their bodies, forcing the two young women to stop. It was a sensation that reminded of a low humming and the source seemed to be the tower itself. Confused, Dawn looked around, as if the answer would hide somewhere in the room. Piplup jumped out of her arms and took a fighting stance in front of its trainer, ready to strike any enemy, which might appear. It was then, a certain, unexpected noise sounded through the nightly air. Clear chimes - probably made by a choir of golden bells, which would only ring, when Ho-Oh is summoned by a hero. No storm could cause them to make a sound. That they were chiming now, was no good sign.

"Aria!" J's spider Pokemon hissed and pointed towards the ceiling. Without wasting any time, J spun around and rushed over to a certain spot, behind the staircase, which would lead to the roof. Something must have been on the silver haired woman's mind, and although Dawn knew, that at the end of the stairs would be some kind of trap waiting, she still took that way upwards. Taking two steps at a time, with Piplup directly behind her, she quickly left the coldness of the tower and emerged into hot and dry air.

As she had guessed, offenders were already waiting for her. And with a large number.

"Galvantula, Electro Ball!"

A mass of electrical energy flew towards them, but thanks to Piplup's Bubble Shield, that attack was deflected easily.

Illuminated by headlamps of helicopters, stood a large group of men in front of Dawn, all dressed in black uniforms with the red letter "M" displayed on their chests. Many held Pokeballs in their hands, while multiple Crobats and Magneton soared through the air above them as well as some Houndoom between them. In the very front, there was a tall man, dressed in a coat, rather than a normal uniform. His olive green eyes pierced his fiend, with the intensity of a merciless commander. It was his spider Pokemon, Galvantula that had attacked the two.

He would be the hardest opponent, Dawn already knew. Especially, after part of the little army was abruptly blasted away. The floor exploded, as J alongside her Salamence, Drapion and Ariados crashed through the ground beneath the grunts. Only their surprised cries were louder, than the breaking sound of wood and battle roars.

Many were wrapped in Ariados' String Shot, no longer able to move, while others were simply knocked out by the force of J's mainbattelers. Dawn already grabbed her own Pokeballs, with the plan of defeating as many opponents as possible with one massive attack, but the defeaning roll of thunder stopped her.

For a second, lightning illuminated the dark sky and a flying object - another helicopter, to be precise - hovering right beneath the thunderclouds that had gathered in the evening. The girl had the uneasy feeling, to have spotted the source of her worries.

Suddenly, however, all her thoughts were drowned as the sky exploded in an inferno of electricity and fire so bright, Dawn had to avert her eyes. Then she heard it. The mighty cry of a bird Pokemon. Colors of a rainbow filled the dark night sky, lanced with a golden glow. The creature flapped its wide wings and a strong gust arose. Ho-Oh had arrived and its appearance raised both awe and fear in the young coordinator. At another time and in a different situation she wouldn't be able to avert her eyes from its beauty. Now however, she wished for nothing more, but for the legendary to disappear.

Ho-Oh's fierce glare pierced the invaders of its sacred temple, reading their intentions. Just for a second, its eyes lasted on Dawn and it was enough, to see the consuming fire within the legendary. She had no time to waste.

Unfortunately, the leader of the troop had similar thoughts and with that, his Galvantula attacked using the same move again, aiming towards the young trainer. She grimaced, but sidestepped it easily - and almost ran into Machoke's crossed hands, indicating its Cross Chop. More than ever, Dawn was glad about her own battle experiences she made during her journey. Not even a second to early, she jumped backwards, avoiding the hit on her head. Nevertheless, she still felt the gust of that attack blowing her hair away from her face.

Immediately, Piplup began firing water attacks towards Machoke, giving its trainer time to release their other partners. But once again she was interrupted by the muscular, heavy body of Arbok, which had appeared out of nothing. The snake hissed venomously in her ear, preventing any movement. The pressure it put on its prey was already on a level, where Dawn had difficulties to breath. Another curse escaped her lips. She really disliked people, who attacked the trainer rather than their Pokemon. Obviously, those were the most determined to win and mixed with both quick reaction time and intelligence, there were no more doubts about his superior skills.

It didn't mean, Dawn was defeated, though. Even without her command, Piplup had a good plan, how to react. Arbok's jaw clacked noisily, as the penguin used its Drill Peck move like an uppercut. The force knocked the snake's head backwards, but otherwise didn't show any effect on the grip - in contrary, it became stronger, until the pain and lack of oxygen clouded Dawn's mind. To worsen her situation, Machoke stormed towards her once again, ready to strike a Power Punch.

With such bright prospects, the young trainer was more than willing to execute the plan, she and Piplup came up for such a case long time ago. Despite the dizzy feeling in her head, she nodded towards her partner, which was still airbone - and took in a deep breath.

Suddenly, masses of water crashed upon her, spinning around her forcefully. What Drill Peck missed to accomplish, Whirlpool was able to do; the power and the rotation into the other direction, than Arbok had wrapped itself around her, loosened the grip, until the snake was completely yanked away from her body.

She was free, once again, but also perfectly aware, how fast her situation could change. So despite her position, she called out her Pokemon and in a flash, the four created a little wall around her, ready to follow her only command she could give at such a moment; "Attack!"

One thing she had learnt that day. The roof was not a soft place to crash upon with the back. Finally, her lungs were filled with air again and the blood circulation returned to a normal pace, so that the numbness of her limbs slowly faded away. Several coughs shook her body, as she struggled back to her feet.

"Pip lup?" The penguin asked its trainer, but was cautios not to touch her. Sparks were dancing around its body; she just hoped, it wasn't paralyzed through some nasty electric attack.

"No need to worry. How about you?"

As a reply, the penguin spun around and took in a fighting stance. For the moment, Dawn was convinced and she could resume to the battle. Even before the young trainer stood upright again, her eyes darted around, observing the changes of her situation. Four more Pokemon had added to her opponents; An Electrode, two Houndoom and a Hypno. She grimaced at the thought of batteling the electric and the psychic type; one with rapid speed, the other with nasty telekinetic powers. They could become a devastating combination.

At least the other grunts were too occupied with their owl brawl against Drapion and Ariados. There was no trace of J on the roof. She and her Salamence soared through the sky, fighting of flying objects that tailed Ho-Oh. Machines, no doubt, which were built to catch the legendary. Dawn just hoped, the huntress would at least do a good job on protecting Ho-Oh. She and her team would have enough work cleaning up the mess of Rocket members.

Finally, her gaze met the more or less determined eyes of her partners. Aron, her steel type. Braviary, soaring through the air and fighting the Crobats. The fox Pokemon Ninetales. And Kirlia, one of her youngest and most unexperienced partners.

Wiping a wet strand of hair out of her eyes, Dawn quickly gave several commands. "Piplup, Drill Peck on Machoke, Aron Iron Defense and Ninetales Flamethrower on Hypno!"

Without hesitating, the Pokemon executed their moves. Machoke managed to block the Drill Peck with its one hand and had the other ready to strike a Power Punch. Ninetale's Flamethrower was enveloped by a light blue light and with its psychic powers, Hypno lead it back towards Dawn. Their satisfied expressions showed her, how little they thought about her battling skills. Too bad for them, she was about to fix that impression.

"Braviary!" Was all, she had to say to get its attention. Almost immediately, it paused its battle with the Crobats and crashed into Machoke with its Arial Ace. At the same time, the two Houndoom added their Flamethrowers to the massive inferno that sped towards Dawn. The licking heat was already close enough to her, to dry some of the water on her face; if Ninetales had waited any longer to absorb the fire, it would have consumed the young trainer. Fueled by the additional flames, Ninetales was able to take down most airborne Pokemon above the roof with just one Flamethrower.

Sure, no need to rush things... Who cares, if I'm crispy fried? Dawn thought sarcastically, but was quickly pulled back to reality, as Arbok and Electrode attacked her with Poisontail and Thunder. Both assaults were intercepted by a greenish shield; Aron's protect. It let out a little roar and beamed at its trainer, who couldn't help but return the smile.

Quickly, she glanced around and took in the sight of their surroundings. To their left, there was an altar in the shape of a smaller Bell Tower. Behind her was fortunately no one, only a grunt, his Machoke and Arbok to her sides. The little army further behind the leader was still busy fighting J's Pokemon and Dawn hoped it would stay that way. So, that she had the time to focus on the ones directly in front of her.

It took her a moment, to decide on her next step; or rather, on the Pokemon, she would concentrate her attacks on first. "Aron! Braviary! Heavy Slam combination on Hypno, go!"

The eagle let go of the heavily breathing Machoke and flew over to Aron. With the steel type on its back, they rushed towards Hypno, a yellowish aura around them; the beginning of a complex combination.

"Wha-?! Hypno, Psychic!" One of the grunts - a bulky man short blond hair - gave an order to his partner. As predicted, Braviary and Aron were stopped in midair, creating a putative opening. "Alright, Houndoom, use Crunsh on the girl! And Electrode, Thunder attack on that damn fox and the chicken!"

Another grunt joined his comrade; he ordered his Machoke to take care of Ninetales from behind. The leader didn't seem to care at all, he merely watched the battle in front of him. Not that Dawn would miss his absence at all. The timing for that maneuver was crucial enough without him.

"Will-O-Wisp, behind you! Whirlpool on the Houndoom! And Psybeam on Hypno, GO!" Dawn was glad for all the experience she had gathered with her Pokemon. Otherwise, they probably wouldn't have understood her intentions well enough.

Before Machoke could reach Ninetales, huge, blue flames gathered around its white fur; not only were they hot enough, to burn Machoke's arm, they were also capable of blocking the Thunder for a short moment. Enough time, to dodge the move and let it hit the fighting type instead.

Piplup, at the same time, slid under the attack on its back and created a huge Whirlpool. The Houndoom were sucked in and shot towards the sky, closely followed by the penguin. As it and Dawn had planned, it executed another powerful attack. Flippers were glowing white, indicating Piplup's Brick Break, which catapulted the dog Pokemon straight towards the floor again.

Lastly, Kirlia shot the colorful Psybeam towards Hypno. It wasn't effective, but the shock made Hypno lose its concentration. Braviary and Aron were free once again, and without any other hinderance, they crashed into the psychic type.

"Okay, Aron and Braviary, finish with Bite and Arial Ace!"

The steel type leaped towards Hypno's risen arm and it dug its jaw into the yellow skin. A somersault later, Braviary crashed into the psychic type. Dawn was not able to see, how they returned to her side, since Arbok was attacking her once again with bared teeth. She ducked under its head and moved next to Kirlia. Now the psychic type had a perfect chance to catch the snake with its powers and that's just what it did. If it wasn't for a surprising Electro Ball, the strategy would have succeeded.

The orb came flying towards them at rapid speed. There was no time to waste, and so Dawn herself had to step between and kick the sphere away. Stinging pain jolted through her leg, because of the electricity and once again numbness crept in the limb. That unpleasant sensation, however, was not the worst effect. The shock made Kirlia's concentration waver. The Psychic attack lost its power and gave Arbok enough time, to wrap its strong body around the young Pokemon. It hissed threateningly at Dawn, as its prey let out a choked cry.

"Kirlia! Use Teleport, quick!" Dawn shouted with both her voice and mind, hoping to reach the troubled Pokemon somehow. The words didn't seem to have any effect, though, as too much fear and shock clouded its thoughts. It wasn't surprising, regarding what little battle experience Kirlia had. Situations like that were a risk, Dawn had been well aware of. She still decided to put it in her team - psychic types were usually very convenient for those kind of battles.

And fortunately, the young trainer thought of a good option to minimize the damage as little as possible. She grabbed its Pokeball and tried to recall it. However, it failed. Instead, Arbok put even more pressure on the helpless Pokemon, drawing out another pained cry.

Irritated, Dawn spun around and tried to make out the reason for her failed plan, but instead, she could only watch another nasty problem appearing. An explosion, caused by lightning, burst parts of the ground apart, obscuring the view of one of her opponents. She had to avert her eyes because of the brightness, but because of the position and metallic cry the Pokemon made, Dawn could guess, what had been struck. Electrode, a Pokemon, which was know for its enormous appetite for electricity and the powers it could unleash with so many volts cursing through its body.

With incredibly speed, it rushed over the battle field, right towards the Pokemon, which was the last one to attack it with another Flamethrower. Ninetales appeared to be unfazed, as it glared at its foe. The little flames of Will-O-Wisp were still active and had molded with its white fur, creating the image of a burning helldog with glowing eyes. Dawn knew, her fire type was more than capable of defending itself; she just hoped, its moves wouldn't put the whole roof on fire.

So she didn't watch the clash of fire and electricity, which blasted more parts of the roof apart and focused on saving her Kirlia first. A Wobbuffet had accompanied Galvantula and stood protectively in front of the leader. Dawn grimaced, its unique ability Shadow Tag prevented Pokemon from returning to their Pokeballs. Not bad, she had to compliment him silently. With little effort he created a worst case scenario for Dawn. Kirlia was trapped, and any false move could result in devastating consequences for her partner.

To make things worse, Hypno and Houndoom recovered far enough, that they could stand on their feet again. They panted heavily, but were more than ready to strike back. "Commander Pierce! We're ready to-"

"There is no need for you to continue. Retreat this once! But leave Electrode here," the bluehaired man with the name Pierce ordered. His subordinate wanted to object, but any words of his were futile. After another, harsher order of his leader, the grunt bowed submissively and left.

The whole conversation was a perfect chance for Dawn, to save her Kirlia. "Braviary, Aron, come!"

The eagle was about to charge towards its trainer, but suddenly, a strong hand caught its right leg. Machoke had recovered from the Thunder attack, and part of the electricity now shocked Braviary. At such a close range it had no problem landing a Power Punch on the flying type, knocking it to the side. Aron couldn't keep its balance and fell of.

"Damn it," Dawn hissed, angered that she had to change her plans again. "Aron, push it back with Protect! Braviary, Arial Ace!"

Immediately, the shield slammed into Machoke's side, causing it to almost lose its footing. Braviary took the opportunity and attacked head-on with air circling around it. The attack succeded and Dawn was about to call her steel type back to her side. She planned on using the shield one more time to shake Arbok of in as similar manner. If there weren't three more attacks, claiming her attention.

The armor clad figure of a Bisharp jumped up from behind Arbok. Its two claws shone like long swords made out of crystal - like the one-hit knockout move Guillotine. Dawn felt her insides freeze. A mere second later, Galvantula sped over the ground, a large mass of electricity surrounding its body. Its aim was once again Dawn herself.

However, those attacks weren't even the worst part of the assault. Suddenly, an enormous Fire Blast engulfed the altar in the middle of the roof, turning the battlefield into a raging inferno. The heat was burning on her skin, it was almost unbearable. Above the noisy flickering of the fire, a few pained cries were audible and although Dawn desperately wanted to overview their situation, there was no time. She couldn't even shout a command, all she could do was trusting in her Pokemon's own decisions.

And trying to stop at least Galvantula's Wild Charge, before it had the opportunity to inflict damage on Kirlia behind her. She squatted and braced herself for the pain that would come as soon as she tried to catch the bug type with her own arms.

But before anything devastating could happen, Aron countered with another Heavy Slam and crashed right into its side. The force knocked the spider Pokemon sidewards, while Aron stood still. Sparks flew from its body, yet it didn't show any weakness. One problem was solved; and the other one as well. As Dawn turned around, she could catch a glimpse of Piplup, spinning like a spear with its Drill Peck. It collided with Bisharp and the two battelers disappeared behind Arbok to continue their battle.

Dawn found the time to sigh in relief. Now she had a few seconds to spare on shouting at a certain woman, she thought was responsible for the blaze. "J! Stop it, you're insane! Are you trying to-" She abruptly ended her tirade, though, when she saw the real culprit behind the destructive move. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Ho-Oh, soaring through the air and unleashing fire attacks at the swarm of Pokemon around it. Even J and Salamence were targeted and despite their outstanding flying skills, they could barely dodge the moves.

At first, the young trainer hoped, it just hit the tower by accident. However, when it dove towards the corner further behind Dawn and destroyed it with Steel Wing. The loud noise of metal shattering sounded in the sky, probably caused by one of the bells. There was no doubt left, that it tried to destroy the building. But for what reason? Why would Ho-Oh destroy the Bell Tower, which was built to honor it?

Dawn's mind was too agitated, to search for an explanation. Her concentration was fully occupied with the battle; for jobs like that she had taken Kirlia into her Team. That just made the need of rescuing her partner even more urgent.

And to accomplish that there was only one option: Attack!

"Ninetales! Confuse Ray, go!"

With ease, the fire type caught the eyes of the already aroused Electrode with its own red glowing glare. As a result, the electric type staggered backwards - and then began spinning rapidly in a Rollout attack. A smirk crept on Dawn's face; just as she had hoped.

"Now, Irontail towards Machoke!"

Suddenly, the leftover grunt had something to tell as well. "Hah! Machoke, we'll counter that, right? Both your bird and the fox, no matter how many tails it has!" Although the fighting type was still paralyzed and roughly beaten, it followed its trainers almost ridiculous order. Dawn had other plans in mind anyways.

And Ninetales understood her intentions perfectly, as that was its prefered way of fighting; using the enemy to beat up the enemy. When Electrode rushed towards it, the fire type simply sidestepped the attack and hit it afterwards with three glowing Irontails. In the blink of an eye, the overly charged projectile crashed in the perplexed Machoke and knocked it finally out.

"Braviary, Rock Slide beneath them!" Dawn continued the assault, always hoping, those moves would not cause a direct reaction of Arbok. Quickly, the eagle dove closely to the ground, followed by white rings that turned into stones. The boulders landed on the floor without to much damage. Their purpose was to keep Electrode in place as it fell onto the new ground and was helplessly spinning between the bumps. Little damage could its electric attacks cause; it was stuck. Two opponents down, so far.

apparently, the commander didn't care about his subordinates at all, as he stayed remarkably calm. His attention laid on Galvantula, which attacked Aron from a distance and Arbok. They exchanged a nod and Dawn could hear another cry. She gritted her teeth. Time was running out!

But the next step of her plan was already in progress. "Ninetales," she called out for her fire type. A deep breath filled her lungs with necessary air, to shout the next command on top of her lungs. So that the commander could hear it. "Use Flamethrower on Wobbuffet!"

Pierce was obviously taken aback, as the fox rushed directly in front of Wobbuffet, opened its mouth - and shot a star-shaped Fire Blast. The psychic type reacted automatically and countered the devastating attack with Mirror Coat. The move was split in five beams. While a few of them disappeared without harm in the sky, the other two shot directly - with the help of Ninetales powers - towards Electrode and Galvantula. Both ended as critical hits. The bug type was knocked out instantly, but didn't block all of the flames. Aron had to deflect some with its own shield, protecting itself, its trainer and Kirlia from fatal damage.

Worried, Dawn glanced towards the other victim of the assault. The rocks were glowing red because of the heat and for a moment, Electrode stood still. Then it returned to its spinning with a speed that made her dizzy. She had to be cautious, since she didn't want Electrode to explode and tear the whole roof apart.

"Now, Aron! Help Kirlia!" If the quadruped Pokemon had been able to salute, it would have probably taken a second for such a movement. Instead it dashed towards the snake, which wouldn't have the time to take down Kirlia anymore. Its teeth were glowing purple, though, about to dig in Kirlia's neck.

Suddenly, a black and yellow Pokeball popped up directly in front of Aron and released... something with a glowing Dragon Claw. The steel type couldn't react and took a direct hit to the head. Despite its type resistance and risen defense, it still appeared shaken, which was never a good sign. It meant the opponent was strong. Strong and noisy.

"Druuuh! Druddigon!" Roared the roughly skinned dragon type and tried to continue its assault. Quickly, Braviary joined the battle and grabbed the spiked shoulders of Druddigon. Immediately, both Pokemon struggled over dominance, but eventually, the eagle lifted the weight some meters in the sky, clearing the way for Aron.

In a desperate try to safe Kirlia, the steel type increased its speed with Rock Polish, although it might already be too late. Yet it would never reach the snake in the first place, as the commander called out for another Pokemon; Crygonal. And immediately, it moved in with Sheer Cold. Aron barely managed to dodge the attack, but as a result, the floor was partly frozen, so that the steel type had difficulties even standing four legs kept sliding apart on the slippery surface.

Oh no! Dawn spun around. Although it wouldn't change the situation, she had to see it. She couldn't just avert her eyes, after all, that was her partner! Images of Kirlia's unconscious body filled her mind and it was her to blame.

As expected, Arbok had its jaw locked around Kirlia's neck. But before she could have a closer look, something heavy fell on the floor right beside her. Druddigon's blue glowing claws were risen and ready to strike Dawn's head, ready to end her final battle.

Dawn hated to admit it, but in that moment her limbs were paralyzed in mostly shock, leaving her completely immobilized. If it wasn't for a turquoise ball of energy, which collided with Druddigon, that would have been her last retained breath.

Since her ears had stopped hearing any sounds for a second, beside the abnormaly loud hissing of the air around the claws, the explosion on Druddigon almost deafened her. A shockwave pushed her backwards, but the burning pain of heat in her back made Dawn regain her footing quickly. The fire behind her was still raging; strangely enough it remained in the center.

"Dra... Dragon... Pulse?" Dawn breathed, well aware that none of her Pokemon were able to use that move and it was most unlikely, that there was another intruder in the tower. She could only think of one person, who would perform such a rescue. And Dawn was not happy about it.

"J..." The young trainer hissed. Without being aware of it, she glared at the silver haired woman standing atop of Salamence. The huntress returned the look with similar anger.

"Is that how you show gratefulness towards the person that just saved your pathetic life?!" J replied, her eye twitching.

"No one asked you to do that!" Dawn shouted, so that the huntress could hear her. It wasn't like the girl was actually mad about J's help. It just didn't fit the image, she tried to carve into memory of the huntress. Yet she came and had to rescue her. "What kind of great rescue plan was that?! If Dragon Claw didn't work, maybe Dragon Pulse could give me the rest?!"

That sentence reminded her...

Quickly, Dawn looked back to Arbok, which had still its fangs dug in Kirlia's neck.

Or so it seemed. Something was off with the poison type; its head shook slightly, as if it tried to escape a relentless grip. Slowly, its head moved backwards, away from Kirlia's unharmed skin. Dawn could shout out of happiness. Even in that state and without any visible sign, her partner used a psychic move to stop Arbok!

"Especially you shouldn't complain about it-" J tried to continue the discussion, but since Dawn lacked the interest and Ho-Oh kept attacking them, she and Salamence were forced to leave once again.

Their presence was quickly replaced, though, with a much more pleasant companion. Finally, Piplup reappeared behind Arbok's back, jumped over its head with a somersault - and used the poison type as a shield against Bisharp's Guillotine. Both Arbok and Bisharp were shocked at that outcome and while the steel type simply froze in the middle of its movement, the snake stiffened. It hissed once, then its body became limp and sagged towards the ground.

But even before Arbok hit the floor, Piplup jumped over the steel type and pushed it forward. To make sure, that toss covered enough distance, Piplup shot a Hydropump after its opponent. Bisharp ended up crashing into the still dazzled Druddigon.

"Pip! Piiip lup!" The penguin exclaimed proudly, as it landed beside Dawn with its flippers on its hips. Its trainer couldn't pay it too much attention, though, as she held Kirlia in her arms and tried to shake it awake. Reluctantly, the psychic type opened its eyes and looked hurtfully at its trainer.

Dawn suppressed a sigh. "Sorry, Kirlia. Bear with it for a while, alright?" She shifted her attention towards the water type. "Good job, Piplup. Now, I need you to take care of the fire."

Although she had already noticed, that the flames behind her didn't seem to spread for unknown reasons, the heat became troubling. Piplup ran of towards the flames and Dawn told Kirlia its next task. It should find out the reason for Ho-Oh's aggressive behavior and simply ignore the events around it. Despite the unmotivated look on its face, Kirlia closed its eyes and used its psychic powers.

Finally, Dawn was able to fully concentrate on the battle. Ninetales was mostly defending against Crygonal, as Wobbuffet kept interfering with its counter attacks. Fire attack's wouldn't have any effect on the fox, but those enormous amounts of power were to hard to control even for the skilled Ninetales. Another blaze on the roof would just cause unnecessary troubles.

So it was up to Aron and Braviary, fighting off Druddigon and Bisharp. With no type advantages, even more disadvantages, it would become a very interesting battle. The problem was, that Dawn didn't wish for such kind of troubles.

"Well then... Braviary, Hone Claws! Aron, Rock Polish!"

While Braviary's legs shortly emitted a black light, the steel of Aron's body became a lot brighter; every sign of a bruise was erased. The two opponents were still recovering at that time. They couldn't attack just yet. But as soon as Dawn gave the order for the assault to begin, they countered.

That's strange... Dawn wondered, as she watched her Pokemon battle. Why is he the only one left, who is fighting me? She averted her eyes for a second and tried to look at the little army of grunts, she had seen at the beginning of the assault. At that time, most had dealt with J's Pokemon. And although her view was mostly blocked because of the blaze, Dawn could still see some shouting orders at each other. They couldn't possibly still fight Drapion, could they? Or did they try to execute an evil plan?

The young trainer would have loved to let Kirlia scout the direction, but the psychic type was already occupied. She shot a last glance towards the huntress, who was back soaring through the sky, then resumed to her own battle.

Braviary had just tossed Druddigon on the ground with Sky Drop and Aron held Bisharp's claws in place, using its strong jaws. Dawn took the moment of dizziness to attack, hoping to defeat at least one Pokemon. "Braviary, Brave Bird and spin!"

Blue, sizzling energy enveloped its body and with the additional rotation it looked like a huge comet. Druddigon lifted itself up, yet the Dragon Claw on its hand looked almost like a joke, next to Braviary's power.

But they never made contact. Instead a huge, dark orange shield popped up in front of the eagle. It looked like Wobbuffet's Counter - but it shouldn't have been possible! It was still standing on the same spot, where it had been released. Yet Braviary was blasted away with such force, that it crashed on the roof and left long cracks in the wood. Worried, Aron looked out for its partner and was almost hit by a Brick Break.

Since when has Wobbuffet such a range? But this is my chance! Dawn thought. "Ninetales, Fire Blast, go!" Counter was still effective, making the psychic type vulnerable.

But despite Ninetales' overwhelming power, Crygonal was able to block the attack, until Wobbuffet could switch to Mirror Coat. The flames were reflected, leaving the fox no choice but to absorb all of them.

Dawn gritted her teeth. at that rate, she had no choice, but take down Wobbuffet first. She already had a plan, but no opening. Fortunately, a grunt was kind enough, to grant her wish.

Several shouts were audible over the sizzling of the fire, but she couldn't understand the words. The popping noise of a Pokeball, however, as well as Rhydon's loud voice, proved to be more distinct. Suddenly, the ground shook violently, in a result of an Earthquake move. The burnt and weakened wood gave in and the whole altar in the center collapsed into the tower. Tiles and wood, Pokemon and people were lifted in the air, only to crash down on the roof again. Not even the leader could remain in his position and lowered on his knees. Since it was his subordinate, who had caused that trouble, his attention's was shifted for a second to the brawl behind him.

Perfect, Dawn thought, although she was sprawled on her back. Quickly, she shot up and began the assault. "Ninetales, get Wobbuffet in the air with Irontail! Braviary and Aron, follow it!"

The steel type jumped on Braviary's back and together they soared over the roof. Neither Druddigon nor Bisharp could stop them, especially, since Electrode had escaped its prison and wrecked havoc.

At the same time Ninetales catapulted the surprised Wobbuffet highly into the air. The power it had gathered through the countered Fire Blast protected it against Crygonal's ice attacks.

What followed, was a gamble the Rocket member had to take. A gamble of life and death, actually. "Now, Flamethrower one more time!" Dawn kept a close stare to Pierce. His posture seemed to stiffen almost unnoticeable. He knew, where the flames would most likely hit, if his Wobbuffet used Mirror Coat. So he had to decide, whether letting the much tougher psychic type take the hit, or suffer severe injuries himself.

Yet a little smirk curved his lips upwards, as if he was sure, his next move had outwitted the girl. She couldn't hear his words over the sizzling of Ninetales' Flamethrower, but she could see the white sparkle around Wobbuffet - Mirror Coat.

She narrowed her eyes. That hadn't been the reaction she had hoped for. That didn't mean, she hadn't planned for such an event in advance. "Braviary, Aron!"

The duo closed in towards the blue Pokemon, ready to strike anytime. Obviously, Wobbuffet was highly skilled with its reflection moves; it deflected the flames and aimed for its two foes in front. Crygonal even added its Sheer Cold to the inferno, a truly devastating combination.

"Now, Protect!" Once again, the shield blocked the attacks. "And finish with Bite and Brave Bird!"

Aron jumped from its riding position and aimed for Wobbuffet's weak spot. Then it dug its strong jaws into the black tail and wouldn't let go. The blue body stiffened, only a choked breath was heard. Then the tension ceased, and Wobbuffet simply fell back down. Nevertheless, Braviary continued its attack and catapulted it with enormous speed towards the ground. Finally, the second psychic type was down. And there were hopefully not to many other opponents on their way.

Braviary and Aron had returned to their flying position, but both were panting heavily, especially the eagle, which had suffered most hits.

Pierce couldn't suppress a little smirk, at the sight in front of him. "I guess we are very close to the end."

Dawn couldn't help but agree. There was the tip of a blade carving her back, after all. Shortly before Wobbuffet hit the ground, Bisharp had sneaked behind the young trainer and it was its claw that was on the verge of piercing her body. Whenever she tried to turn or move in another direction, the pressure increased; even a single drop of blood escaped the puncture. Her Pokemon were visibly horrified, yet they were able stay away and watch.

The commander spoke up again. "I think, this is a good time to return your Pokemon. Do it and fast!" His composure showed his calmness, but also his idea of superiority. Too bad for him, Dawn thought differently.

"That's interesting. I can say the same about you; hurry up and retrieve your Pokemon."

A frown crept on his features. Although he wished for it, he didn't give the command to attack. "Is it just me or aren't you the one, who is about to be stabbed in the back?"

Certainly, he was right, yet Dawn could imitate his calm with ease. "And you're about to suffer hell-fire," Was her dry reply. The very idea made her cringe, but it was her probably last chance. As well as the truth.

Only then he seemed to notice, how close Ninetales was to him; its eyes were still glowing red and most of its white fur was covered by red flames. It wasn't just its appearance, though, that looked like a demon. The Fire Fang, which was dangerously close to the leader, burnt with unbearable heat. He gritted his teeth. "I didn't expect you to go that far."

Dawn raised a brow. Hadn't she already provoked a similar scenario with Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat? "Don't think, I'd do something like that voluntarily. No matter what I say about it; if you harm me, Ninetales will make you suffer the consequences."

All the while she had been carefully fiddling with something on her belt. Pichu's Pokeball. It was still blocked with the capsule, but she managed to turn the contest device around. Only a little more and she could cause a surprise that would buy her enough time to get free of Bisharp. It involved an action of herself, she would rather avoid, but there was no other choice.

At the same time, Kirlia send the image of Ho-Oh to her - a sign, that it was done with the research. Dawn nodded inwardly. Good. I'll just get out of this situation, then we can think about the answer... Easier said than done, of course.

The pressure of that staring contest laid heavily on her shoulders, but she did well to keep her calm. Only the nervous thought, whether her plan would succeed or not haunted her mind. There wouldn't be a second chance. She just hoped, Pichu would understand and act quick enough.

Suddenly, just as she was about to grab for the Pokeball, the blade in her back jerked upwards, scratching her skin in the process. She didn't know, why it had moved like that, it didn't matter for the moment. As soon as any contact was gone, the coordinator quickly turned around - and kicked Bisharp's arm away. Under compulsion, she followed with a push kick, forcing the dark type away. That distance wouldn't have lasted long, if Piplup hadn't charged towards Bisharp with glowing flippers.

Dawn sighed in relief. Finally, the horrible feeling of death lurking behind her back was gone. Only a few meter in front of her, Salamance hovered over the roof once again. J stood on its back, as well as Ariados. It was probably its String Shot that caused the unexpected movement of Bisharp. Maybe it was also the reason, why Arbok didn't bite Kirlia?

"This was the second time already," J stated calmly, although her crossed arms and the whole body posture suggested otherwise. "The second time, I had to save you."

"And it was unneccessary, again!" Dawn retorted. She almost felt bad for the nasty reply, but no matter what, she couldn't bring herself to simply thank J. The bluehaired girl simply couldn't be grateful. In a subconscious attempt to escape the huntress' glare, Dawn turned her head towards Kirlia. She gave the psychic type a nod, that it could start filling her with information telepathically.

In that direction had also been the altar. Thanks to Piplup, the flames on their side had been distinguished and revealed an unobscured view towards the huge hole in the center. Her heart sank, when she saw the bright, orange flare in the building. The Bell Tower was on fire, an image Kirlia sent her as well.

"Of course it was. I mean, what value could your life have?" J talked.

Majestical Ho-oh. Consuming wrath, Kirlia thought.

"If you have any reasonable logic in your mind, then get lost already!"

Urge to destroy the origin. Urge to banish the intruders.

"I will not accept it, if your carelessness causes me any consequences!"

A helicopter engulfed by thunder. Bells chiming for the first time.

"Okay, I'm confused..." Dawn mumbled and tried to sort out the words, emotions and pictures in her head. Why did J have to be so talkative that day?

What did she find out so far? That Ho-Oh liberally tried to destroy the tower, and still was. The reason was linked with the legend, that the arrival of a hero would cause the mighty Pokemon to return to the tower. Since that description didn't apply on anyone standing atop of the roof, the trigger of summoning Ho-Oh must lie within something else. There was the possibility, that the numerous bells didn't simply announce its arrival. They might actually be able to summon Ho-Oh - they never chimed at any other occasion.

Team Rocket must have found a way to force the bells to ring and Kirlia had even found the source; the helicopter floating directly beneath the storm.

"Are you even listening to me?!" J interrupted her chain of thoughts.

Dawn gritted her teeth. "I'm trying to concentrate! In contrary to you, I don't have the time to argue around like that! I'm trying to find out, why Ho-Oh is here and how I can save it!"

J huffed. "Its because of those damn bells. Its useless to try and destroy them, since those idiots protect all of them with shields. And reaching the helicopter is just as futile." The huntress pointed behind Dawn, so she turned around and was very surprised, to see a barrier of blue and grey Pokemon. She had to narrow her eyes, to make out the details in the distance.

"Aren't those... Crygonal and Magneton?" She asked hesitantly, then looked back at J again. "Shouldn't one Flamethrower be enough?"

J snorted at the very idea. "You think I wouldn't have thought of something that obvious? Are you really that stupid?" She shook her head. "The Magnetons are arranged like honeycombs and can use Protect, Lightscreen and worst of all Lock-On. The Crygonal attack with Sheer Cold all the time. Now try to break through a wall like this!" The huntress scowled and crossed her arms. "I don't know how they are able to combine their moves like that, but one-hit knockout attacks with one hundred percent accuracy? You should be very grateful, I am here. Any other person would have died a long time ago and with that you aswell."

Despite the rather dangerous situation they were in, with the building beneath her feet burning and all the hostile Pokemon around them, Dawn couldn't help but pose one question. "Is it possible than no one in your life ever thanked you and you developed a complex? What's with this 'you should be grateful, damn it!', huh?" While J appeared like she was about to explode, Dawn let out a sigh. "Let me think of something..." Her gaze was fixed on the huntress. "Couldn't you just fly over there and distract them, so that I attack them..?"

"I'm not a decoy!" J snapped and quickly left with Salamence. They headed towards Ho-Oh once again, which was still struggling with all the smaller flying types around it.

Dawn resumed to her own battle. The leader was now outnumbered, yet Druddigon, Bisharp and Crygonal seemed to be unfazed; they fought even more fiercely than before. Nevertheless, the young trainer couldn't relax. The floor was getting hotter and hotter by any minute and after a while, her feet were painfully aware of the flames. Thick clouds of smoke made their way through the hole. Dawn was still some meters away, but a sudden gust could envelop her in the toxic fumes. It was only a matter of time, before they had to flee from the tower and from then on, her partners were limited to Piplup, Aron and Braviary, since there wasn't much more space on the flying type.

Her mind was racing in search of a good idea. Braviary and Aron could use another Heavy Slam combination to break through both the barricade and the helicopter. For that task however, they needed a lot of additional weight. The eagle would be able to lift even the Rhydon rampaging on the other side of the hole, but there were still to many uncertainties. If Protect didn't deflect every attack aiming for them, her partners would be in great danger. Not to mention, what effect that assault would have on the other Pokemon and humans involved.

A powered Fire Blast of Ninetales would be able to drive the Pokemon apart as well, but who would distract the Crygonal for long enough? She couldn't just send Braviary up there, she still needed its help to end the battle on the roof.

"Any ideas?" She asked Kirlia and through it her other partners. J still clung to Ho-Oh and occasionally attacked the wall. That there wouldn't be any success at that rate was obvious. On the other hand she refused to play the decoy for just a minute. Couldn't the woman make up her mind?

On top of that the barricade was enormous. Dawn couldn't make out anything in the northern side, expect the mass of Crygonal and Magneton. Hundreds, maybe thousands were gathered. As much as Dawn despised those criminals, she was awestruck. That they abused so many Pokemon was unforgivable.

Whether those thoughts, she still shared with her partners via telepathy, were the trigger of the next move or not, she wasn't sure. But it was then, Ninetales acted on its own with unpredictable consequences. It withdrew from the battle against Crygonal, Bisharp and Druddigon and attacked the most explosive Pokemon of probably the whole Johto region; Electrode, which would occasionally jump into the battle and annoy mostly the dragon type. Before the electric type could notice its presence, Ninetales used a combination of Confuse Ray and Will-O-Wisp. Now burnt, unoriented and weakened, it finally resort to its last tactic. Both Dawn and the leader gasped at the sight of its rapidly blinking body, the indication of a devastating explosion that would certainly cost their lives.

With as much force as Ninetales could muster, it used all of its Irontails to bat it straight towards the barricade. It was probably only a coincidence, that J and Salamence were hovering in front of the position that very second. They dodged the deadly projectile, but the powerful shock wave of Electrode's Explosion still reached them. Dawn couldn't see any more, since she had to look away from the bright flash.

The hiss of fire echoed in her ears; rapidly, Ninetales gathered masses of flames in its body and unleashed the power in a single Fire Blast. Not even a second later, the inferno passed the hole, where the wall was torn apart and disappeared in the clouds. But only, after it set fire on a flying object that was quickly retreating.

Ho-Oh let out a long cry of relief. Its eyes wandered shortly over the situation below, before it decided to return to its previous location in the vastness of the skies.

Suddenly, Ninetales let out a painful growl; Druddigon had used the moment of surprise and attacked the fire type with its Dragontail, so that Ninetales was forced back inside its Pokenball. Of course Dawn wanted to call it out again, but then several blasts in the tower prevented that plan. Eerie cries made her wince. The ghost Pokemon, which had lived in the now burning tower, broke free and lunged at the intruders of their home. They battled merciless and did not differ between Pokemon and trainers.

A Gengar and two Gastly appeared behind Dawn's back and launched Shadow Balls directly at her head. Piplup was able to deflect those attacks with a Whirlpool attack, but it was also panting heavily. They wouldn't survive a long battle, that was clear.

"Braviary!" She tried to call out for the eagle, but was drowned by a loud Roar. Braviary and Aron, which were still next to the dragon type, were forced into their Pokeballs, as a result of Druddigon's nasty move. Even Kilia glowed red and returned into the device, although it hid behind Dawn.

As if something like this would work-! She thought, but was quickly convinced to believe the opposite. A strong spark went through her body and her muscles stiffened. For a second, any movement was prevented and even as the first shock wore off, her limbs didn't obey her wishes. The sensation reminded her of the several paralyses, she had endured during her journey. She could catch the glimpse of the tiny and slender figure of Tynamo, another electric type from Unova.

The leader had a seventh Pokemon hidden from her view and in those rare occasion she remembered, why the arrangement of six partners per team was a good idea.

"Pipluuup!" The penguin cried out and it was obvious, why. Bisharp had sneaked up from behind; that time, Guillotine worked and it knocked out the water type within seconds.

Dawn could barely breathe in that state, nevertheless she picked up her most trusted partner - and was trapped. Masses of ghost types floated around her, behind her back there was still the Rocket member and his team of ruthless Pokemon. Heavy steps shook the wooden ground and before Dawn could turn around with her paralyzed body, Druddigon hit her side with its blue glowing Dragontail. Although she was only hit by the tip, the young trainer cried out in pain and rolled over the roof. Her destination was, of course, nothing but the hole in the center.

Fortunately, there were no flames that had spread over the side yet, but it was still unbearable hot, as Dawn grabbed the edge with her hand. Since her body flipped over, she was hurled back towards the direction she came from and that force dug a broken piece of wood into her palm. She was still determined to hang on; a look at the merciless inferno beneath her drove any thoughts of pain out of her mind.

Dawn still clutched Piplup in her right arm. If she wasn't strong enough on her own, then she should at least safe her partner!

But every mental effort she made was nothing compared to the overwhelming strain her body had to endure. The pain of the heat clouded her mind, and before she could realize it herself, her vision became black and her grip loosened.
 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hats gefallen? :D Oder ist das Ende würdig, Cliffhanger genannt zu werden? Naja, ich denk mal, das Kapitel endet genauso, wie's anfängt... an einer nicht nachvollziehbaren Stelle! He.hehe. he. huh.

Abschließend noch nen guten Rutsch, write ya next year!

A Qestion of Morality

Okay, hat jetzt gedauert, ich weiß. Ist aber auch ein kleines, quantitatives Monster gworden! (für mich zumindest.) Habt Spaß!

A nice and comfortable warmth filled the young trainer, as she drifted in a state between sleeping and waking up. No thoughts were on her mind, no pain, nothing that would disturb that moment of peace. Instead, a dull numbness prevented her limbs from any movement, raising a thick haze in her felt as relaxed and light-hearted as she hadn't in ages.

Gladly, she would have stayed in that position for hours, far away from any problems life had in store for her. But rarely such moment lasted for more than a few minutes and soon Dawn found herself back in reality. At first, she only noticed a drumming in her right ear - faint, but unusually quickly. Too tired, to worry about the source of the noise, she let the steady rhythm lull her even deeper into her trance.

If it hadn't been for the bothersome poking in her ribs, maybe she would have found her way back into sleep. Persisting as it was, it wouldn't stop, even as she showed her discomfort with a low groan. In fact, that noise just reinforced the nudges; the intervals became shorter, the pressure stronger until they began to hurt.

Despite her usual mental efforts, Dawn couldn't shake of the annoying sensation. How much she disliked those frequent morning rituals! A minute passed by, then another and before the wrinkles on her forehead became permanent, she finally snapped. "Piplup!" She chided her partner usually responsible for the annoyance and tried to swat away its flippers - a rather complicated task, since her arm was stuck between her body and the soft surface beneath her. Her fingers grazed Piplup's smooth skin and as anticipated, the nudges stopped at least for the moment. As Usual.

It happened afterwards, the unfamiliarity that plunged her back into a state of electrifying tension. Instead of the soft surface of a mattress, she felt shards of shale scratching her palm. She froze in her movement. What would a material like that do in her bed? She brushed her hand once more over the pile and again, there was the light noise of probably tiles moving over each other.

"What the..?" Dawn mumbled, her body already tensed and on alert. She wanted to look at the material beneath her hand, yet she couldn't. A vast, complete darkness was all, her eyes were able to make out. Not even the slightest trace of a light was visible. And then Dawn remembered. That she wasn't in her room - that she never went there the first place. Not after the promotion Team Rocket caused on top of the Bell Tower. Not after the intense fight, after the pain, the burning inferno beneath her.

The young trainer grew hot and cold, her insides clenched into a tight lump. What was the soft, flexible surface she was lying on? The answer was both obvious and shocking; a human body. And regarding the disasters that occurred on the roof, her agitated mind jumped to only one logical conclusion: Dead. Dead!

Immediately, Dawn was awake and shot up from her position. But there was no escape. A pair of cold arms was wrapped firmly around her waist, preventing any movement. They wouldn't budge, no matter how much the girl struggled.

She shivered violently, as a wave of nausea rose in her throat. Barely, she was able to keep herself propped up, as far away from the body beneath her as possible. Although she just saw darkness anyway, Dawn squeezed her eyes shut. To make things worse, she finally began to smell all kinds of unpleasant scents. Sweat stung her nose, but not as badly as the suffocative ashes she inhaled abruptly after a deep breath.

Now it was the coughing that shook her body, until her arms gave in under her own, suddenly unbearable weight. She landed face first between two bulges and that time she stayed there, despite the nasty smell of burnt substances the body emitted.

It took Dawn some time, to calm down her agitated mind, but after a while she realized that the cozy warmth she had enjoyed so much came from the body. Quite unusual for a cold corpse. And then there was the drumming noise; unmistakably the heartbeat of a living creature. A bit too fast, though.

After her breathing had slowed down to its normal pace, Dawn even recognized the person, she lay on. A realization that brought no joy at all. She didn't even need her good understanding of human anatomy that came with her countless sketches and designs of cloths, to know, where her face was positioned. And since there was only one female among all those Team Rocket members, Dawn could pin point the identity to exactly one individual.

A light groan escaped her lips, making her realize, how dry her mouth was.

"Piplu pi piplup!" The water type exclaimed on her right side; urgency was evident in its voice. It didn't pull her arm, but that would soon follow, if she didn't rise within the next few seconds.

That time much slower and in complete control over herself, Dawn squeezed herself out of Hunter J's grip. The second she left the warm embrace, she wished to return. Her efforts to escape caused some nasty side effects; As soon as she overcame the resistance, she fell backwards, right into a pile of hard, stinging rubble. The sudden pain, especially in her left hip, drove tears into her eyes and she jumped up again.

And then there was the unexpected cold, sending goose bumps up her exposed arms and legs. Together with the darkness, those surroundings created the most fitting place for hugs with the enemy.

Before she could react, an overjoyed Pipiup collided with her stomach and pressed the air out of her lungs for a moment. Intuitively; Dawn caught her water type and held it close, although the impact had caused her more pain, than expected. Her hip ached, a reminder of Druddigon's dragontail. Yet not as bad as it should have been. It felt like a miracle that her bones were still intact after such an attack. Also her hand, first cut than burnt, throbbed constantly, yet bearable. Most of her body felt sore with all the bruises from falling, hits, Arbok's attempt to struggle her - not as devastating, however, as it should have been the case. Whatever the reason was for such quick regeneration, Dawn felt extremely grateful.

She tried to look at Piplup in her arms, yet saw nothing but darkness. A frown crept on her face, as she searched her pockets. Before her ascend of the Bell Tower, Dawn had packed a bag, full of helpful items; various potions, status heal devices and a torch. And the flashlight was still there, tucked behind her belt. Her little bad, though, wasn't. She had no idea, when she had lost it - probably during her unconsciousness - but that didn't matter. The loss drove her mad anyways.

The torch itself didn't react immediately. Nervousness already began to build up inside her, but after her probably tenth attempt, the device flickered and a relieving beam of light cut through the darkness.

A huge weight fell of her shoulders. Dawn didn't mind darkness, even the complete version found in deep caves. She had been a trainer for long enough, to get used to it. The thought, however, of staying without any sight for an unknown amount of time, was terrifying.

Before anything else, Dawn focused her attention on Piplup. The watertype beamed at her, happy to finally see her. And expect of some minor scratches, it seemed just as healthy, as the expression on its face. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. At least for now, her partner didn't need any medicine.

Next was just a brief look at her own body. The skin around her hip was colored in all shades of blue, purple and red; she had a nice look at the wound, since her shirt had been ripped due to Druddigon's Rough Skin. Dawn was glad, she had chosen an old top for the battle. The bandages of her hand were entirely gone. Black scabcovered her palm, especially in the middle, where the wound was located. But despite their looks, her injuries were bearable. In fact, there was so little pain that it made Dawn feel uneasy.

Carefully, she helped Piplup climb her shoulder. Then her hand stroked over the smooth surfaces of her pokeballs. They vibrated faintly and radiated some warmth; a good sign. It meant, none of her partners was greatly injured or suffered from any other status effect. Dawn wanted to check for sure, though and took out Ninetales pokeball first. The capsule reflected the light of the torch, apart from some smudged spots. If it wasn't for sparks jolting around the device, she would have remained perfectly calm.

"Oh no..." Dawn breathed and was very reluctant to push the white button in the middle. Nothing happened. No popping sound, no flash of light. No Ninetales. The pokeball was broken, as well as the other ones hanging from her belt. At least none of them showed signs of great sufferings, but the frustration was still there, spoiling her mood.

She shook her head, in an attempt to refocus her attention. Although she felt like abandoning her pokemon, there was nothing she could change at the moment. It was better, advancing towards an exit. Dawn had already noticed that the floor was covered with something - and now she knew, she guessed right. A sea of tiles and pieces of wood covered the ground. Most of them were broken and black from the ashes, which still floated through the air. Breathing was close to impossible; it resulted in coughs that shook her whole body.

The place itself looked like a cave. Since there hadn't been any similar place in the Bell Tower, she guessed that they had landed in a hidden basement. The ceiling was blocked with probably tons of wood; there were pillars, walls and remains of the floor about five meters away. Burnt and black. Dawn gulped. How fortunate that the mass didn't bury them underneath.

Shadows danced sinisterly over the walls, as the young trainer moved the beam of light across the cave. She suppressed a shudder and directed her attention towards a most saddening sight. The altar on top of the Bell Tower, an awe-inspiring monument created with pure gold, sagged towards the wall at Dawn's left. Although she had only little time to admire the structure during the battle, she could remember the reflections of the flames. No more of that beauty was left. The materials looked dull in the cold atmosphere, even the metal lost its brilliance. Most of the bells had fallen of their attachments and were scattered around the altar. A sea of shards surrounded the whole area, ready to pierce anything falling on top of them.

The sight awoke the heavy feeling of loss and regret washed over Dawn. She felt responsible for that mess. She could have prevented it, she should have fought harder for it. It had been her task to protect the place as well as Ho-Oh. That moment, she couldn't even guarantee the wellbeing of the legendary.

Ignoring the ashes that flooded her lungs, Dawn took in a deep breath. The horrible feeling of failure had to wait, she decided. There was another, more urgent business, she had to attend to. Though she would have been glad, to stall that a little longer.

Pokemon Hunter J. Dawn let the light rest on the woman for a moment, before she carefully approached her. While the young girl already felt battered, dirty and simply miserable, J managed to surpass her by far. Her legs, arms and part of her upper body were covered by a thick layer of ashes. Especially her face, where those burned substances and sweat created a smeary mixture. Nonetheless, Dawn still had a good view at the tension cramping her muscles, which shook slightly. J's arms were still crossed as they probably were, when she held the girl in her grip.

Another unwelcome emotion found its way into Dawn's mind. Bitter guilt. Considering the position she woke up in, she could imagine, what had happened. And while she was grateful to remain in the land of living, she couldn't suppress the anger dwelling within her. Why, just why did she end up in a situation, where J had to save her again? After all, that was not the way people usually try to convince others of their independence!

Deeply annoyed by herself, Dawn shook her head and blinked the tears of frustration out of her eyes. When she was next to J's head, she knelt beside the woman, careful not to touch her. Her hip ached slightly at the movement and it was unavoidable that some tiles scratched her legs in the process.

J appeared to be in pain. Or suffering a nightmare, Dawn wasn't sure. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her eyes squeezed shut. A drop of sweat slid down her temple and dragged even more ashes with it. Out of intuition, Dawn reached out and gently wiped it away. The skin was burning in an alarmingly high fever. In addition to that, J's breathing was shallow and seemed to make a lot of effort. Dawn didn't have any kind of high degree at medication, except of a first aid certificate. Yet it wasn't hard to guess, that the silver haired huntress was in a bad condition. Probably life threatening.

The horrifying thought crept into her mind, that J shouldn't even be alive anymore. That they both should have died the moment they met the ground. It was impossible to comprehend, why they had survived it. After all, there were no trace of Salamence. Or any other pokemon in the cave. Piplup had been just as powerless as Dawn was, after the critical hit of Guillotine.

As her hand touched the ground, she felt a sticky liquid at the tips of her fingers. Half dried, coppery colored blood had gathered around J's head. Due to the light and the weak contrast to the ground, Dawn had failed to notice it at first. But there it was and regarding the amount, the source had to be a massive laceration.

And Dawn had no bandages, to attend to it. She couldn't even throw a look at the wound; any attempt to move J's head caused a blinding stab in the skull that made one's insides clench. The huntress moaned in a low voice, her eyelids twitching. Good news for Dawn, since that meant, J was just asleep and probably not in a critical state. She wouldn't have to abandon her on her way out, if she was able to wake her up.

Tenderly at first, Dawn shook her left shoulder. More low moans, but otherwise no reaction yet. Another try, that time stronger. Only when Dawn reinforced her grip with another hand, there was a reaction. The world was turned around strikingly fast.

Sharp tiles on the floor dug in her back. Breathing became impossible - strong hands were wrapped around her throat. A pair of eyes pierced her soul. J had woken up. With enough wrath to rip Dawn apart. There was no escape, she couldn't even resist the sudden assault. It happened too fast, she didn't comprehend, that the lack of air would kill her. But she felt it; terrifying fear. Not because of suffocating death's grasp. It was the malicious look in J's hard eyes. The blood thirst, the vengeance.

As quickly as the attack had begun, it ended. Lacking the strength after her awakening, the huntress simply collapsed on top of Dawn. The grip weakened, than vanished completely, until only J's considerable weight lasted on her.

Ashy air rushed into Dawn's lungs, throwing her into a fit of coughing. Her body itched to jerk, yet she tensed her muscles, too afraid to make unnecessary movement. Endless seconds passed, before finally, J pushed herself up. Her head was hovering right above Dawn's face, her eyes wandering around quite unfocused. It was obvious that the huntress was still dazed. "Dawn?" She asked with a hoarse voice.

Dawn had still problems with her breathing, mainly because she didn't let herself take in the highly needed air. The beam of the flashlight had wandered on, but J still saw the slight nod, the young trainer gave her. "Yeah..." Dawn finally coughed and received a sigh as a reply. A sigh that sounded strangely relieved.

"Pip LUP!" The water type shouted fiercely. A bright white glow was the only indication of the following attack. J had barely time to push herself away, as a strong gust brushed past Dawn. The weight of J's body left her and now Dawn couldn't hold back the coughs. Yet the assault wasn't over. Piplup had missed once - it wasn't its style to stop without another try.

It was a matter of seconds, before it would launch the Brick Break attack, but Dawn managed to pull herself up and lunge between J and her partner. This time, the tiles scratched her already injured hand, and while she had to wince, she remained in her kneeling position.

Piplup put up a ruckus, pointing behind Dawn with a still glowing wing. As its trainer showed no sign of budging, it tried to sprint past her. She had to use both hands, to stop the penguin. It wasn't like she couldn't understand its feelings; it was furious at the harm done to its friend. Probably also, because it had waited too long, to show the huntress its feelings. On the other hand, it had been that J, who had most likely saved both of them. Who was suffering from a head injury.

Dawn couldn't help but focus on those actions, instead of her past as a ruthless criminal. "Piplup, calm down, CALM down please!" The trainer shouted and held Piplup arms length away, so that it had a clear view of her eyes. She tried to show it a pleading look. If it could just wait for a couple of hours, better even days! As long as it took Dawn, to come back to her senses.

To her relieve, Piplup soon ended its Brick Break attack, took a step back and crossed its flippers. It would cooperate with Dawn's wish, as long as J stayed nice. Dawn knew, she was tiptoeing on a slippery bubble, but that was enough for now. Taking another deep breath of ashes, she turned around and tried to look at J. A hard task without light, so she quickly grabbed the torch that lie between splintered pieces of wood.

Hastily, she directed the light towards J. "How are -" Her words were silenced by an irritated groan as the huntress held up her arm to shield herself from the brightness.

"Stop that!" J growled angered. Feeling an uncharacteristically strong sense of guilt, Dawn lowered the torch. Before she could apologize, though, J already barked an answer. "I'm fine!"

"And that's complete and utter denial," Dawn deadpanned, not in the mood for another argument, at least not if the matter was so obvious. She didn't even had to look at the wound. J had her right hand pressed firmly against the back of her head. Yet, the coppery blood, which had soaked her flattened hair, was well visible. Not to mention the expression on her face: pained, but at the same time strained to hide her agony. Clearly the sight of a woman, who didn't know when to give up. It annoyed Dawn deeply.

"Shut up," J breathed weakly and took a look around. Her frown deepened. "The Tin Tower has a basement?"

"That's my question," Dawn replied, noticing the older name J gave the tower. "What happened? Did Ho-Oh escape?"

J focused her attention on Dawn, took in her sight for a moment - then snorted. A movement that caused her fresh dizziness and nausea. Dawn couldn't say, she pitied her too much. "No idea about Ho-Oh. But I had to save you. For the third time. Guess the gym leader made a good investment."

Despite the guilt and the heavy thought, that she owed J her life, Dawn felt burning anger rise. She did her best to drown that unwelcome emotion with another lungful of ashes.

"What the hell were you doing?" J asked her another question. Dawn could only blink at her, not understanding a word. "What the hell were you doing, touching me?"

The girl was getting more and more confused. What the hell was the delirious woman talking about? She watched her rising her arm and rub the spot on her chest, where Dawn had shook her in an attempt to wake her up. To her bewilderment, an idea formed in her mind, what J meant. "I didn't touch you! How did you even get this ridiculous idea?!"

Instead of words, J used her piercing glare to intimidate Dawn. It didn't turn out the way it ought too, though, since she was still too shaken. Dawn decided to change the topic. "Can you stand up? Or even better, can you get Salamence and fly us out?" The girl didn't think of the threat, J would pose with her pokemon. Why should she attack someone, she risked her life for?

J shot her another glare, than fiddled in her pockets. Her luck with pokeballs wasn't any better, though. In fact, Dawn's were only disabled, but otherwise intact. J on the other hand, held a most broken pokeball against the light. Cracks were covering both halves like spider webs and had little sparks flying between the gaps.

"Damnit," the huntress exclaimed with a sour look. Then, as if it was all Dawn's fault, she spat, "I hope that answers your question."

"No one told you to dive after me," Dawn couldn't stop herself from muttering that under her breath.

"At least you don't do it. Perfect, protecting a suicidal girl that tries to bite back. Now, these are job prospects to enjoy," J sighed resigningly and suddenly, Dawn wasn't too sure, whether she was still referring to Morty or not. But one fact was sure, something had to be done. Sitting around, arguing only resulted in torturing strife.

"I'm not suicidal!" Dawn told the huntress and pushed herself up into a standing position. Her hip gave little signals of discomfort, otherwise remained silent. "In fact, I will find us a way out and get you to a doctor." She thought about the attitude of the local Nurse Joy and couldn't help, but smirk. "She'll love listening to your complaints."

Since the light was directed towards the nearest wall and no longer on the huntress, Dawn only heard the murmured "What ever...". Determined and cautious, she made her first steps through the mess. It was horrible, almost worse than climbing a sand dune. The tiles were sliding over each other, causing abominable screeching. At first, Dawn had to halt after every step, as her insides clenched at the noise. It took her a lot of will power to maintain a steady pace. And then was the problem of finding proper foothold. The ground was so indulgent, she had to fight for balance.

When Dawn eventually reached the wall, she leant towards it, grateful for the support. It was only a matter of minutes afterwards, finding an exit. And there seemed to be one; a narrow hole, which led further into unknown darkness. Not the most tempting way to possible freedom, but an option. The only option they had, Dawn found out after a quick check.

The girl was already on her way back, when J called out to her. "Aren't you forgetting a corner?" She asked and emphasized her words by pointing behind her. Dawn knew exactly what she meant, yet couldn't bring herself to go there. The sorrow was too much to bear. Even the thought of mentioning it paralyzed her voice. So she shook her head in a manner that usually told people, it was pointless. Usually, at least.

"That's insufficient work; I wouldn't keep you on my pay roll, if I wasn't forced to," J stated out darkly. Piplup shot her a glare from the side. It had stayed at her side, to watch every move, the huntress made. Dawn however, tried to show as little reaction with her expression, as possible. In spite of the fact that nothing in the world seemed worse than being paid by a pokemon hunter - although the wages probably wouldn't be too bad - Dawn couldn't deny the truth of her statement. Though her choice of words had an odd ring to it. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

"I really don't think there is something over there; if I'm wrong, then we wouldn't have any access to it anyways. I'm sure its buried deeply," Dawn tried to explain herself, without going into detail.

"And you know that, because? Intuition, perhaps? Or you're just hoping for the first choice to be right?" The mockery stressed Dawn's nerves greatly, yet a look at J's bloody hand reminded her to keep patient.

She directed the torch towards the back. Once again, the bells of the altar reflected the light dimly, as if they resigned to their tarnished fate. She felt her heart sink, though she wouldn't back down. "If you really want to search over there... behind the shards and tons of broken gold, we were supposed to protect." The bitterness of her voice formed a thick lump in her throat; she was almost afraid that she would never be able to swallow it. Feelings, J didn't share. She fixed a surprisingly sharp glare at the girl. A glare that meant business.

"Our mission was about Ho-Oh, not about the tower or anything else," J hissed. It couldn't have been more obvious. Dawn pressed out a short laugh and shook her head in disapproval. How narrow was J's sight? Or rather, how far could she narrow it, in order to conceal her failure? And actually believe it?

"And what part of your mission to capture Gardevoir involved Pikachu? Or Meowth? And how come something as important as this-" Dawn helplessly pointed at the scenery in front of them, "is no longer part of our - your mission?"

The emotional echo of her words hung heavily in the silence that followed. If she hadn't already been filled with all sort of sensations, Dawn would have been surprised at the lack of response. Having no better place to stare at, she focused on J's hand.

Enough of the lecture, she figured. It was wasted anyways. "I won't mind, if you keep believing, you did a good job. But I'm not satisfied with it. So please, don't ask of me, to just swallow it. Because I can't."

Another silence followed, in which both pondered about their own thoughts. Dawn couldn't believe the irony, she faced. There she stood before Pokemon Hunter J, her worst enemy, who she owed gratitude for her life - and lectured her. Her head was spinning, as she tried to make up her mind, how she should act. Was it even possible, to combine hostility and kindness successfully? Dawn quickly grew tired of that confusion.

She watched J clenching her hand into a fist several times. The huntress must have come to a decision, as she relaxed her muscles with a heavy sigh. "You're worse than police officers," J muttered and at that point Dawn was unable to hold back a dry chuckle.

"I know, I know, that's not the way I show gratefulness towards the person, who saved my life." Yet she didn't thank her. Those words had been so much easier at the Ilex Forest, when their cooperation had been a once in a lifetime experience, Dawn couldn't avoid. Against all reason, Dawn wished, J hadn't saved her. That she wasn't stuck in such a situation.

She offered J her hand and smiled weakly. An attempt to break the ice.

"Don't bother," J hissed between her clenched teeth and pushed herself upwards. Her body shivered, struggling with the hard task of standing up. When she was finally balancing on between the debris, she directed her eyes towards the spot, where Dawn had found the possible exit. "If this will turn out as the wrong choice, don't expect any mercy from me."

Dawn wanted to roll her eyes at J's overly independent and 'merciless' attitude. But then the huntress added something surprisingly calming. "I don't know how about you, but ending up brain dead in some dark cave does not sound tempting."

It had never been easier, relating to J's words.

Their journey over tiles was tiring and took a lot of time. As expected, J did not reject her pride, thus struggling on her own with every step. But eventually, against all odds, they made it to the wall and Dawn was quick to squeeze herself through the hole. While it was possible to stay upright, Dawn had to bend her spine backwards. Various edges bumped her head, making her feel anxious about J. She didn't want her to be stuck.

When she reached the other side, she didn't call for J immediately. It seemed more reasonable, to check out the way ahead first. The beam of light wasn't enough to reach a wall in the back, which could have been a good sign, that the path was leading somewhere further. Further into a dead end, Dawn figured, but brushed the pessimism aside. It was too early, to dismiss her hope.

Even, when she felt a faint gust pushing against her skin, carrying an ominious hostility. Almost, as if the darkness tried to scare her away.

Rustling noises behind her, drew Dawn's attention back to the hole. She had barely time to spin around, when a blue object jumped into her face. Piplup chirped aggravated as it took its usual seat on its trainer's head. Without waiting for a response from Dawn, J had begun squeezing herself through the hole and as expected, faced some difficulties. Hissing and grumbling, the huntress struggled her way through the rock.

For a moment, Dawn felt concerned and reached out with her arm in an attempt to help. But there was no need to. J escaped the strait with a last bit of strength, then allowed herself, to lean against the stone wall. Her breathing sounded troubled and she clutched her head again. Dawn winced at the agony and dizziness.

Yet before Dawn had the time, to suggest a break, J pushed herself of the wall, exclaimed, "Let's get moving," and strode down the path. Seconds passed, when Dawn was too baffled, to follow the huntress.

"J, stop!" The young trainer cried as she caught up to J. "You need a-" Abruptly, she fell silent. Her voice was simply drowned out by nail curling screeches. A gust swept around her body, ruffling through her blue hair with icy claws.

Suddenly, the walls erupted. Masses of ghost pokemon flooded the hallway, all of them with grim expressions on their faces, all of them ready to attack. Ghastly stuck out their tongues and launched countless shadow balls, while the Haunters attacked with dark pulses. There were no warning shots.

Piplup reacted immediately and jumped from Dawn's head. In midair, its body began to glow as it created a huge whirlpool, which deflected most attacks. Yet there were still more than enough dark projectiles breaching the masses of water. Dawn and J were forced to lunge themselves in different directions, taking cover in the shadows of the cave wall. The flashlight flickered dangerously, when it crashed against the stone and the coordinator strengthened her grip around it. Losing their only source of light was not an option.

The ghost types readied themselves for another wave of attacks, but Piplup was faster. It had another move ready, before the whirlpool ceased. An Ice Beam froze the water quickly, turning the water attack into a huge disk that Piplup hurled towards its foes. A distraction, which gave Dawn plenty of time to join the battle.

"Drill Peck and spin!" She yelled and watched her plan succeed. Following the ice, Piplup spun rapidly around itself, with so much speed that would make Whitney's Miltank envious. Their foes had no chance to escape, as the suction of the rotation sucked them towards the penguin. After all, Ghastly and Haunter only consisted of gas. Another ice beam froze many of the opposing pokemon and should dazzle the others for a few seconds.

"Good job!" Dawn complimented her partner, after she ran back to the middle of the path. Piplup struck a proud pose and chirped in delight.

For the penguin, it was too late, to dodge the powerful shadow ball that materialized in the darkness. It got blasted highly into the air; yet that didn't seem to effect the orb at all as it zoomed right towards Dawn. She was more than ready to avoide the hit, but something else already collided with her, the moment she blinked.

J, who had obviously found a liking in saving the day, literally swept Dawn of her feet. She tackled her with enough strength, to send both of them flying towards the wall. They crashed against the cold stone; all Dawn could see were colorful stars blinking behind her eyelids. The throbbing of her head would take long time, to cease. Dizzy, she turned to look at their offender. There were two of them. Mighty Gengars, floating inches over the ground. Their purple bodies melded with the darkness, only their ominous grins and red eyes stood out. They radiated an aura of disturbed creatures, protecting their home against invaders. Dawn remembered those emotions well; they clearly belonged to the horde of ghost types that had attacked the Bell Tower after Ho-Oh's escape.

Years ago, she would have tried to calm them down, convince them of her good intentions. But her journeys taught her otherwise, that the fastest and safest method, was to fight her way through.

Piplup was already back on its feet. The Gengars didn't show any signs of being intimidated. Dawn would convince them from the opposite, but first, she had to struggle to get up. Just what had J tried to do? That clearly hadn't been a rescue; at least that time, Dawn had everything under control!

Like usually, when they faced off against an unknown, but obviously strong foe, Piplup launched a hydropumo head on. The Gengar easily jumped away and melded with the darkness. Piplup had no clue, where the shadow ball came from, until the orb was only inches away from its side. It had barely time to roll away, when a dark pulse already aimed for its head. And although it could deflect the purple rings of that move with its brick break, there was no way to avoid the next attack.

A sneaky shadow punch from the ground hit Piplup right beneath its chin and knocked it a few steps back. Such a blow did little to its proud posture, though, and so it was ready for a counterattack. But where should they aim for? Dawn was just as desperate to find out that answer as Piplup was.

The Gengar left no clue behind; neither did they perform a transparent battle strategy, nor would their ever emerge from their hiding places, once they had disappeared at the beginning. The darkness was their second skin, where they fluently changed position, invisible for the naked eye. There was no chance to breach their advantage, not with the weak, yellow circle of light, Dawn's torch emitted. She'd tried though, but ended with more confusion than success.

Feverishly, her eyes would follow the moves, trying to find a source, a hint, anything that was helpful for her counter strategy. The crowd of ghost pokemon, which had gathered around the battle, did not pass her overview; they were eager to see their enemy defeated. Piplup sidestepped and rolled away, it hopped no more than a few inches into the air, cautions not to lose precious contact with the ground. It did everything it could, to stay upright, no matter how many shadow balls hit it. Yet there was no opening for an attack by itself.

Those Gengar were the most sufficient team, Dawn and Piplup had encountered for quite a while. Their silent understanding was outstanding, certainly only possible for creatures with supernatural powers. And they would not hesitate from any extreme; a battle that would decide over life and death. Dawn felt, how the anxiety fueled her heart with a rush of hot blood. Her palms became sweaty, so that the firm grip of her torch was impending to loosen. She was aware of every goose bump covering her skin, but it was no longer the cold to blame. And then there was another sensation slowly growing inside her, familiar, yet almost forgotten.

Finally, there was a hint. A nasty chain of attacks forced Piplup to jump high, higher than it would have allowed itself with those invisible surroundings. Apparently, that was just what Gengar had waited for. It reemerged from darkness, like the dew drop of a leaf, only to take advantage from Piplup's position. In midair, it had little escape routes and so it couldn't resist the tongue, which wrapped its body tightly.

"Piplup!" Dawn yelled, but was almost drowned by the whooshing noise of a shadow punch, "Ice beam!" Her partner understood her intentions; it probably wouldn't have acted otherwise. Beak glowing blue, it shot its move towards the ground. The spikes of a little iceberg reached upwards, covering Piplup and the tongue from the impact. The Gengar that had trapped the penguin, let out a yelp. The sudden change of temperature didn't suit it well, as it pulled back its frozen tongue and returned to the shadows. Even without Dawn's construction, Piplup already sent a hydropump after its predator. But it missed.

"Damnit," J hissed suddenly from behind. For a while, Dawn had believed her unconscious. She would turn her head for just a moment, to look at the huntress. J seemed dazzled, but didn't show signs of new injuries. The probably only threating aspect were the Haunter that blocked the way back and glared madly at the intruders. "I didn't safe you for such failure!"

Oddly, Dawn wasn't taken aback by those words. The battle held her attention in captivity and there was little left for J's pessimism. Her mind was focused on deciphering Gengars' strategy, as well as planning herself.

Piplup found itself amidst a storm of attacks and dodged with neck breaking maneuvers. It slid right beneath a dark pulse, but the black corners greased its skin. A scratch it didn't pay any attention to, as it had to somersault over a sludge bomb. It didn't even land properly, before a shadow punch hit it in the back and shoved it face first in the ground. The procedure began anew, afterwards.

During that sequence, Dawn observed that those moves lacked in any sufficient strength. Piplup took only little damage, even at direct hits. Missed attacks didn't leave any trace in the stone, Dawn even doubted they disturbed the dust. So what purpose did they have? An idea formed in her mind and she decided, to test it.

"Piplup, jump!" She yelled. Without hesitating, the penguin followed her order. Her eyes were fixed at Piplup, the darkness around it - and there it came! Multiple dark pulses soared around the water type, without touching it. Piplup was confused; it didn't know, which beam to attack and tried to get a look at all of them. That was when the trap snapped shut. The rings, the move consisted of, seemed to develop their own will. They separated themselves from the mass and in a swift moment, they looped over its head, catching the water type. It struggled against the circular cage, but there was no escape. Already, there was the other Gengar. It emerged from the darkness and summoned its power between its claws. It wanted Piplup to watch the shadow ball that would end the battle in an instant, wanted it to watch it grow, while it was rendered immobile.

"Go!" Dawn shouted and thrust one of her pokeballs right into the mess. Obviously, Gengar had already seen that device; it jumped away and shot its attack at the capsule, rather than at Piplup. But it missed - after all, it had expected another pokemon to come out. "Drill peck!"

Piplup spun around and squeezed itself out of the cage. It was still airborne and in a clear disadvantage, but not for long. If they wanted Piplup in the air, Dawn had just the way to handle that situation. "Bubble beam, let's go!"

The water type chirped approvingly as it formed its own stage of bubbles, big and small, floating through the corridor. Even though one of the Gengar shot an attack after it, Piplup just used the support of a bubble, to jump away. Again, the battle transformed into a session of dodges, yet there was a clear difference. Dawn had a plan in mind, and all those attacks were there, to help her achieving it.

Frustration was evident; the Gengar missed the penguin more often, than they hit it and they howled terribly. The other ghosts grew anxious as well. Dawn felt them moving around, causing little gusts that send chills over her skin. Her plan was risky. If the timing wasn't right, she would cause their own demise. But something inside her, a thrilling delight, didn't allow any doubts.

"I never asked you, to save me, J," Dawn exclaimed and couldn't help, but grin. She regripped the handle of her flashlight. "And I certainly can't see, where I was supposed to fail."

Piplup was back on the ground, its head high and flippers on its hips. It chirped provokingly at the ghosts that were unable to hit it and apparently, they were well fed up of that overly confident behavior. The Gengar shot their shadow balls at the penguin at the same time and didn't hold back on their power. The spheres zoomed through the air, forcing bubbles apart on their way.

Dawn tensed the muscles of her arm. Then, she snapped it forward, hurling her torch towards the battle. The sudden beam of light blinded the Gengars, who were forced to avert their eyes from the brightness. They couldn't see Piplup's glowing body, reading itself for an attack.

"Let's end it with a flash! Whirlpool!" Dawn shouted with excitement, with enjoyment, with a twinge of anxiety. The mixture of thrill, she had used to experience when battles were there was something simple, yet most important on the line. Not about another pokemon, not even about a contest ribbon, but about her and her partners life. And against a force that wasn't necessarily evil, just hostile.

The twirl of water grew rapidly, swallowing all the bubbles that floated in the air. Bubbles, that contained the ghost type moves, that had missed. Gengar couldn't escape in time, as the whirlpool already sucked them inside its current. Not even the ghosts in the air were able to escape the undertow of rotation. The dark mess grew, until it touched the ceiling - then Piplup let go of the power and in a blinding burst, it erupted. The walls shook under the explosion and ghosts and water were hurled to the sides. For a moment, Dawn feared to have gone to far, but the cave seemed to withstand the force.

And while the ghosts were still dazzled, they ran for it. Only the surprised and retributively screeches haunted them for a couple of minutes and soon even those sounds ceased, leaving the echo of their steps. Adrenaline from the battle was still present in her blood, but Dawn could already feel it slip away. Her inner circulation returned to normal, until her body remembered her exhaustion. Uneasiness returned; her ears became deaf with silence, as if the pressure of the atmosphere changed along their run.

She knew, J suffered greatly. Each step caused another stab in her head, although her posture wouldn't reveal anything. Dawn couldn't decide, whether that endurance was admirable or frightening, but it just couldn't go on.

"J, let's take a break-" Immediately, Dawn was interrupted by a huff.

"You really are suicidal," J growled between her teeth. Though Dawn could tell, that J didn't just speak that way out of anger. "Why won't we turn back, while we are already onto it? When I said I didn't want to end up brain dead that included death by mad ghosts!"

"I'll take care of them, but you-"

"I told you, I'm fine!"

"You're suffering! Damnit, you can barely walk!"

"How are you supposed to tell, if I don't show any sign of pain?!"

"Because of logic?"

"Logic would make you run even faster!"

Dawn had enough of those pointless arguments. So she snapped and revealed a secret, she otherwise would have hidden in the furthest corner of her mind. "Then how about telling you, that I suffer under your pain just as strongly as you do?"

While those words didn't cause an abrupt halt, they seemed to bring J back to her senses. She was baffled, to say the least. She probably didn't even notice, how her steps gradually became slower, but didn't come to a halt yet. J shot her an astonished and questioning look, which made it impossible for Dawn to keep silent. Though reluctant, she went on, with a voice one would use to calm down a panicked Stantler.

"Yes, you heard me. I can feel your pain. In fact, I can sense any emotion you're feeling. Like right now; confusion, astonishment, exhaustion and..." She stopped for a moment. "Frustration?" For a brief moment, she had to withstand the urge of dropping to her knees and bang her fist against the ground. Dawn didn't quite understand, what that emotion had lost in J, at such a time. Surely, that revelation was anything but pleasant, but she had rather expected anger and fear of that breach of privacy.

Although Dawn didn't just blurt out with that statement, but rather acted out of despair and guilt, Dawn felt as if she made a severe mistake. She had kept it a secret for quite some time - it was difficult, to just let it go, especially in front of her enemy. But there had been no other peaceful way to stop the huntress. Dawn would just have to face the consequences.

Finally, they stopped. A new stab of headache made J stagger towards the wall. She refused to sit down, though, but Dawn didn't mind. They had made enough progress for now and she feared that any more relaxation would knock the huntress out. After some seconds of panting and anxiety on Dawn's side, J looked straight into her eyes.

"You can feel my emotions," she didn't ask, she stated. Only her voice revealed that she wanted Dawn to move on. And although the young trainer was reluctant, she went on. After all, she still owed J her life and if a 'thank you' was too much, there had to be something else.

"Maybe not really feel it," Dawn admitted. "More like sense it. And depending on the intensity, anybody's emotions can influence me. I get angry, sad, happy or I suffer splitting pain in my head, an aching back..." She moved her shoulders and made a distressed grimace. "I sure hope your bones are alright. And don't make me even begin of your dizziness."

Only twice, Dawn was forced to hold that speech and both times had been awkward. J, on the other hand, didn't seem too bothered. In fact, she rather inquired for more specific details. "That would explain my injury in the Ilex Forest, but how did you know I was lying? I don't remember that being an emotion."

Dawn was positively surprised; she had almost expected that the huntress would give her the ability to read minds. "Lying triggers certain emotions. Usually, people feel guiltyor anxious. You felt delighted, because you found a possibility to get rid of me." Even without the risen eyebrow, Dawn felt J's question. She gestured helplessly with her hands. "That's my interpretation of your emotions! I don't know, why anyone would be happy telling a lie. And no-" She added at the hint of self-doubts. "It wasn't easy sensing it. I concentrated, the way I do now. My mum calls it a strong empathy, alright?"

J groaned and rubbed her face with both hands. Those news were no good for her. "Wonderful! Empathy, eh? I would rather call it a mythological phenomen." Gingerly, she leant her head against the cold stone. Now, the ashes on her face were smeared in one direction. "You're really putting me into a dilemma, girl."

Dawn's eyebrow twitched. Couldn't that woman be respectful for at least a second? She did remember her name, didn't she? "So? In what kind of dilemma am I putting you?" She asked and reinforced her focus on J. She wanted an answer and maybe that was the time to get them.

J remarkably stiffened, but gave no reply. Dawn had another approach. "J, why do you keep up saving me? Not only here, I know you're getting paid. But why in the Ilex Forest? Abandoning me would have been so much easier. Hell, you even risked your life for me! Why?"

Dawn couldn't believe her eyes, when she witnessed physical reactions from J. She was avoiding eye contact with the girl and seemed to bite her cheek. "Do you really want me to repeat that sentence? None of your business?"

Finally, the time had come. "It is my business," Dawn persisted and couldn't hide a little smirk on the corner of her lips. "There is someone out there, who is obviously highly concerned about my wellbeing. And they are consulting you, an infamous criminal. Good people don't do that, they rely on the police and would let me know about it." Her voice became much more serious. "If they send a criminal, though, than I can only guess about their intentions. And I guess, I'm in severe trouble."

"Stop calling me a criminal. Sounds like I'm a pathetic thief. I deserve better. Although I told you, that I retired," J sighed. Her arms were once again crossed, but that time more like a gesture out of defeat.

"And I have a name. But if you insist, hunter..." She frowned. "I still can't believe, you retired, though."

J sighed a chuckle. "Fine, Dawn, I'll tell you. It does, indeed concern you. But now is not the time, I want to be back to my senses and able to rethink that decision."

Although at that point, Dawn was still left without any information, she felt, she made a huge progress. She couldn't hold back the delight that curved her lips slightly upwards. All that was left, was their escape from the cave. Which they would no longer be able to post-pone.

A strong gust carried fresh howls of the ghosts. Even though the chase wasn't on yet, the little group did not waste any time to jump back on their feet and fall into another sprint. The exit was near; an old trapdoor in the ceiling. Without wasting their precious time, by opening the door manually, Dawn used the help of Piplup. The next second, a hydropump smashed through the wood. With the penguin on her head, Dawn climbed through the makeshift exit and held out a hand towards the huntress. But even, J didn't accept her help and rather pulled herself out of the tunnel. Just to make sure they were save, Piplup froze the hole in a thick layer of ice.

"They don't need that exit anyway, come on!" J tugged her shirt and dashed of. Dawn quickly followed the huntress towards the last exit. For a brief second, she caught a glimpse of the old Burned Tower; broken, dusty wood covered the main hall. Even a few statues had survived the fire hundreds of years ago. Nonetheless, it looked like a place of eternal grief. What once had been a beautiful monument of power, had been reduced into a pitiful ruin within the blink of an eye. She shuddered at that image. Even the double door lacked a half, while the other wing only hung on a broken joint. They were the last hindrance, before they emerged into the brighter outside.

The sun was setting. Its light intensified the red and golden colors of the ever-autumn trees, while a cozy summer breeze rustled through the leaves. Dawn took in the fresh air, loved, how it warmed her skin. Only the smell of burned wood dimmed her high spirits of finally being free.

Piplup jumped of her head and embraced the soft grass, chirping happily. Bruises and scratches were forgotten, it was back full with energy. J was the last to emerge into the light. She squinted her eyes and mumbled something about the sudden brightness. Yet Dawn could tell, she was glad to be back in the sun.

Dawn turned to her incompatible companion and gave her a better look. She appeared even worse than before. Her face was smudged and gray, in contrast to her reddened eyes. Likewise was her messy hair, which had lumps of ashes and blood tangled in its streaks. She bore a grim expression, brows furrowed and lips pressed together. Her body language, though repressed, was evident of her pain. She had her hands clenched into fists, to stop them from shaking, but that only seemed to worsen that movement. Breathing itself seemed to take up most of her strength, as she panted heavily and with great effort.

"J, we need to go to the doctor, now," Dawn exclaimed worriedly. Just how did J bear all that agony and wounds? And how much damage would it take to break her? At least, she didn't object to Dawn's declaration and slowly stepped towards her.

"HALT!" A male voice suddenly boomed, startling the little group. Several police officers blocked the path and all had their pokemon out and ready to attack. Growlithe crouched on the ground and barked aggressively. Above them a swarm of Noctowl flapped their already glowing wings and a Vileplume made the front, prepared to shot out a cloud of stun spore. "Don't move! Otherwise we will stop you by any means necessary!" One of the officers commanded. He was a tall guy, quite young compared to his colleague in Goldenrod City, but just as hardboiled and unforgiving. His hand rested on a pair of handcuffs, which dangled from his belt.

J seemed perplex, though she wouldn't show any willingness, to back down.

"Hey!" Dawn shouted towards the officers. "Don't arrest her! I know, she's a criminal, but-"

"Silence! Don't make me use force! Now, retrieve that Piplup, immediately."

Dawn blinked. She blinked again. Those words rerun at least three times in her mind, until she completely grasped their meaning.

How dared they? "Is that a joke?! She is the hunter - and there is no way, I am her assistant!"

"Dawn..." J mumbled under her breath and to her astonishment, Dawn sensed some concern. But she was to upset, to properly react to it. After being trapped in a haunted cave, she just expected a warmer greeting!

One off the Growlithe hissed a flame. It was growing angrier and more impatient at every word. "You were caught trespassing of a sacred place, only two days after Team Missile burned down the Bell Tower. Now, don't make that list longer and give up!"

"Who do you think did your job and stopped Team Rocket? What is wrong with you?!"

That did it. Dawn lit the fuse and unlocked an explosion, she couldn't ward off. The police officer barked an order and with that the Pokemon dashed off. Big clouds of sparkling orange powder emerged form the huge flower on Vileplume's head, while the Noctowls flapped their wings faster, until they created a strong gust.

Dawn didn't think clearly - she just reacted. She told Piplup to use whirlpool and the penguin complied. It had no effect on the wind, but the water caught the stun spore and hindered it from affecting its trainer and itself.

That move just made their situation worse; it was replied by the loud barking of numerous dog Pokemon. The Growlithe stepped into action, dashing at high speed towards their fiends with their fangs ready to bite an arm. Hastily, Piplup used the same whirlpool, to flood the path. The wave it created, swept most of the Growlithe back to their trainers, yet there was one that escaped. It was swift on its feet, changing its curse to a spot where the water was shallow and jumped. Dawn could sense its determination. It had taken her verbal assault personally and it would avenge its trainer.

Fire flared around its fangs, its black eyes were locked on Dawn. Before the coordinator had any time to react, Growlithe leaped towards her. Her muscles were tense, her breathing stopped. That instant, all of her senses were extraordinary sharp. She listened to her blood rushing through her veins and was overwhelmed by the wrath the Growlithe radiated. And suddenly, her head exploded in a blinding rush of agony.

In order to save Dawn for the fifth time, J rushed in front of her. Then, against all reason, she jumped up with a little spin and slammed her knee in Growlithe's muzzle. The impact hurled the fire type several meters away, where it crashed into a pile of autumn leaves. J on the other hand, couldn't bear both the pain and the control over her body, so she fell on her belly on the cobblestone path. She clutched the laceration with her hands and bit down her lip, silencing any scream her body ached to let out. A weak moan escaped her nonetheless.

Dawn winced. The pain was flooding her as well, forcing out any thoughts or sensations, until there was nothing left but the stab in her head. Wave after wave rolled over her, each one as strong as the previous one and never ending. Dawn sunk to her knee, but resisted the urge to press her palm against the none existent wound.

Only slowly, the throbbing would cease. Her head and vision cleared and allowed her a frightening thought. Until now, she hadn't experienced pain as vividly as in that moment and she didn't want to know, what it meant to the actual victim.

Dawn stood up with shaky legs and took a quick look around. The police officers were still there, but now - from out of nowhere - Morty had joined them. He seemed to discuss something of importance, as he bore a severe expression and shot her concerned glances from time to time. The officers seemed to be reluctant, yet retreated slowly. At least they trusted the gym leader.

Piplup had run up to her and chirped frenziedly, to get her attention. She only mumbled "I'm fine," and approached J carefully. The huntress lay perfectly still, only her upper body heaved in and out in an unsteady rhythm. Her head was turned to Dawn, eyes closed, but still furrowed in a painful expression.

The situation felt familiar, as Dawn knelt beside the woman and bent over her back. She grimaced at the sight. A long, wide gash crossed her head diagonally. While the edges were already covered by dark scab, there was fresh blood seeping out of various spots. Dawn watched the droplets sliding down in a little stream, soaking J's hair and the collar of her shirt. Although the skull wasn't visible and J didn't bleed much, Dawn froze on the inside. Maybe it was because she was still staring at a life threatening wound. Or maybe it was because of a little thought in the back of her mind. A thought that had been labeled as a fact for the past five years; that J had died at Lake Valor. She shouldn't be lying next to Dawn in the first place. Probably also because she couldn't have survived that drop, either.

Morty ran up to her, closely followed by his Gengar and two Haunter. "Are you alright?" He shouted, when he was in hearing range. As soon as he was close enough, to make out details, he answered the question himself. He spun around to his companions, urgency audible in his voice. "Go and get Nurse Joy and an ambulance-"

"Hell no, you don't," J groaned and pushed herself up. Gradually, she returned to a standing position. She had taken a severe blow to her self-control; J staggered as if she was drunk. That didn't affect her glare at Morty, though. "You took quite some time, to fulfill your part of the agreement!"

"I am deeply sorry," Morty apologized and bowed at both Dawn and J. "I was busy searching for you and didn't realize that the police would suspect you immediately. Also," Now he shot J a dark look back. Dawn noticed, how weary he looked. His hair was disheveled and he didn't seem to have changes his clothes for a while. There were eye rings darkening his expression, in fact a shadow seemed to last on his features. "Also, I didn't want to tell the police I sent up a pokemon hunter, to look after a civilian and stop Team Missile, if I can't be sure you completed your part of the deal."

J wasn't impressed by his speech. "Ho-Oh got away and she-" She pointed behind her with a thumb, "is still in one piece and well, thanks to me. Otherwise your insufficiency would have left her fried and armless."

They would stare at each other for a couple of seconds, neither of them willing to back away. In the end it was Morty, who relented first. Once again, he apologized. "I was out, searching for you for the past two days and hadn't been home yet. I'm a bit stressed out; especially because of the ghost pokemon-"

"Wait, for how long have we been missing?!" Dawn exclaimed, shock written in her face.

"Two days," the gym leader repeated with a sigh. He didn't hide his exhaustion and expressed his concern in a helpless gesture. "The day before yesterday, you climbed up the Bell Tower and went missing afterwards. Since it burned to ground, I had little hopes you were still alive."

Dawn felt her heart sink at such news. That she hadn't participated in daily affairs for two days, didn't bother her too much. To find out, that the Bell Tower was indeed lost, brought back the heavy weight of failure. And that time she couldn't just brush it off, like in the cave. The sorrow of the ghosts came back into her mind. No wonder they had haunted them, after their home had been destroyed.

It was J, who pulled Dawn back into reality - and up the cobblestone path. She grabbed the girl by the shoulder and strode past Morty. "Come on, Dawn. Let the pitiful gymleader go back home and get his undeserved sleep. We'll go and see a doctor."

Morty tried to persuade J to wait for an ambulance, but she wouldn't listen. She ignored him by all means and even sped up, when the police officers stepped up to their little group. Eventually, J managed to get rid of Morty, and they were on their own once more. Silence dominated their way, since they had to bear with either pain or the certainty of failure.

It didn't take long, until they reached Ecruteak City. At least, there were no traces of damage in the town. The houses were still standing and every tile on the roofs seemed in place. Only the people mourned over their loss. They radiated sorrow and anger towards the criminals, who were guilty for the mess and Dawn couldn't shake of the uneasy feeling that they knew about her failure. Wherever she looked, she would see enraged eyes glaring at her. Little could her mind change about those irrational sensations.

Finally, J lead her to an unusual house in the middle of the city. In contrary to the other buildings, the walls were made out of firm cement, rather than wooden materials. It was two stories high and all of the windows had their curtains closed. Dawn hadn't bothered to ask J, where they were heading until she noticed, they were not heading towards the pokemon Center.

"Uh, J..." Dawn spoke up and glanced at the silver haired woman. J was fiddling in her pockets with a grim expression. "You said, we were going to a doctor."

J huffed and pulled her hand out again. She started knocking the door loudly. "Yes, that's right. Let's hope she is inside, I don't want to break in the door, again."

Now, why did that sound familiar?

Several minutes passed, no one opened the door. J grew quickly impatient. She tapped her foot and crossed her arms in annoyance. "Come on, I know you're in there..."

Dawn flinched as the huntress even began to kick the door with her boot, until it shook under the impact. That seemed to annoy the owner enough, to finally get her out. The door slammed open outwardly, almost smashing J in the process. And in the doorframe, there stood Nurse Joy dressed in a jogging suit. She glared at J, and J glared back.

"Alive again?" Joy asked sarcastically.

"Yes. Lucky you."

"Damn not." Only then, Joy gave her companion some attention. "What's the vandal doing here? Don't tell me she was with you the whole time?"

Both women shot Dawn different looks. Joy's was disapproving, while J was just surprised. "She did try to kill me a couple of times," the huntress exclaimed with a frown. She turned her head back. "But it wasn't her, who set fire to the tower."

"I don't care what she does with you or some tower; she smashed the door of my pokemon center and still hasn't paid me."

"She did?" Another suspicious look, that time considering. "Maybe she isn't that bad."

Before the conversation could drift even further into corners, she did not approve, Dawn spoke up for the first time. "First, I didn't break your door willingly, it was an accident. Second, I never tried to kill J, that's absurd!"

"You did. Your Ninetales almost burnt me twice. Not to mention that you plunged yourself into a burning tower and I had to-"

"Save me, I get it!" Dawn interrupted with a risen voice. How often intended J to rub that into her nose? "What I don't understand: How come you two know each other?"

That particular Nurse Joy was probably the worst member of her family, rude and unforgiving. Yet that shouldn't mean, she associated with renowned criminals, should it? In fact, shouldn't her nasty attitude reach a climax with people, who caused more injuries to pokemon than necessary? She had to take her time and fix them, after all.

Without thinking, J gave a casual and well audible reply. "Oh, Joy used to work for me-"

Dawn hadn't even the time to blink, when Joy already had J in a death grip with an arm looped around her neck. Like that, she pulled the huntress inside of her home, leaving a dumbfounded Dawn.

"What is wrong with you, blurting it out like this!" Joy hissed into her ear, then turned her head towards the entrance. "You, girl! Come in here and close the door!"

While Dawn was anxious to step into that house, she was even more frightened to disobey Joy. So she slipped inside and shut the door quietly behind her. Through the soles of her shoes, Dawn felt the softness of a thick, beigecarpet. The walls were painted with a color slightly more vivid, than white - something like eggshell, she supposed. A painting of a town hung to her right, but even in the well-lit room, the angle made it impossible to make out details. The two women had stopped wrestling and Joy started expecting J's wounds, while the huntress leaned against the wall further down the corridor, panting.

"You're bleeding all over my house, just after I cleaned everything," Joy remarked disdainful, but there was something in her look that suggested care. "Let me guess: you're suffering from headaches in the morning. Still better than all these whining trainers, complaining over splinters in their foot, or that their top-percentage Rattata was fried by a Raikou, or girls that pierce their hands with glass shards. So what did you do? Head butt a Rhydon?"

"No, the ground of the basement. The roof became a bit too warm for my taste," J huffed, not hiding her annoyance. Ponderously, she pushed herself of the wall and made a staggering first step. "Anyways, I need to repair-"

Joy wouldn't let her go, though. Swiftly she grabbed her lower arm and dug her fingers into the skin. Unpleasant, yet not painful. "I am not the nature type; If I want my carpet red, I'll buyone that's already colored." She stretched out her hand, palm upward. "I'm the nurse, I'll take care of it."

With a sigh, J relented. She rummaged in her pockets and produced three broken pokeballs. Joy's expression darkened at the sight, yet she didn't complain, as she took the devices. J nodded her head in the direction of the entrance, but winced at the movement. "Dawn's aren't working, either," J stated and rubbed her temples.

"Who?" Joy's eyes snapped open and her pink brows almost disappeared under her locks. Any more astonishment, and the nurse would be standing there, with her mouth wide open. But even that was irritating enough for J, who pointed at the blue haired trainer.

"The girl! Obviously! Or the vandal, whatever your nickname is!"

Joy was still in a state of disbelieve as her glances wandered between J and Dawn. She parted her lips several times, in an attempt to speak up, but decided against it. Eventually, she brushed the topic of with a shake of her head. "Just go inside the room," she ordered the huntress and strode towards Dawn. As she did with J, she held out her hand for the trainer to place her pokeballs in her hand. Dawn, however, felt very protective all of sudden. She put her own hand over the capsules and took a step back.

This is absurd, Dawn thought as she stared into the face that usually meant unrestricted help. Never in her life, would she have expected to distrust a Nurse Joy. But if that individual was working for a hunter...

Joy wasn't especially fond of her resistance. "I still have a walking corpse to attend to; would you hurry up?"

It was very hard, to press out those words, while watching how the characteristically pink locks on Joy's head fell in place. The impatient frown on her face, was the only mental help, Dawn had. Her voice was still no more than a whisper, though. "How am I supposed to trust my pokemon - my partners to someone, who works with Hunter J?"

"I don't really care, if your pokemon get attention or not," Joy pressed out, from behind clenched teeth. Then she relaxed with a forced sigh, as if she could comprehend Dawn's concern. "Look, I am not a poacher or a murderer. I am still a nurse and just because I worked for an outlaw, that doesn't mean I don't do my job as a doctor properly. And inflicting harm to your pokemon, would cause me only more work. Do you understand me?"

On the inside, Dawn still fought a battle against her rational mind, common sense and distrust. Still reluctantly, she handed over the devices, which contained her friends. Her eyes never left the capsules, when Joy pulled back her hand and gave the girl a throughout look. Then she beckoned the girl to follow her towards the room, J had left into. The door was at the end of the hallway, painted in the same shade as the walls and slightly open. On their way, they passed two more doors and Dawn wondered, how Joy had decorated the rooms, behind the closed entrances. She could even catch a glimpse of the painting, hanging on her right. A town at the ocean - possibly Cherigrove City - from a bird's-eye view, basket in golden beams of the lazy afternoon sun.

Her first impression of a cozy home, though, was slightly shaken as she walked on. They stepped over the threshold into what looked like a homelyoperation room. The two walls on the sides were painted in Budew green, as well as the semicircle shaped carpet at the entrance. On her left, there were white cupboards, formed like table with a computer sitting on top, next to various medical equipment. At the other side of the room, there was a large window - at least Dawn expected there a window, as the curtains were firmly closed.

J sat on a medical chair in the center of the room. She typed listlessly on a laptop with an USB keychainplugged inside, only glancing up, when Dawn and Joy entered the room. The nurse nodded to the left. "The bathroom is over there, go and clean yourself up." The order left no space for debate - not that it was necessary. Dawn only took some time, to crouch down and ask Piplup to watch over their friends. The penguin saluted and followed Joy next door.

Now Dawn was left entirely alone with J. But a quick glance reassured her, that the huntress was too occupied typing and staying awake, to care about Dawn. Nonetheless, she crossed the distance as silently as possible and shut the door behind her.

Finally, Dawn let herself relax. She sighed loudly, and plopped back behind the door. Slowly, she slid down and was glad that the ground was covered with another fluffy carpet. The lamps weren't on yet, only the evening light from outside fell through little windows. Dawn didn't mind, though; in fact, there was no space in her head, at all, to bother about the lack of brightness.

Too many thoughts and sensations lashed down on her, with no way to put an order to them. Working with J had been odd enough, but at least then they had behaved like enemies. Now, battered with wounds and exhaustion, they developed something like trust - why else would Dawn stay so calm, with nothing but a door separating her from the huntress? And she should have known, how fragile such structures were. And then there was the matter of Nurse Joy, who casually used to work for J. Not any longer, of course - J had after all retired from her successful career as a poacher.

Within that overwhelming confusion, there was the agony caused by lethal wounds and weariness. Her head reacted with a throbbing dizziness; the room wasn't spinning in her eyes, nonetheless something seemed to disturb her natural balance. She rested her forehead in her hands, as her neck could no longer support the weight. It wasn't the first time, Dawn wished to be numb, simply oblivious to all the trouble around her. And it wasn't unusual for her, either, to curse her empathy. Only one spark of hope shone in the masses of thunderclouds gathering in her mind. J would - might reveal some answers to the mysteries, which recently began to hang around Dawn.

And of course, there was still her contest lingering in the background, ready to retrieve every ounce of attention, Dawn had. Now that she was in Ecruteak City and knew, the town was well, she started pondering over that event, automatically. Starting with the question, whether she would be able to face the stage at all. With every cell of her body aching, it didn't seem likely.

Finally, Dawn found the strength to push herself up again and turn on the lights. She squirmed her eyes at the sudden brightness and stumbled towards the sink. Her hands shook under the stream of warm water shooting out of the faucet as she began to wash away the dirt. The water quickly turned into a greyish brown color, carrying ashes, sweat and clops of blood under a layer of white soap foam. The wound on her left palm stung, as she rubbed it carefully, but that couldn't dim her delight of being clean again. She avoided looking into the mirror hanging over the sink. Quickly, she splashed water in her face, until it stopped looking like she had been trapped in a cave for days.

Relief erupted inside her heart, expanding her chest in a deep breath. Strange, how much dirt could influence a human. After she quickly got rid of her other physical needs, Dawn stepped in front of the mirror. The rest of her appearance definitely didn't match with her clean skin. Ashes had stained her clothes and the sleeveless shirt was ripped on the left side. She gave the spot a throughout look, but it was difficult to make something out under the shreds of clothing. Quickly, she pulled the shirt over her head and poked her hip.

A sting of pain made her wince, yet she wasn't forced to jerk her hand away. The skin shone in different shades of purple and appeared slightly swollen. Some lines of scab crossed the middle of the bruise and oddly, they reminded Dawn of almost healed scratches. Once again, she pressed two fingers into the flesh. Her body replied with another sting, but only as if she touched an ordinary bruise, caused in a normal training session. Certainly not the way it should hurt, after that bone-breaking blow of Druddigon.

Dawn frowned. Suddenly, the door swung open, startling the young and almost nakedtrainer. It was Joy, who breached her private sphere nonchalantly. "Oh, good," she exclaimed, as she took in the sight of Dawn's bare upper body. "You already started. Well, then, go ahead, strip."

"What?" Dawn almost shrieked at the unwelcome intruder. It didn't matter, that the bathroom belonged to Joy's house; at least for the time being, Dawn preferred to be on her own!

Joy met her reaction with an annoyed look. "I said 'strip'. You can leave your underwear on, for all I care; I just though, you wanted your clothes in one piece. Otherwise I can use a scalpel, if you like."

It was perfectly logical, for the nurse to attend to her patient. And as Joy had said earlier, there was no point, harming Dawn any more than she already was, even if they had happened to become enemies. She still chewed on her lip, as she let her shorts slid down her legs.

"Good girl," Joy mumbled and Dawn was sure, she rolled her eyes. Her examination was quick and there was nothing off importance, but the bruise and the burn on her palm. Similar to Dawn, Joy pressed her fingers in the skin, but with better coordination. Her face showed no emotional reaction, only the complete concentration of a professional. "I can't find anything wrong with your bones," her voice sounded almost disappointed. "J is a complete mess. What did you fall on? Was there a mountain of pillows in the basement?"

Dawn tried to avoid eye contact; her next words simply sounded strange in her own ears. "I wouldn't call J's body a mountain of pillows..."

"Ah."

Refreshed and bandaged, Dawn followed Joy inside the other room. The nurse continued her way next door, leaving her alone. Alone with a criminal. She sighed. When would the day finally end?

J was lying on her stomach, her head rested on crossed arms. She appeared to be asleep, at least her eyes were closed and her breathing was close to normal. And the steady movement of her upper body was the only reason, Dawn didn't believe to stare at a corpse. A heavily battered corpse. All the woman was wearing, was a pair of black boxer shorts. The skin matched the color very well with dark purple bruises spread all over her back and legs. It was much easier, counting untouched spots, were the skin was simply pale. The upper parts of her shoulders, as well as the insides of her knees and ankles. Everything else had direct contact to the ground, during the impact of the landing.

Dawn gulped. Some places even showed traces of cuts, where debris on the floor had dug into her back. As Joy had said; J looked like a mess. Dawn approached the woman slowly, afraid to wake her up. Endless questions raced through her mind, most of them could be phrased with a why at the beginning. Why was J still alive? Why did she try so badly, to save Dawn? Why hadn't there been another way to do it?

And then she noticed something new, something that didn't seem to belong to that incident. Terrible scars of burns that covered her shoulders. Pinkish white, like crumbled linen. On each side, there were two little pits, both with similar space in between. Dawn frowned; that pain was not fresh...

"Stop staring at me like that..." J mumbled and fixed a halfy opened eye at Dawn. The girl was still fighting with her disturbance and responded with a petty question.

"Like what?"

"As if you're looking at some talking corpse; a zombie or something like that."

"A demon banned from hell itself?" Dawn suggested, her frown yielding a pained expression. "You were dead, for quite some time, at least as far as I know. The chances of surviving an explosion under water are... quite small. And then a drop from a burning tower?" She shook her head. "Yeah, I guess that's a good way to put it. I feel, like I'm looking at a talking corpse. I mean, look at you!"

"I prefer not to. My neck is a bit stiff."

"I imagine... Why did you do that? Its suicide!"

J gave her a weak glare. "Do I seriously have to die, to make you stop nagging me with questions?"

That remark made Dawn's mouth snap shut. Embarrassed, she averted her eyes and only murmured a sorry. J didn't react, beside relaxing her muscles and let her cheek sink back on her arm. She wouldn't close her eye though and Dawn sensed her discomfort and skepticism. With another sigh, Dawn rubbed her face and strode towards the wall she faced. There was a little table and a chair, she headed towards. But she never reached the seat.

Suddenly, the door on her side, where Joy had disappeared into, flung open and Ninetales dashed out of it. Its claws left deep scratches in the floor, as it turned on the spot and leapt at J.

If it wasn't for the brute force of an Ursaring, the fox would have torn her neck with burning fangs. Dawn winced, as the bear swept down two glowing paws and nailed Ninetales to the ground. Joy and Piplup rushed after them and there were loud rumbling noises in the other room; probably all the other pokemon she had already freed from their pokeballs. Even under the crushing grip of the Ursaring, Ninetales continued to struggle. It clawed the floor until wood bursted and hungry flames hissed from its fangs, longing for J.

Joy was furious. She looked at Dawn with a grim expression; her voice was loud and aggressive and left no other choice, than to obey her. "Calm your damn fox down, now!"

There was no need for such an instruction, as Dawn already jumped in action. She skidded beside the fire type and put her hands on its head. The fur was hot with uncontrollable rage, but Dawn couldn't quite understand, what the source was.

"Where did you catch that Ninetales?" J suddenly spoke up from behind Dawn - she could hear her surprised frown.

"Back in Sinnoh, near Lake Valor," the young coordinator blurted out without a second thought. Lake Valor? Was that an accident? She tried to glance over her shoulder, but Ninetales flames demanded all her attention.

"Interesting..." J mumbled and her voice was almost drowned by Ninetales' growls.

"What's interesting?!" Dawn shouted, since J didn't show any signs ot share her knowledge at such a crucial moment. Her own anger cleaved the way for the wrath surrounding her; it infiltrated her mood.

J wasn't taken aback, though. Her voice was cool and controlled, in the face of chaos. "It's interesting, that the client let it go so easily. Or that it was able to escape and that you, of all people, caught it. It even managed to damage my ship."

Suddenly, all wrath faded, leaving nothing but a clear hollowness inside Dawn. Now, she even identified Ninetales outburst as a hunger for revenge. It starved for retribution. "You captured my Ninetales?" Dawn asked rhetorically. The shock drained more strength out from her words, than she expected. Even without J confirming it, she knew what happened; heavy vehicles blasting through the woods of a faraway forest, Hunter J standing on top of her malicious Salamence and the fatigue of a hopeless battle.

And it was her Ninetales that had to endure such torment. Dawn ought to knock out the Ursaring and let the fox get its bloody revenge. It had every right to loath the huntress and other hundred, maybe thousands of victims would agree.

But she couldn't. She could not let her own partner tear a defenseless woman apart, not if she was so close to death, not if Dawn owned her her life. Even if she was the worst of criminals. But could she just act against every ambition of a trainer? Against every implicitness of friendship? Choosing the side of good or evil, would have been much easier, than the war of morals, her insides suffered under. In the end, the decisive reason for her next step was the pain that still lingered in the air. That oh so noble pain.

Determined, desperate to end the struggle, Dawn took a step back and stretched her arms out in a protective manner. She met the dark glare of her partner with her own steely eyes and exclaimed an order with the strictest voice she managed. "Ninetales, stop!"

Dawn could swear, she heard a chilly clank, when the atmosphere froze. Two simple words; they hung in the air like daggers. Daggers of treachery. She could feel, how they dug themselves deeply into Ninetales' and her hearts and left wounds that shouldn't exist. The last syllable wasn't even spoken, when she already hated herself for her actions. Her decision was against every promise between a trainer and their pokemon.

Empathy wasn't even necessary, to decipher the emotions raging inside Ninetales. They were clearly displayed in its eyes. Even if there weren't already fresh flames hissing around its fangs, she would still see the fire behind its black pupil, trying to burn the vision of Dawn. It accepted the betrayal rather quickly, in the sense of persuading its trainer. Ninetales didn't need her help, but it expected its trainer covering its back, not shielding the enemy. It wouldn't attack the human that had achieved its trust just yet. If she wouldn't back down, however...

But Dawn didn't. She still knelt there and her arms were shivering. Not because of physical exhaustion, rather because every second of that mental fight drained her will to stick to her decision. She was well aware, what the resistance did to her relation to Ninetales, but backing down now, would damage their bond even more. And also, the anger returned, igniting her mood. Anger against Ninetales stubbornness, anger against the hunter that initiated the whole mess, anger against the situation itself. Why did Dawn have to navigate her way through it, with two oppositemotivations dragging her?

"I said, stop it!" She commanded her fire type once again.

"Piipp lup!" To her surprise, Piplup joined her resistance with a similar pose. Dawn felt relieved and terrified at the same time. Grateful for its unrestricted support on the one hand, on the other hand she didn't want Piplup fighting with her partner. Couldn't that nightmare just stop?

Suddenly, Ninetales let out a yelp. Silent as a Misdreavous, Nurse Joy had approached the fire type. Now, she held an empty shot in her hand, with a hard glance directed towards Dawn. She managed to hold her emotions under control and Dawn didn't want to know, how severe the consequences would have been otherwise. "Go to your pokemon and take Ninetales with you; I don't want to know about your existence until I ask for it. Understood?"

Ninetales soon stopped struggling, its eyes became glassy and its limbs relaxed. Occasional twitches jerked its body, otherwise it lay still. Dawn dropped towards her partner, with worries written in her face. "What did you do to it?!" She asked Joy, afraid, what the employee of a ruthless hunter did to her Ninetales.

"Anesthetic," Joy stated in a dangerously calm voice. "And if you don't want anything worse inside Ninetales body, you better leave, or else!"

There was no point resisting, not that Dawn was eager to argue with a Nurse Joy, anyway. She and Piplup trotted out of the room, while Ursaring carried Ninetales over its shoulder. A warm welcome waited for them, proudly organized by Salamence, Drapion and Ariados. J's pokemon towered over Dawn, the minute she stepped inside, baring their fangs and clicking their claws. Dawn couldn't hold herself back, when she snapped, "Your trainer's fine! Stop glaring at me!". Fortunately, that didn't result in more aggression. Instead, they let her pass, so they could squat beside the door and catch glimpses of the attendance.

The sight of her own pokemon was a lot more relieving. Though battered with scratches and some small bruises, they radiated energy and high spirits. Except of Kirlia, but her younger partner only seemed to suffer from fright. Who wouldn't be, with such massive predators in one room?

Even Pichu hopped around her legs, squealing excited. It could smell J and probably all the other, nasty scents around them. It wanted to get to its mother, but the presence of Salamence and Drapion seemed to unnerve the electric type. She caught the baby mouse and turned around just in time to watch Ursaring dropping Ninetales without any care. The fox twitched slightly, otherwise remained immobile.

"Hey!" She cried after the bear, but the only reaction she would receive, was a growl. Quickly, she knelt beside Ninetales. It appeared perfectly alright, though, beside the deep sleep it was forced into. "I'm so sorry..." Dawn whispered in its ear, stroking its pale fur. What had she done? The question was actually very simple: protected her injured savior. But what had she done, nonetheless?

A soft, warm body approached her from behind and grateful for the support, Dawn leant her head against Braviary's feathers. She loved its belly; it reminded her of an untouched pillow. And then there was Aron; its metal head felt cool on her injured hip. Kirlia and Piplup followed as well, nuzzling themselves on her lap. A faint smile played on her lips. "Thanks, guys. You gave Team Rocket an unforgettable impression."
 

"Dawn! Hey! Wake up!" Joy's voice pulled the girl back into reality. Dawn blinked at the bright light and pushed herself up. Her neck ached, since it had been in an awkward position during her nap. "Permission to come back granted. In fact, that's an order."

Sighing, Dawn stood up clumsily. Her head was dizzy, since it just had barely enough time, to prepare for some needed rest. On a table nearby, Dawn found the pokeballs of her partners and quickly, she retrieved them. At least they should enjoy the rest of their slumber. Except Piplup, who already jumped into her arms, and Pichu. She had an unpleasant idea, where the electric type had run off to.

Hesitantly, she stepped over the doorframe into the room. Her notion was right; Pichu sat on the chair, J had lain on before, and looked up to its 'mother'. Dawn even caught a glimpse of J's flat stomach, before the woman turned around swiftly - a bit too swift, for both of their tastes. Between hisses and cursing, Dawn heard a murmured "Can't you knock?", as the huntress buttoned up her new shirt. White bandages were wrapped around her head, concealing every drop of blood. She already looked much healthier than before; soon, so hoped Dawn, everything would be back to normal. And there would be no need to hold back anymore.

"So, girl!" Joy caught her attention again. She smiled. And it crept Dawn out to no end. There was definitely too much delight hovering around the nurse. "Do you know what strychnine is? Or cyanide?" As if to underline her words, Joy held up two little plastic bottles, filled with

Dawn's eyes widened in horror. Subconsciously, she took a step back, reluctant to confirm Joy's question. "Y-yes. But... I'm not into poison."

"That's alright," Joy exclaimed and now her presence returned to the ominous threat, Dawn was already used to. "But as a matter of fact, I am. And if you chose to fail at what I'm humbly asking you for, then I might decide to introduce you to my little collection. Of course, I have some pokemon poison as well. Drapion, obviously. Or Nidoking."

Dawn felt her stomach drop deeper at every word she heard and in order to stop the unwelcome experience, she blurted out, "I don't see, why I couldn't complete a little favor..." It was the wrong answer; but on the other hand, a "no" would have been even worse.

"Good." Finally, Joy returned to her serious, professional mood. "Because I want you to look after J, while she is injured. Do not leave her side and don't let her do any kind of stunt she might think of-"

"Wait, I never agreed to this!" J interrupted her suddenly and spun around, in order to storm towards them. Only, that the rotation was already enough to knock her off her feet. She fell back on the chair and rubbed the bandages.

"Well, she needs some kind of way to repay her debt, doesn't she?"

"I'll pay for the door," J pressed out, her face still tensed in a grimace. Dawn was surprised at the words, but only for a moment. It was only an attempt to get rid of the younger girl, after all. Joy nodded.

"I agree on that. Now, Dawn," she pulled out a little bag with pills inside and handed it over to the coordinator. "Make sure, J takes her medicine twice a day-"

"Joy!" J growled and jumped back on her feet.

"If you prefer to stay here, under my watch, then I won't object, J," the nurse said with an icy tone that cut off any more objections. "Although I really thought, I would do you a favor. You weren't exactly thrilled, the last time."

Within the whole argument, Dawn noticed something, she had already suspected at the very beginning. Joy radiated concern, so little and hidden behind a facade, it was almost unnoticeable. She sensed it nonetheless, even for a little moment. The intensity and kind of concern took her by surprise; it felt genuine and intimate, not the way a normal doctor felt towards a usual patient. Rather, as if they shared a deep history. And it was possible, J herself wasn't even aware of that. Her only reason to give in, was a chilly shudder of memories that ran down her spine.

"I get it. Dawn, come on," J relented and strode past the two women, straight towards the exit of the house. Dawn didn't even have time to thank Joy for the treatment, when J already stepped outside on the street. Quickly, the girl said her goodbyes and hastily followed the huntress. Pichu ran along, too and jumped straightaway on J's shoulder. She didn't even object, but rather let out a sigh of relief.

Dawn took a look at the transparent bag in her hand and couldn't help but wonder. "What did she do to you? You were terrified!"

J winced at the statement, but for once, she didn't mind answering the question. "She put me in a coma, once. As a prophylaxis of more injuries." She shrugged at Dawn's surprised expression. "My ribs had been cracked and she was certain, they would break and puncture my lungs, if I didn't stay under her watch. It's not my fault, I attract danger, is it?"

With J's profession in mind, Dawn didn't want to reply. Yet the idea of putting someone in a coma was a bit unnerving, to say the least. Fortunately, there was no need to make a comment. A Gengar, along with two Haunter appeared out of thin air and grinned at the little group. Gengar held a massage in its claws and handed it over at J. "Huh. It looks like Morty wants us stay in aplace near the Tin Tower. As guests of honor." She scanned Dawn skeptically, until it began to unnerve the girl. "You rather look like a walking disaster."

"I change tomorrow, once I get my stuff, thank you." Dawn growled and made a first step towards the direction they had originally come from. "Can we go now? Or maybe we want to wait, until Joy starts shooting narcotic darts?"

Their guided walk was short, and beside the matter of the door, both remained silent. Surprisingly, J asked Dawn about it directly. The answer was probably not the kind, J had hoped for. Far less intentional.

"I ran off to the pokemon center, but didn't take Piplup with me. So it caught up with me, right in front of the glass door, where it hit my back with an aqua jet. The rest, you can probably think of yourself."

"Your Piplup knows aqua jet?" J asked with a risen eyebrow.

"We have a variation of it..." Dawn murmured and looked at the penguin in her arms. It shot her an apologetic look, but she managed to smile back at it, encouragingly. "I wish Joy was a little more... like the rest of her family! Then I wouldn't have to pay her, or had at least more time."

"I said, I would pay for it. Your story did disappoint me, though."

That surprise made Dawn halt in her steps. What was going on, that time? J noticed her speechlessness and shrugged. "Investment. I'll explain soon enough."

Dawn's world was spinning and so she didn't argue with that offer, although she didn't enjoy the sound of it. "Well... Thank you, I guess..." Her eyes wandered to the bandage around J's head and the memory of the bruises on her back flashed before her vision. Guilt washed over her. "And thank you for saving me," she cracked a crooked smile. "You plunged me into a mess, but I am grateful, to be alive."

"About time someone said that..." J mumbled, and for a second, Dawn imagined a faint grin on her face. Then an idea formed in her head. A terrible, yet at the same time relieving idea. Maybe they did not win the battle against the ghosts and were still trapped beneath the ground. Their hypnosis attacks kept them sleeping, while they slowly drainer their energy. Like that, all those events were the results of nightmares, not reality. At least for the time being, Dawn didn't feel too opposed by that imagination.
 

A monk greeted them with a low bow and without further delays, he showed them their rooms. Simple, Japanese styled rooms, laid out with tatami mats a a futon already prepared. Dawn sensed, that he would have been delighted to have a chat with his guests of honor, but at the same time, he understood clearly, in what state they were in. So he vanished quietly without a sign. Dawn didn't even have the time to turn around and thank the monk.

"As a guest of honor, I expected better... Well, whether you're supposed to look after me or not, I don't want to see you at least until I woke up. So stay out of my room, alright?"

Dawn gave J a weak smile. "I don't want to see you either, in fact, the more distance we have, the better."

J nodded approvingly and after she handed Dawn over her Pichu, she slid inside and closed the door.

The mouse pokemon looked at its trainer with big, teary eyes. It wanted to return to the warm spot at J's cheek and again, Dawn found herself reacting in favor of the woman. That time, though, it was compatible to her morals, so she took the mouse, went inside her own room and let herself fall on the futon. Usually, she tried not to fall asleep in her daily clothes, but for once she didn't mind. Delighted, Piplup snuggled close to her chest and she put an arm around it. Finding sleep had never been so easy.

Later that night, though, she had to retrieve Pichu inside its pokeball. Otherwise, it would have scratched a hole in the door. How ironic.
 

Ach ja, ich liebe diese Anime Regel. Ärzte (vorallem weibliche) - du kannst ihnen nichts entgegen bringen, auch wenn du ein gefährlicher Pokemon hunter bist. Vergiss es :D passt doch zu Joy, oder?

Ich hoffe doch sehr, ich konnte die lange Wartezeit wenigstens etwas belohnen.

Also. Write ya next time!
 

Rehab

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday MiniMeani! Happy Birthday to ME! And to celebrate, here a new chapter for you folks! No, I'm not doing this to be congratulated. Just for you to know, that I think of YOU my dear readers!

Dawn: Don't listen to her, she just wants to be recognized.

Me: THAT'S NOT TRUE! *sulk* anyways, enjoy the chapter! ... And the fact that I have too much British English around me :D

"Piplup jumped up, the water of its whirlpool wrapping around its body. Power flared up in its flippers; it readied itself for a brick break attack. The glow travelled from drop to drop, making the twist shine like a round rainbow. Abruptly, its flight came to a halt, as the penguin clapped its wings and in a flash, the whirlpool burst into a shower.

Before any drop could reach the ground, though, Piplup spun around itself, the blue bolt of its ice beam zooming through the air. The rain turned into snow fall; as it landed, ice spread into frozen flowers - no - icebergs instead. Carefully not to scratch itself on the edges, the penguin landed in between. Then, with another brick break and a spin, it broke the formations into thousands of shards, soaring through the air..."

That doesn't seem too bad, Dawn figured as she looked over her drawing from earlier. "Okay, let's do this! Piplup, up in the air and whirlpool!" she cried and watched her penguin crouch in the grass, so it could push itself higher - until a devastating detail occurred to her. "Ah, no, wait, I meant, first whirlpool, then jump!"

Slightly confused, Piplup stopped its launch and shot its trainer a questioning look. "Pip?"

"Yeah, that order should work! Let's try again!"

The penguin just shrugged - it was already used to Dawn's disarray, when it came to last minute training. Or training for a contest, altogether. So it concentrated its power, shot a smaller whirlpool in the air and followed it. Quickly, the mass enveloped its whole body. Since Piplup had an idea, which plan Dawn had chosen, it sent all its energy towards its flippers, without even waiting for the order of a brick break. The light was travelling around the water and Piplup was more than ready to make it erupt in a flash -

"NO! Wait, Piplup!"

Suddenly, Piplup lost its focus and the water splashed on the ground of the patio. Still in midair, it felt its eye twitching. Disbelief was probably the best way to describe its feelings. Perplexed disbelief.

Back on the ground, Dawn was mulling over her initial plan. That move was nice to watch, but would it show the uniqueness of her partner? It's skills, maybe, but other than that, it was nothing more than a splashy water show. The judges wouldn't be impressed. They couldn't be impressed!

Not to mention the potential for mistakes - it was overwhelming!

Unable to think of a solution just yet, Dawn flopped back on the sun warmed grass and threw the plan away. She faced the vast sky, with no more than a handful clouds obscuring the view. Remains of the storm three days ago?

Probably not. But there were other reminders that continued to pop up in her mind, even as she tried her best to focus on the contest. Although work was calling, Dawn allowed her thoughts to drift over to her troublesome neighbour, enemy, saviour, the woman she was forced to babysit. She found it impossible, to wrap her mind around their relation, thus had no idea, how she should act around the huntress. On past occasions, she had handled the situation with hostility and a pinch of trust.

The results were heated arguments, which spoilt Dawn's mood sustainably, as well as peaceful situations, even more confusing than the mysteries around the huntress. Dawn figured, a change in her behaviour might clear up that puzzle. At the very least, they shouldn't start another conflict, if they both behaved friendly towards one another for once.

But back to Dawn's first round. Maybe if she used another pokemon, that could give her some ideas. She looked over at her steel type, sleeping peacefully in the shade of a cherry blossom tree. She certainly could show of Aron's both sturdy and flashy body - then again, she had already used such a style not long ago...

Tiredly, she rubbed her eyes and rolled over to her side. Next to her, there was the contest magazine she had purchased earlier. Proudly presented on the cover was none other than Zoey, Dawn's long-time rival. Over the years, her tomboyish style hadn't give way to skirts and frills and so she wore a neat black suit with a crimson red shirt underneath. Prowling next to her on a table was Charmian, her cat pokemon. They looked amazingly successful - and they were. The magazine was a special about Zoey's warm welcome in the circle of Master Coordinators.

Dawn felt her heart ache. How much further did her friend intend to surpass the blue haired coordinator?

Suddenly, Dawn felt a change in Piplup's frustrated demeanour. It started to radiate caution, so Dawn was not surprised, when a familiar voice spoke up. "First vandalism, now littering," J approached the young coordinator, "You know, if you want to impress me, you should start with something more extraordinary. You can barely call this a crime."

Dawn sat up and looked around. They were in the patio of the Japanese styled temple. Two cherry blossom trees were either well received providers of shade in the summery heat, or served as a seat for her Braviary. Also a couple more rocks and high growing bamboo decorated the patio, typical for such a place. Dawn's countless sketches of possible contest moves that were strewn over the grass were really an eyesore. She shrugged. "You can call it littering, I call it creative chaos. Besides, it isn't littering, if I pick it up later, right?"

She took a good look at the huntress. J seemed much better than the day before. Her face didn't show the extent of her fatigue anymore and her posture was upright, while she sipped on her hot drink. The bandage around her head was the only reminder of the Bell Tower and Team Rocket. It should have been strange for Dawn to feel relieved, yet she was.

"So that's what a creative chaos looks like, eh?" J's eyes weren't fixed on Dawn, rather on the sketch she had tried to perform just minutes earlier. "Seems anything but sufficient. That's what keeps you shouting around all morning?"

"Got a pro-" Dawn stopped. Be nice, she reminded herself and although that thought had to slip past some teeth gritting, she added, She does have a point, after all... "I guess so... Just, that it's well past morning - half three, actually!" She stood up and gave J a closer look. "I'm up since eleven. Have you been sleeping the whole time?"

J lifted an eyebrow towards her. "Considering that you landed on me and I took the whole damage, it's my right to sleep. But someone had to run amok."

"Sorry if I don't pity you..."

J shrugged as if she couldn't care less about Dawn's emotions. She simply took another sip of her green tea - until something yellow and fluffy bounced into her cheek. Pichu squealed happily as it made itself at home on her shoulder. J's stoic expression remained the same, besides the occasional twitching of her eye. Dawn couldn't say that about herself though. She was clearly taken aback by the sight.

"You've gotten used to it, huh..."

"As if," J snorted and looked at Dawn, sourly. "It's just that in the five minutes I have been awake, got my tea and came out here, I had to shove this thing of me for thirty-four times already."

Dawn chuckled nervously. As long as Pichu's save, it's alright... I suppose...

Just then, a stinging pain erupted in her head. Dawn winced and while the agony faded quickly, it also brought a thought with it. "Right... Your medicine..." Dawn rubbed the back of her head in an attempt to shake of the pain, while she pulled out the plastic bottle. She gave the pills inside a final shake - Dawn had spent most of her breaks, wondering what devious composite Joy had created for her favourite patient - then handed it over to J. Groaning, she asked, "Does Joy have a... ghost or psycho type? It's giving me a headache..."

"Good guess, it's a Rotom," J affirmed as she took the bottle. Casually, she screwed the lid open, gave the faintly orange medicine a throughout look, then threw it in her mouth. Her expression was concentrated, as she bit the pill open and tasted its ingredients. "What did you do? Try to set my room on fire?"

"Wouldn't even dream of that!" Dawn countered, her voice anything but serious, "No, I left your side and went to the Pokemon Centre to get my stuff - I could barely think with so much pain! I'm just glad Joy had an emergency or anything else to worry about."

J nodded, and Dawn directed her attention back to the transparent bottle. Curiosity was killing her, as she finally posed the question she had been burning to ask. "What are these for anyway?"

She didn't notice, but apparently, her eyes had held some king of secretive hope. J smirked slightly. "Right, this might be your chance to get to some high grade drugs. You're an adolescent, after all."

Appalled by the very idea, Dawn's face turned bright red and she opened her mouth to protest. J cut her short, though. "Unfortunately, they are just ordinary, boring vitamin tablets. Made out of berries - completely organic. Well, almost."

Dawn did her best to hide it, from both the outside world and herself. But she felt slightly let down at the revelation. There she thought, she found another evidence of J's bad life style, while it sounded in fact, perfectly healthy. "So..."

"So, no drugs, no chemistry that will cause some fancy hallucinations and end up in depression, no addiction, nothing. You can even have some yourself."

While Dawn didn't sense any lie from J, merely amusement, she backed away from the bottle. The pills looked highly suspicious, with their pastel orange colouring. More importantly, she had their creator in mind, who had clearly expressed, what little guilt she would feel, if Dawn ended up poisoned.

J rolled her eyes. "I thought, you could sense lies? Or just occasionally?"

"That's not it!" Dawn objected. "It's just that, in contrary to you, I don't trust Joy."

"Well, that makes two of us."

"Oh, and you know what she mixed in there how exactly?"

J shrugged nonchalantly. "A bit of old-fashioned biochemistry might help. It requires nothing more, than a functioning tongue - unfortunately, even you have one. If I had tasted anything dodgy inside, I would have spitted it out."

It was Dawn's turn to roll her eyes at the sarcasm. "You mean, you tasted it. Really?" Sceptically, she looked at the pills. "What's in, then?"

J exhaled heavily, as she recalled the ingredients. "Concentrated sitrus berry - a lot - lum berry, rawst berry and energy root. The energy root is drowning most of the other tastes, but I'm confident, that's all. I wouldn't recommend you to chew, just swallow them."

Dawn shot several more glances between the bottle and J and it felt like a daring feat, as she fished out one of the pills. When she placed the tablet inside her mouth, she kept her eyes shut - unable to see her end coming - and bit the medicine into powder.

Instantly, her body recoiled, but not because of poison. Rather, because of the overwhelmingly bitterness of the energy root. It took Dawn a lot of strength and willpower, to choke the pill past her constrictedthroat. She was thrown into a coughing fit, afterwards.

"I've warned you."

"That's disgusting!" Dawn spat as she desperately tried to get rid of the taste. She could understand, why herb specialists reminded trainers, that most pokemon wouldn't enjoy eating a energy root - even if it restored their power. "How was I supposed to know, there were other berries inside?!"

"I guess you do need some training."

Dawn looked at J. The huntress did neither look like a sommelier, nor like a head chef. "And why would someone like you even bother with such a training? Were you afraid someone might poison you?"

"Well, the idea with poison only came to my mind after I forced my chef to teach me in detecting tastes," she said, and immediately, her glare darkened. "With Joy on the same ship, you can't be cautious enough."

"Makes sense, I guess..." Dawn admitted, still shuddering from the bitterness.

J finished her tea with a final gulp. "Of course, it does. Come on," she beckoned Dawn, to follow her. "Breakfast."

"Breakfast?" the coordinator repeated, as her mind worked the sudden change of topic over. "You mean late lunch. Or early dinner. No thanks, I already ate," she declined, although her stomach made it feel like a lie. But barely an hour had passed since her own lunch; how could she be hungry again?

"Call it however you want. I don't remember offering you anything, though. It just didn't seem like a good idea leaving you all by yourself. It might not have been specifically included in my responsibility, but I doubt my contractors would appreciate it, if you were tormented by Joy. Unless you're a masochist."

That made very much sense to Dawn, so she held out her hand for Piplup to jump on and followed J. Until the huntress stopped. "Aren't you forgetting something?" J asked, and when Dawn only blinked at her, puzzled, she continued. "Your creative mess?"
 

As they wandered the streets, Dawn had a throughout look at the buildings. They passed sushi places, little ramen shops and some fast food chains. None of them were suitable for J's current appetite, though, so they kept strolling. The silver haired woman followed a certain way and Dawn had no idea, where they were heading.

So it were the houses she concentrated on. The houses, streets, people, anything that might be an evidence for Team Rocket's assault. But not even buildings close to the remains of the Bell Tower were demolished; in fact, Dawn was almost certain that even the streetlights remained fully functioning and wouldn't flick ominously in the night.

Only the people looked hurt - on the inside that was. Men, women, even children, running their daily errands appeared to bear sombre or sorrowful faces. What felt even worse, was that all of them seemed shot glances at Dawn and she knew that they knew. They accused the young trainer for her failure.

A group of girls around her age moved towards them, all three of them dressed in casual clothes. A little boy with big glasses accompanied them between their legs. "... never get to see the Bell Tower, again!" one girl with a strong dialect exclaimed.

"And your father really couldn't do something about it?" asked her friend, who had long brown hair with the most unusual jag pointing forward.

"No, he had to protect the city."

"But there should have been someone there!"

"Apparently, there was."

"Did an awful job, then," the third girl snorted, her brownish short hair waving at her movment, "if Makoto had been here..."

Their voices grew distant, although Dawn wished, she hadn't heard the conversation at all. Every fibre in her body felt the heavy pull of guilt. She slumped her shoulders and chose to direct her eyes solely towards the pavement. Piplup rubbed her arm empathetically and while she wasn't sure, why it felt that way, she could sense remorse rising in the penguin as well. It probably bore the conscience that it had failed its trainer - it had been the fire fighter, after all.

Dawn sighed and patted its head.

"You're still concerned about that nonsense?" J's voice came unexpected, almost making Dawn jump.

"What?" she asked, not sure, if she imagined things.

"You look like you just left your ally die on their own. You don't even need empathy to see the guilt written all over your face. Stop that, it's stupid. And irritating."

"There we go again. I am not in the mood for such a discussion, you know what I think of that matter."

"I know, but I can't understand it. It's almost as if you torched that damn tower yourself."

Her 'be nice'-credo kicked in seconds later after Dawn snapped, "Of course you can't! It was you who almost burned a whole forest to the ground, just to lure out one pokemon! You didn't even consider, what you could have harmed!" Or killed. Dawn's eyebrows were furrowed at the memories of the digging heat on her skin, when the flames flickered towards her. "Why would you care to understand my feelings anyways? You're not the type that wonders about motives."

"I don't," J agreed, "But I would like to enjoy my breakfast in peace, without some brat mulling about her imaginary failure."

J certainly had a hang of putting Dawn on the edge. To hell with being nice, she declared and glared at the huntress. "Oh, I'm giving you a hard time to keep your conscience? Sorry, must be such a fragile thing!"

"Looking at you, I would rather have none at all," J replied her hard stare; Dawn was barely aware they had stopped.

"I don't even want to imagine the state the world would be in, if you lost that sorry bit of conscience!"

"It would be perfectly alright, out of my eyes. Now, don't try to persuade me that consciences are actually good - not while you're struggling yourself."

Dawn remembered the incident with Ninetales and winced. "That's only temporary!" Her eyes flickered to J's bandage. Hopefully very soon, she wouldn't have to worry about that anymore. While Dawn wouldn't actively help her fire type in its task for revenge, mainly because she was appalled of the idea of harming others, she wouldn't have to stop it either. J could and if she failed... Dawn chose, not to think about such outcomes.

"Even worse! You don't even have any resolve, it's a mere waste of time!" J shook her head in disgust. "Get over it, will you? There was nothing you could have done anyways."

Dawn was confused. She feared, she got side-tracked during their argument. "What do you mean?"

J huffed and dropped her shoulders. "It wasn't like we just had a couple of rookies in our way, but in fact an army, with some experienced agents. If if makes you look any less sour, I'd even say you managed not bad for a little girl!

"And most importantly, it was Ho-Oh that set the tower on fire. You can have all the confidence in the world, but there is no way a Piplup can take on that kind of fire!"

The penguin perked up at that comment; it chirped and flailed its flippers around in Dawn's arms. None of the trainers paid it any mind, though.

"You didn't even notice the storm, did you? It was pouring, but it just evaporated with that heat. So do me a favour and stop blaming yourself so obviously, it's really getting on my nerves!"

Yes, Dawn had definitely lost track for a second. But even more than that, she was surprised by the bits of information J had presented her. Dawn had been dealing with only three, maybe four trainers - even though she suspected that her foes had been the stronger ones. She remembered plenty of men standing on that roof, but had no idea of their exact numbers; part of her wondered, if she had just imagined the mass.

And there certainly had been storm clouds, but she barely noticed them with the flames longing to engulf her. For a strange moment, Dawn found herself believing J. Naturally that feeling only lasted until she remembered who she was talking to and her heart shrank again into its anxious state.

A nice temptation none the less... Maybe there was a chance, Dawn could come to terms with it, eventually?

Dawn looked at J. The huntress had her eyes narrowed and her lips were slightly puckered. She could clearly feel her annoyance - and hunger, even stronger, pulsating in the older woman. Dawn's anxiety, her guilt and uncertainty were still present, but despite those sensations, she couldn't help the little smile spreading across her face.

"Okay, okay, no need to worry! I'll stop, happy now?" She sighed with a little chuckle. It felt incredibly relieving. "I've got more important matters to worry about. I need to figure out my performance - and no, I'm not addicted!" The coordinator added, remembering J's disbelieve in the gym. "Just desperate..."

As predicted, J didn't show interest in that statement. Instead she gestured forward. "So you're fine to move again?"

Dawn nodded.

"Finally!"

J's steps were long and Dawn was never sure, whether to try and hurry in her walking or to jog. But she found the time to wonder about a little part of J's tirade. If Dawn knew any better, she would suggest the huntress made a compliment. Which she probably didn't, but only said as a assurance that she would get rid of the coordinator.

I managed not bad, huh? Dawn repeated the words. Had J been dishonest? Or hadn't she been? She was painfully ashamed of how low she had sunken, but Dawn wanted to know and the temptation to ask was high, very high. Overwhelmingly high. After all, she argued with herself, she is my enemy - sort of. She would definitely be honest, because she doesn't have to care about my feelings, so... this could be a rare chance...

In the end, it was her urgent wish to redeem her crippled self-confidence, which made her begin the question. "Hey, J, you didn't mean -"

"DAWN!"

She came from out of nowhere - a pink storm of sparking joyfulness - and pounced on Dawn like a Persian lunged at a Pidgey. Dawn felt her shoulder smashing into J's side; even the huntress couldn't resist the impact of that tackle and staggered towards the building next to them. Whether she had eventually stopped or had been stopped, Dawn wasn't sure. She was occupied with what little air she had left in her lungs.

"You're alive!" the energetic trainer revelled and intensified the pressure on Dawn's already cracking bones.

"Wh-Whitney..." Dawn choked, both surprised and terrified; what in the world was the gym leader of Goldenrod City doing in Ecruteak City? Never mind the proximity of those two towns, she shouldn't just leave her duties! And she certainly shouldn't be squashing Dawn with such ferocity! She felt J's grip on her shoulder, as the huntress pushed the embrace from herself. With little hopes, Dawn directed her weak "Help-" towards the older woman.

"I'm so glad! I know Morty said you were good but I had to see myself! I'm so glad to see you're okay I don't even want to imagine how dull contest will be without you!" Finally, Whitney let go of the suffering girl and gave her a throughout look. "Look at you, barely a scratch! That's amazing!"

Dawn couldn't deny that statement. She had spent a good hour of showering and picking clothes that were comfortable, suitable for hot temperatures and concealed her little injuries. She had no choice with her palm, the rest, though, had been taken care of.

"If you had continued that hug for any longer, I really wouldn't be able to continue coordinating..." Dawn muttered and gave Piplup a look. The penguin appeared to have fainted, but otherwise seemed fine. Just to make sure, she loosened the grip around her partner slightly more. "Is your gym damaged again, by any chance?"

"No, silly! I left it in the hands of my girls!" Whitney replied and chuckled. "I was helping my boyfriend with all those bad guys. I mean, I know he can handle himself, but a little help never hurts!"

"Boyfriend?" Dawn asked, at that moment amazed by the patience some people possessed. Only a moment later, she had an idea, who that person could have been. She almost winced with disbelieve.

"Morty, of course! ... What's with that perplexed face?"

Dawn found herself struggling with the idea for a moment. Her picture of Morty was one of a strong trainer, who kept his distance and seemed in control over his emotions. While Whitney was doubtlessly a powerful gym leader with her Miltank, she was also a girl of close-up initiative. Talk about opposites attract, Dawn mused. "Uh, how should I put it... Shouldn't... normal and ghost types have no effect on each other?"

It was the only combination of types, where inviolability based on mutuality. Unique indeed and obviously not applicable for reality.

"Maybe!" Whitney beamed, "But if you use moves like foresight or odor sleuth-"

Dawn couldn't stop the images flooding her mind, of a Whitney staring at Morty out of malicious eyes or closing up to him, trying to sniffle the last bit of his scent. "Alright, I get the picture! You and Morty are probably a great couple, can we change the topic please?" Dawn sighed. The conversation hit another sore spot, than just ridiculousimages. "You're not going to wreck the contest here as well, are you?"

"Huh?" For some reason, Whitney seemed perplexed. "But- mmmmmmmh!"

Dawn jumped as Haunter appeared right next to the gym leader and clasped its claws over her mouth. The ghost type lifted a finger and shook its floating head, chidingly.

"I don't want to go back, yet!" Whitney moaned, but couldn't put up much resistance, when the ghost type dragged her along. Dawn laughed nervously at the scene - not that she complained too much about it.

J tugged her shirt slightly and moved on. "Sorry Whitney, gotta go! See you later!" Dawn waved, almost ashamed of herself and followed the huntress with lighter steps.

"Wait, Dawn!" Whitney called out and the coordinator merely tilted her head in her direction. "I thought, you knew! The contest had already been held! But don't worry, it'll be fi- MMMPH!"

Dawn didn't stop her body at the news; everything else, though, seemed to halt. She felt a chill freezing her guts - familiar, yet more intense than usually.
 

J had lead them to an all-day breakfast restaurant. Despite her recent lunch, Dawn had decided a second helping wouldn't hurt - after five agonizing minutes of discussing with herself, whether she was allowed to overstuff herself or thin out her budget. Her growling stomach won and actually, she had been too miserable to be rational to begin with.

She couldn't believe, they hadn't waited for her with the contest. It just didn't seem fair. The battle with Team Rocket, her hassleswith J and the pain of falling from a burning tower - all of these she had endured with every intention of participating in the Ecruteak Contest. In fact, that had been the reason she plunged herself in that mission so willingly.

Dawn wanted to make sure, Team Rocket was stopped quickly, before they could lay any damage on the city, thus causing a cancellation of the contest. Her worries over Ho-Oh had been quite low, since she couldn't take that group of thieves seriously. Jessie, James and Meowth did a good job, lulling her into a decisive sense of security.

But what probably upset the coordinator most was that she had told Morty about her wish to participate in that contest, that it had been her motive. Yet he couldn't have the decency to delay it?

Dawn found herself both hungry and unable to eat during her second breakfast. Nonetheless, she managed to gulp down three quarters, before J kindly paid the bill. At that point, the coordinator didn't even suspect any greater motive behind the huntresses move. Although, it could be due to the simple reason that Dawn couldn't find her wallet.

"Can we drop by the Pokemon Centre for a bit?" Dawn asked, before J could head back in the direction they came from. J's expression was as close to terrified as Dawn had ever seen on her.

"Why?"

"Because... I haven't spoken to my mum, since the day we got on that tower..." Dawn remembered their argument. She feared, anymore guilt would block her throat permanently. "She might be worried."

J was clearly appalled by the idea. Nonetheless she turned around and began their way to Joy's workplace, without a further discussion. That lack of response made Dawn perk up, however. It was unexpected, to say the least and for strange reasons, she felt disappointed.

Their debates were irritating, leaving Dawn with an unhealthy amount of anger. And while they sometimes stirred her sore confidence, they were far away from the core of her problems. At least then, she could fully concentrate on their verbal fights instead of mulling over the dozen ways to fail.

It always seemed easier clinging to frustration, than pulling oneself up. That time, though, Dawn was willing to give it a try. After all, she just had to think of some topic to talk about and she actually cared for an answer to the question that came to her mind. "How come a Nurse Joy is working for you?"

J shrugged, not looking at the coordinator. "Every family has a black sheep, I suppose."

"I think I know, who it is in your family."

J remained silent - and Dawn felt a gloomy darkness rise around them. The sensation felt so uncomfortable, she decided not to deepen that topic. "Well, she is special, alright, that doesn't explain why she should just choose to live as a criminal. Or why you would let her close to you! Didn't you suspect her?"

J pondered over the question. "I did a background check, of course. She had been specially trained as a doctor that would treat any patient, no matter what conditions or circumstances. At the same time, she would remain distant with their emotions in check. Very handy for war or other nasty tasks. I guess, she learned to care more about money than anything else and that's what I provided."

"But still, why would you trust her? I mean, you and a member of the most helpful family in the world! With people so nice and sweet, it creeps you out at times."

"She just seemed trustworthy," J continued stubbornly. It seemed, she didn't have that conversation for the first time.

"Trustworthy? I don't think, we're talking of the same person anymore. Unless," Dawn mulled over an idea, "it's a strange criminal understanding. I always expected you people being... unable to trust anyone, let alone one another."

Finally, J looked at Dawn. "I stopped calling you girl, why can't you return the favour?"

"But it's what you are!"

"And you're a little girl, girl."

Dawn groaned. While discussions with J was admitted, she didn't want to go through the name debate again. "Sorry, J. How old are you to call me girlanyways?"

J's expression darkened at that question. "How old do you think I am?" She hissed and shot Dawn a glare. The coordinator was slightly taken aback.

"Well..." She scanned J's appearance, her short silver hair, her expression and especially her eyes. Her narrow greyish eyes that viewed the world with seasoned scepticism. Despite the lack of wrinkles in her face, Dawn judged in regard ofher glare. "Maybe... thirty-six? Eight? You're not forty, are you?"

Dawn stopped guessing, when she sensed the dwelling rage growling in J. "You know," she pointed at her hair, "This is my natural colour, and it's silver, not grey."

"I never assumed differently, I think I am quite good with colours," Dawn frowned and gradually, she noticed something, "So, you're younger... That's strange, you haven't... you haven't changed a bit after five years, have you..?"

"Of course I have. I'm no longer a pokemon hunter, remember?"

"That's not what I meant," Dawn whispered, her eyes glued to J as they failed to find any difference. Although quite some time has passed and her memories were not hundred percent accurate, she was certain that she recalled J's appearance. Besides, after five years, there was bound to happen at least some remarkable change.

"Ah, so that's the door, you smashed. Can't see, why Joy should complain, she likes fresh air."

Dawn winced back into reality and stared at the entrance. Both her mind and body recoiled and she wished she didn't have to step inside the clinic. But then again, she could use the phones there for free and she had to call her mother.

"You think she is still mad about it?"

"Who, Joy? No, I wouldn't think of her as the type who holds grudges," J smirked, then her face grew stoic again, "I'll wait here -"

"Didn't remember, you were that much of an Sentret, J," Joy joined their conversation, making both young women wince, "Why won't you come in. I'm not busy at the moment, so we have a cup of tea, some biscuits."

"Don't you have some pokemon to look after?" J asked with little hope.

"No, which is a good thing, don't you think? After being in charge for emergencies for seventy two hours, I get a break, finally."

"If its an emergency you're after, you know I can always arrange one," J replied, pulled out a silver pokeball and pointed at a group of kids with their Pidgeys, "Salamence could accidentally misfire a hyperbeam."

"You would do that for me? Really?" Joy asked disdainfully.

"Only for you."

Dawn still had to recover from her current contest low, but she still smirked at the semi hostile exchange.

"What are you laughing at?" Joy snapped at the girl, "You are causing me a headache as well. Your mother has been ringing me the whole time, asking, whether you have been found or what your condition is. Do something about it, will you? Otherwise I actually have to lie and tell her the date of your funeral."

Dawn grew pale with panic. Her heartbeat increased by the speed of a galloping Rapidash at the thought of what her mother had been through. "What did you tell her?" she couldn't control her high-pitched voice.

"Just the truth," Joy spoke dangerously calmly, "That you were still lost after the incident with the burning tower. Today I had better news, though; You had been found, but your state prevents you from talking to her."

"You didn't - that's not the truth!"

"Oh, but it is. Either you were too exhausted and bound to bed or you couldn't talk to anybody, because you suffered from a headache that can put you in a delirium."

Dawn didn't waste any more time with the cruel nurse. She dashed inside, almost threw Piplup on the table in front of a communicator and called her mother. The beeping of a heartbeat greeted her and Dawn gripped the table harder, willing for the machine to connect faster.

It didn't take long, however - Dawn had the high suspicion that her mother hadn't left the device for hours. The screen flashed and Dawn saw the image of Johanna, devastated with red eyes and wrinkles of concern that would probably never leave. "Mum! It's me-"

"Dawn! Thank Arceus!" her mother cried, eyes wide with shock and relief, "I already thought, you were..."

"No! Nononono! That's what Joy said, don't listen to her, she is mental!" Dawn sighed. Was that mess really necessary? She felt horrible and the fresh wave of guilt did not hurt any less than the previous ones.

"Are you safe? Please don't tell me, you're injured! I was already about to buy a ticket to Johto -"

"Don't," Dawn quickly put her mother's mind at ease, "I am fine; there is no need to come over. No injuries, nothing! My hand is still the worst scratch on my body, see?" She held up her left palm, neatly concealed by a bandage. No need to tell her of the additional burn. "I was save all the time, just... Well, I did fall unconscious, but I had a good shelter." And pillow to land on.

Johanna sighed and finally, her frown relaxed. "That's good..." she couldn't stop the slight sob escaping her throat, but otherwise she pulled herself together. Her mother wasn't the type to reveal too much of her inner life to her daughter. "I just watched the contest, when one of the girls announced she did it in your honour... I already thought, you... I heard, what happened and since you wanted to plunge yourself right into it..."

For a split second, Dawn wondered if she made out any reproach in that statement, but ignored it. After all, who could accuse her mother, if she unconsciously blamed Dawn for the mess? "I did, but I was pretty lucky! And..." Dawn added hesitantly, "I wasn't alone, there was someone with me and she protected me."

"Really?" Johanna sighed, finally convinced, "Then I'm glad... And very grateful... I would love to meet that person..."

"Well, no, that's not possible, because - she is gone. Moved on to another city! But I can tell her, if you like!"

Her mother nodded. Under different circumstances, Dawn would snort at the irony, but she still had to fight her inner turmoil. And as soon as the matter of her survival was clarified, Dawn felt the whole weight of another matter crashing upon her. "You watched the contest, huh?" The one I saved, but couldn't participate in. It hurt, forming the next sentence and apparently, she didn't manage to hide her emotions. "How was it?"

"Very... exceptional," Johanna admitted, "The girl, who devoted her participation to you was an excellent coordinator with an Espeon - quite famous in Ecruteak City and Johto. She had no problems, progressing through every round. Almost like you in Goldenrod City. She seemed very determined to live up to your expectations."

Dawn let out a dry laugh. At least, the winner won her ribbon - Dawn's ribbon - in her honour! But then again, how well would Dawn have fared against such a skilled coordinator? Even her mother, another top-class coordinator, held a high opinion. What chances did a little girl have, that remained in the shadows of her very own family and friends for six years...

"Dawn?" Johanna pulled her daughter out of her thoughts. Dawn stopped biting her lips and focused on her mother. "I am so sorry. I almost died of remorse, when I thought about the way I treated you the last time we spoke. Thinking that the last you heard of me were nothing but reproaches..."

"It's alright," Dawn replied, but couldn't prevent the bitterness of her voice, "Don't think about it, I asked for it. And... I'm sorry myself. But hey!" Her cheerfulness sounded obviously fake - if her mind had been clear, Dawn would have been ashamed, how little she cared. "No need to worry! The way things look, I'll be home pretty soon. Isn't it nice? Another failure, but at least now there won't be any problems with contests anymore! Must be a huge relief for you, huh?"

Immediately, Dawn regretted those words. She didn't even need to see the hurt in her mother's eyes, to know what harm she just caused. At the same time, though, she refused the wish to take it back. It was almost, as if part of her wanted to unleash anguish. What was wrong with her?

"I'm... I should better go. Talk to you soon."

The sight of her mother became unbearable, so before Johanna had the chance to stop her, Dawn turned off the communicator. She squeezed her eyes shut, until dots flashed before her. Hurt, despair, wrath, confusion, contempt against herself and everything around her. Those emotions seemed to take turns in intervals no longer than seconds and it was impossible, to tell what would surface next. Her mood was as unstable as a boiling volcano; ready to unleash itself any time, any place.

She heard J calling for her long before the huntress approached her, but Dawn decided to ignore her voice. She wanted to be left alone. That wish, however, seemed impossible to fulfil.

When J was within reach of the younger girl, she called out her name once again. As Dawn still didn't respond, she did what any responsible person wouldn't do - she kicked her chair so hard, it almost toppled over. That definitely ripped Dawn out of her brooding mind. She swung around and snapped at the huntress, "What is your problem?!"

To her annoyance, J seemed completely unfazed; her glare remained neutral, for her standards at least. "This place is. Now, get moving."

As Dawn wouldn't budge, J sighed. "I hope you're not ridiculously expecting me to be your emotional punching bag."

"Why would I expect anything from anyone? Especially you! You couldn't care less about me, so why should I even bother?"

"That's right, I don't care," J growled, "It's just a warning; if you don't watch your tongue, I will make sure it were your last words-"

"Oh, you're threatening me? Really? I thought, you weren't allowed to! Why else would you save me from death or even a little headache from Joy!" Dawn slid of her chair and tried hard to match J's height. Their argument continued in silence, solely through their stares. They didn't even notice the looks, several trainers in the Pokemon Centre shot them.

"As much as I like little shows, I am not in the mood for more destruction and with you two around, I can just wait till my Pokemon Centre burns up! Get out!" Joy snarled at the two. Reluctantly, they separated. While J was just eager to follow Joy's suggestion, Dawn felt her own composure waver. Seemed like wrath passed the baton over to commitment. Darkly, the coordinator stared at the ground as she followed the huntress. She acknowledged that Piplup jumped on her shoulder, then returned to her brooding thoughts.

A hot breeze awaited them and Dawn felt her annoyance grow. The summer was too hot, even for her taste and especially on that particular day. She wished to return to her room and cover under her sheets, but at the same time, she felt ashamed to hide. She wanted to keep on walking, but had no energy. Keep up trying to earn the remaining two ribbons, knowing, it was futile. Dawn didn't know, what to do - the turmoil inside her blocked any clear thoughts and desires that might have helped planning the rest of the day. Even something as small as the decision for the next hour would have served as an anchor within her emotional hurricane!

"I'll get some coffee - you wait here. I don't want you to end up buying something you can't pay for, again," J told her and turned towards a little café.

"That's my decision!" Dawn retorted, "And it's not like I couldn't afford it -"

"You just forgot your wallet."

"I didn't, I just couldn't find it! No need to pay my bills."

"And end up being thrown out of my favourite breakfast place?" J huffed, "Just stay here, will you..."

Dawn glared after the huntress. The sooner they were back at the temple house, the better. The only desire she could understand, was to get away from the huntress as far as possible. Two rooms apart would do for a start. She felt Piplup's nudge, but tried to pay no attention. The penguin was her most trusted partner - why couldn't it understand, she needed time for herself?

"Piplup pip..." It chirped in her ear as she turned her head away.

"Piplup, not now."

"You know, I really despise people like you," J returned with a steaming cup of coffee. She seemed to practically inhale the aromatic liquid.

"Likewise!" Dawn snapped and for a split second, she wondered why she had stopped Ninetales. She crossed her arm defiantly - she just felt so in the heat of the moment, nothing more. She didn't really wish harm to the huntress, did she?

"At least I have some backbone," J continued calmly, "And I have an accurate idea of my skills, in contrary to you."

Wrath returned from its break, stronger than before. "Oh, really? Are you calling me pathetic again? Why, because I think a pokemon hunter is just about the worst kind of person existing?"

"What do you know about that topic? There are people much worse than me - I should know, I met them," J tensed remarkably at that statement, but was quick to move on, "But that's not the issue. I don't care, if you obey the law or not, that's not the kind of skills and strength I'm talking about."

"Ah, so you're just calling me pathetic, because I'm weak?"

"Exactly!"

Dawn tightened her grip around her arms, but it didn't feel satisfactory enough. She wanted to explode, yet that wasn't quite possible. "You say that, after I saved you from the Gengar?"

"Yes, because it was obvious you acted out of your usual style! Normally, you would be so caught up with all your concerns, worrying what is possible in your boundaries and what isn't that you couldn't make one decent decision!"

"You've seen me through, haven't you? You believe you're telling me about a brand new discovery and I should probably fall to my knees and crave for your wisdom! Well guess again, I know me better than you do! I know, what's wrong!"

"Really? Then why won't you do something against it? Do you want to be pitied, that someone pats your head and tells you everything will be alright?"

"Hell no!" Dawn shouted, "I'm doing what I can, train as much as possible! There isn't much more to do!"

"Seriously, that's the only way you can think of? Train until you're senseless? Pity yourself after each and every failure?"

"Well, what can I do, then?" Dawn erupted, stomped her foot on the ground, with fists clenched next to her sides. Her vision blurred slightly - she couldn't see anything clearly but J's head. From times to times, she almost felt dizzy.

"First you should realize, what your problem is! Certainly not your pokemon or skills!" J bellowed. Dawn winced - and hated herself for that. Noticing that gesture of retreat, J continued with a more reasonable volume. "I hate to admit it, but in that regard you're a decent trainer. Yet you still have that damn attitude of a wimp and that's what angers me!"

Dawn couldn't reply, and she wasn't sure if it was the shock or just because she waited for the huntress to continue. It felt surreal, hearing that kind of praise from the huntress.

"Can't even deny it, can you?" J continued, "I don't get people like you; Are you trying to be so damn humble, because any sign of confidence might be arrogant? Because you're not comfortable to have even a crumb of ego? Or just because you think, people will praise you for your modesty? If you win, then that was due to luck or some godly intervention - or are you actually afraid of being superior to someone else?"

It took Dawn a moment to realize that J's question weren't rhetorical - that she was dead serious. The flames of her fury were shrinking, yet she didn't feel miserable enough to reveal the truth. "Why should you care about me and my problems? They are none of your -" She shook her head, "I don't need your advice and you shouldn't give it to me in the first place! Anything else is plain wrong!"

"Believe me, I couldn't think of anything worse than building up a pitiful girl as you are. If circumstances didn't force me, I wouldn't bother. But since I have to, I might as well get over with it."

"Build me up? Why? Give me another chance to actually get to the Grand Festival? Maybe even win it! The devil himself must be forcing you. That's just ridiculous, not to mention impossible."

"You have no idea how close you are to reality," J sighed, "And forget about your contests already, they don't interest me. Though I could give you an earful about them as well."

"Right, the pokemon hunter understands something about performances, creativity and beauty and she can tell me about my mistakes! We both know, you're not the type for that."

"Then it should be alarmingly for you, how terrible you are," J replied and crossed her arms. Since Dawn still looked anything but convinced, she continued. "You've put me through hours of appeal and battle rounds. Sometimes it was an embarrassment! The only decent performance you had was in Goldenrod City, and before that? You were lucky with your first ribbon, there you had as good as no competition, but the second time I'm convinced you received pity points!"

Dawn parted her lips, but disbelieve overwhelmed her. She couldn't find the right words, to vocalize her perplexity.

"Don't look at me like that. You think, I walk blindly into a suicide mission? I had to know, whether I could rely on you for at least a few henchmen. You failed to convince me."

"Then..." Dawn began anxiously, after gathering her thoughts for a few seconds, "What... problems did you see in my performances?"

"Apart from you?" J gave her snide remark, but returned to a more agreeable manner, "You're trying too hard."

Dawn's eye brows disappeared behind her fringe. She had been told that she was working to hard - but then, why should her performances fail so miserably? She was about to question the huntress, J however, already gave the answer.

"You're obviously overtraining yourself and your pokemon, until they are sick and tired of that routine. Of course, your performance looks dull! And you're doubting your chances of success - don't deny it, it's written all over your face. You should watch yourself more often through a camera. There is enough footage available from you. Remember your sense of empathy? Most pokemon have that, some stronger than yours. If they can tell that you're just waiting for them to mess up, how do you expect them to react?"

"I'm trying to believe in them, but..." Dawn tried to defend herself, yet felt disgust rise within her. For most of the time, she tried her best to deny it. When had she started to doubt her own partners so much?

"But they failed once, why shouldn't they do it again?" J suggested brutally straightforward, "You're stuck in a vicious circle and probably haven't even noticed it."

Now Dawn felt ashamed. She seemed to shrink in front of J's glare. Unable to control herself, Dawn's arms began to shiver. The tension of her muscles dropped, yet she wasn't ready to be defeated. Just yet. "It's not like I don't believe in them at all..."

"Expect in the most crucial moments. Why is it so hard for you to have some confidence in yourself? You're the trainer, it's your responsibility lead you towards victory. It's not like you can lose something, can you?"

Dawn's shoulders slumped downwards, and she was no longer able to hold J's reproachful glare. Her voice trembled as she spoke and memories filled her. "Yes, you can... Do you know, how much it hurt when you believe in your victory - when you are convinced you already won, only to end up losing? I'm always too confident... And when I fail then, the fall is much deeper..."

"So, instead of allowing yourself to enjoy your victories, you're rather miserable the whole time? Just because you're afraid of a little pain?" The disbelieve in J's voice made Dawn perk up. The huntress looked like she wanted to slap her forehead, but refused to cause any more damage to herself. "You have to be kidding me!"

"That pain is a lot worse!" Dawn denied J's belittlement.

"What you should to then, is make sure you won't lose! Damn it, it can't be so hard, I'm living that way! And you'll never see me crumble!"

Again, Dawn averted her eyes. With all her might, she tried to prevent herself from breaking apart in front of her enemy, yet there wasn't much energy left. Her fury earlier seemed to have burnt all of it, leaving nothing behind for a facade. Trying to divert her attention from her emotions, Dawn bit her lip. Yet that didn't stop the sob shaking her chest. She hated herself, for her lack of inner strength.

"What every you do, don't start crying!" J yelled, but that only enforced the shame that pulled Dawn deeper. With a sigh, the huntress tried another approach. "What is it with your stupid contests anyways? There's plenty of them, isn't there?"

Dawn chuckled, despair overtaking her as she shook her head. "No, there aren't. Not for me. This is my last Grand Festival... If I fail... If I don't achieve my dream of becoming a Top-Coordinator like my mum... my friends... Then that means, I'm not cut to be coordinator. It means, I should stop wasting my time..."

"Oh please, tell me it's not true. Who told you that nonsense?"

Dawn looked at J, part of her actually hoping, the huntress might help. "I did. I can't keep up doing this forever, can I? I have to grow up and do something with my future... I can't keep up depending on others for money or stay with my mum forever..."

"You're too young to make life long decisions," J replied.

"Maybe not for my whole life, but for the next few years I can..." Dawn mumbled and returned her gaze back to the ground. The pavement seemed to close in, suck her into its depths, then returning to its original state. She brushed over her eyes, removing the moisture that began to assemble.

J huffed. "You have three ribbons so far. How many contests are left before the Grand Festival?"

Dawn bit her lip again; that time her insides clenched at the belittlement that would follow her answer. "Well... Two..."

"Two?" J's voice sounded scornful and disbelieving, "Two?" She repeated, shaking her head, "I don't exacly follow the newest rules about contests, so I might've missed any changes. Did the amount of ribbons you need for the Grand Festival increase in the past few years?"

Dawn winced, readying herself for the sneer that would surely follow. "No..." She shook her head and desperately tried to avoid J's glare.

"So, you still need five ribbons to enter the Grand Festival, to become a Top-Coordinator? So fat, you have three and two more chances to quality for it. Am I right so far, or am I missing something?"

As Dawn wouldn't answer, J took it as an approval. "All that fuss for nothing?! Are you serious?!"

"I thought we just worked out that I'm a pathetic girl without backbone that's bound to lose! How am I supposed to win twice in a row?" Dawn defended herself and she couldn't stop the tears spilling from her eyes. In a desperate attempt to keep her dignity, she turned her back towards the huntress.

To her bewilderment, she felt J stagger. Dawn shot the silver haired woman a side-glance, who had her eyes squeezed shut and a hand pressed against her forehead. "You're causing me a headache, you know that?"

"I'm sorry..." Dawn apologized, ashamed that even without trying, she caused such harm.

"That's the least you can be," J muttered and took a sip from her coffee. She still appeared to be in pain though and Dawn felt the strong urgent, to flee.

"Can we go back, please?" She pleaded, craving for nothing but the embrace of the sheets of her futon. Exhausting overcame her trembling body; returning would be enough of an ordeal.

"If I don't run out of coffee first," J deadpanned and the two got moving. Through her haze of emotions, Dawn almost felt the relief of being on her way back. Just then another sob shook her upper body and a fresh pair of tears easily slipped through her self-restraint.

"Can't you stop that?" J muttered irritated.

Dawn shook her head as an answer, "Can't help it..."

"I might be a cruel pokemon hunter, but I still don't feel comfortable with a girl whining right in my ear. Too noisy, too miserable. Is there really nothing to stop you?"

"Oblivion."

"Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to do that."

Dawn shrugged. What else consulted people, who wished to feel well again? "Chocolate."

"Chocolate?" J repeated and stopped all of sudden. Then spun around and left Dawn standing in the middle of the road, staring after her.

"What the..." She mumbled, eye brows furrowed. J was a mystery. An unpredictable mystery. Dawn however, was in no mood to figure out what the huntress had in mind, so instead she faced the direction of the temple and crossed her arms.

It didn't take long for J to return though, and to Dawn's amazement, she held another steaming paper cup right in her face. "Drink that!" J ordered and hesitantly, Dawn accepted the hot beverage. The scent was familiar, sweet and cocoa like.

"Hot... chocolate?" the coordinator asked, holding the cup as if it was poisoned.

"Yes. Now, let the endorphin production start. That's what chocolate is good for, right?" J shrugged, "It's not like I ever need it, so..."

Still full of disbelieve, Dawn took a huge gulp, which almost scalded her tongue. It was indeed hot chocolate, but more so than the sweet cocoa, it was the situation, that drew a chuckle from Dawn. As well as a couple more tears. "Thanks... That's very... sweet?" She suggested and showed J a teary smile.

"I suppose it is. You didn't see how much sugar the guy spooned in," J deadpanned.

"Maybe you want some as well?" Dawn offered, but only received a disgusted look.

"Do I look like I need that? I hate chocolate!" She shuddered, a movement that didn't suit her injury at all. Wincing, she rubbed the bandage at the front, "Enough with the sentimentalities, I'm dizzy enough without more awkwardness."

Dawn sensed it as well. "You should rest. Otherwise Joy might poison me."

"And we wouldn't want that to happen."

There was a bit of a silence, in which Dawn gathered her thoughts. The discussion about contests had claimed most of her attention, but even they couldn't make her completely forget the secrets revolving around the huntress. Though hesitantly, she tried another attempt to get answers. "Who is included in 'we'?"

Only slowly, J lowered the cup from her lips. She took her time, to ponder about the question, before she eventually let out a sigh. "Guess there is nothing to do about it anyways, is there? And while we're already chatting so nicely, might as well get over it."

She directed her eyes towards Dawn. "But let me ask you first, what your relationship with the lake guardians is."

Dawn perked up at that unexpected question. "Well, I'm friends with them, especially Mesprit. Not too mention Ash, Brock and I had to save them, after you delivered them to Team Galactic. Did you know that they were trying to create a new universe, thus destroying the old one? Including you! That's just a theory, but they might have used you."

J rose her eye brow at that statement, but whatever her reply might have been, Dawn didn't hear it. Since the girl opened herself more and more to the outside world instead of remaining in her dark mind, she noticed something else.

An Espeon sat on a windowsill, its black eyes staring intently at Dawn. The ruby on its forehead caught her attention and no power in the world could make her stop staring at it. It emitted a crimson light, one that itself right into Dawn's mind. And then she knew.

With its telekinetic powers, Espeon beckoned her to follow it. The urgency in that call was overwhelmingly, as if her life might depend on it. She remembered Johanna's words, "The winner was an excellent coordinator with an Espeon." Dawn was convinced that she looked at the very same Espeon. She knew she did.

The psychic type was still pulling her towards it, as it jumped of its seat and strolled into an alley on the right side of her initial way home. It stopped only once, to look back at the coordinator and enforce its telekinetic spell.

Dawn found herself in a difficult position. On the one hand, she wanted to see the person, who won the contest in her place. She wanted to meet Espeon's trainer and... While Dawn wasn't sure what might follow afterwards, she felt like she wouldn't be able to rest, if she didn't find out.

Now, however, was her maybe one chance to find out about J. The secret she had been longing for, she had to know about for her own safety... Strangely, that desire was pushed into a faraway corner of her mind; she couldn't grasp hold of it, like a memory one tried to recall with all their might.

One temptation fought the other... Eventually, Dawn made a decision - and she dashed after the evolution pokemon, leaving a surprised J behind.

Maybe it was to put the matter of that contest to a rest. Maybe it was a chance to redeem her fading dream. Dawn wasn't sure about her own intentions, but the desire to see Espeon's trainer was too strong to resist.

Very soon, a building came into sight - it was the site, where the contest had been held. The Kimono Dance Theatre. Dawn barely noticed how her hip ached after the sprint; she was too anxious about what might follow and how she would react to it. Once again, she brushed over her eyes, removing every last bit of moisture trickling over her skin.

Finally, Dawn slid the door open. Inside the entrance hall, there waited her welcoming committee. Five young women, dressed in beautifully coloured kimono's. Espeon sat at the feet of the girl in the middle, its eyes just as unreadable, yet meaningful as before.

"Welcome Dawn," they greeted her in unison, before they introduced themselves individually.

"My name is Satsuki," the dancer with the bright yellow kimono announced.

"Tamao is my name." Her colour was black with golden patterns.

"Koume!" the girl in orange red declared.

"I am Sumomo," the fourth said, her turquoise blue kimono shifting slightly with her movement.

"And the last one is me, Sakura," concluded Espeon's trainer with a smile. Her kimono matched the psychic type's colouring; lilac with a few rubies reflecting the light.

"We are the Kimono Sisters," their choir began again, but it was Sakura, who completed their welcome.

"And I have an offer for you, Dawn."
 

Yeah, another cliff hanger. Sorry, couldn't resist! But some of you might have an idea now, what the mystery around J is!

Uh, will I stop torturing Dawn anytime soon? Nahhhhh. Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see ;)

Write ya next time!

Challenge

"An... offer?" Dawn repeated, her head still buzzing with confusion. She glanced at the ruby glittering on Espeon's forhead and felt another pull towards its depths. It took a considerable amount of effort to look away.

"That's right! And I'm offering this!" Sakura exclaimed, unfolded her hands and presented a ribbon. Dawn almost couldn't believe her eyes as she savoured the sight. The Ecruteak City Ribbon - and she was certain it belonged to that contest - featured a bronze teak tree leaf, broad and elliptical with golden streaks. The ribbon itself was coloured in different shades of red. There was also a spotlight emmiting from the prize, but Dawn guessed that was part of her imagination.

"The Ecruteak City Ribbon!" Sakura confirmed her guess. "It comes with a challenge, though! You will have to win against us, the Kimono Sisters. If you do, then this ribbon will be yours."

Dawn's mind crawled as if she had barely woken up from a deep sleep and so it took her a while to piece the new information together. She rubbed her temple. "So... I just have to battle you? That's all?"

"That will be enough work, believe me! We might not look like it in this getup, but we are pretty tough!"

"Sorry... That's not what I meant... I think."

That response drew concerned looks from the sisters. The one in the bright yellow kimono asked, "Are you alright, Dawn-san?"

"I'm -" Dawn hesitated for a moment, then admitted, "I'm not sure, actually."

It took Sakura another look at her face, then a side glance at Espeon, until she understood the issue. "Oh no!" To Dawn's surprise, the dancer bowed deeply and emmited a wave of embarrassment. "I'm sorry! I might have sounded a bit too urgent, when I asked Espeon to bring you here. I'm so sorry for the trouble!"

Dawn blinked; now, the explanation for her disorientation lay on the tip of her tongue, yet it took still some effort to grasp it from the thick haze of her head. "So... Espeon used it's psychic moves on me and now I'm..."

"Confused," Sakura finished for her.

The coordinator crossed her arms in front of her chest. She felt Piplup shifting on her shoulder, nudging her cheek with its beak. "To think that I still can't tell when I'm confused, even after I spent so much time with Spinda..."

"I guess it wouldn't be a proper confusion, if you noticed." Sakura glanced at a side door. "Why won't you come in, while I get something to help you snap out of it?"

With a smile, Dawn accepted the invitation and took the first step towards the Kimono Sisters.

Suddenly, strong fingers dug into her right shoulder, until her bones shrieked in pain. The culprit yanked their hand back, thus turning Dawn around. Now with the wall pressing in her back, Dawn winced from J's steely glare.

"Don't push my patience, girl," J growled at her.

"J... Hi," Dawn muttered, her mind trying to piece together, why she wasn't that surprised to see the huntress. Ah, yes. They had spent some time together. Still lost, she tried to act casual. "Where've you been?"

J reinforced her grip, until Dawn rose to her tiptoes and instinctively clasped her hand around J's warm wrist. "I won't repeat myself! I am not going to chase after you whenever you decide to run off! You were the one eager for answers."

Dawn shrinked under J's scowl; it didn't stop her from asking with an innocent face, though, "What answers?"

As if J was still trying to contain her anger, she closed her eyes for a second. While Dawn could sense her emotions, she didn't notice the usual influence on herself. Her stomach tightened and before J was able to do anything to the girl, Dawn cried, "Wait, wait, wait! I wasn't trying to be rude! You saw Espeon, right? It used it's psychic powers to call me here, so -"

Right on cue, a pair of sock clad feet scurried over the tatami mats and Sakura along with Espeon appeared next to their side. Her forehead was wrinkled with concern. "Dawn! What's going on here?" She glanced between the two young women, radiating skeptisism.

"You're confused. That's some news," J snorted, but released her grip on Dawn's shoulder. To Sakura she said, "Is that your scheme to lure in customers? Using psychic attacks on them until they suffer memory loss?"

"Of course not!" Sakura shook her head, until her black wig started to slip. Hastely, she straightened the accessory of her dancer attire. Once again, she bowed in a sincere apology. "I'm really sorry that happened, but it was not intended."

"It's true," Dawn chimed in, "She wanted to have a battle over the ribbon! Right?"

Sakura nodded. J sighed. "A ribbon. Of course, nothing but contests with you people."

"Sorry," Dawn rubbed her head sheepishly. "Why... won't we go inside? I think you still wanted to give me something to end the confusion..."

"Right away!" Sakura pointed out and was about to dash back inside, when J spoke up again.

"You're not really expecting me to sit down and drink tea, while you have your battle?" J asked almost astonished. "It's already bad enough I had to run after you, but this?"

"Well... No, but Joy..."

"Not to mention that you have other priorities. After nagging me for so long, you should be more concerned about what's going on. Or do you want me to believe you're still too confused to remember?"

"I'm not," Dawn huffed. "I know what you mean! I'm pretty sure I do." She shook her head. "You don't make it sound like I'd have to know right away. Just tell me later!"

"How does that play out in your head? I stand by and wait until it's convenient for you?" J glowered at her.

"No, of course not," Dawn replied defiantly. The haze in her mind had cleared far enough that she could think of a way to convince the huntress. She didn't want to fight both the Kimono Sisters and a headache. "But... If I just walk away now, I doubt I would be able to focus anyway. Right?"

"You better should. I can do without your whining over a contest."

"Oh, come on!" Dawn groaned, "Can you really expect me to abandon everything I work for? I mean, if you think about it, it doesn't make sense for me to follow you!" She gestured at the huntress. "After years, you show up and demand my full attention in something I don't know yet, how much it will influence my life. While this..." now she pointed at the theater, "... is part of something I've been dreaming about literally my whole life! Just... Just imagine me breaking into your airship and saying 'Come with me, I think my information is more important than anything you do at the moment.'!"

J hesitated, sighed and shook her head in frustration. "There is no way to convince you, is there? Fine! Do what you want; I still won't stay here."

She took a step towards the direction they came from, but paused ever so briefly. "I might see what I can do about Joy, though."

The huntress was about to head back, but before she or Dawn could take any other actions, a fourth party joined the conversation. Heavier steps than Sakura's light feet announced the gym leader of Ecruteak City. "J, wait! " Morty called out.

J fought with her composure, when yet another disturbance found its way into her path. "Now we've the honour of a gym leader. What do you want?"

"Stop you from wandering around town!" Morty said, but received another scowl. "Don't you remember the agreement?"

"Of course I do; especially the part that allowed me to move around Ecruteak City unhindered."

Morty seemed taken aback by J's statement. Dawn could almost see his mind working. "So you don't know, yet. Didn't Nurse Joy tell you?"

"Why would I associate with a Nurse Joy?" J demanded sharply.

"Your connection isn't really secret anymore, not after the disaster with the notices. We know that you used her to deliver us the information about the target and date of Team Missile's attack."

"I did inform Joy," J admitted, but continued to lie just as convincing, "But through an anonymous message with samples of data that proved my claim."

"Yes, that's something the police is still arguing about. I had a talk with her, though, so I know. She didn't have much of a choice than to admit, to be honest. Otherwise you might have ended up in police custody and in the hand's of another's doctor," he sighed and shook his head slightly. "Nurse Joy should have informed you that you had to be supervised at all times. If anyone catches you on your own, they will arrest you immediately and then there is nothing I can do about it."

"So that's the reason," the huntress muttered with a side glance at Dawn, who saw that revelation as another sign of J's severe condition the night before; if she even forgot important information like that... "One more reason to make her stop monitoring you. None of this changes my decision, though. I am leaving. On my own."

"But -" Morty tried to stop her, but J was already walking back.

"I know how to avoid arrest without causing any commotion."

"That's not - Let me at least have Gengar escort you!" Morty shouted after her, but J was already too far away, to take notice of him. He shook his head in frustration. "That woman..."

"Do you think she will be... alright?" Dawn asked as worries arose. It could have been her imagination, but she felt the faintest throbbing in the back of her head.

Morty just sighed. "I'll ask Gengar to follow her in a bit, so she should be fine."

"Uhm," Sakura finally chimed in. She had tried to interject several times during the conversations, but didn't have a proper oppertunity to do so until then. "We could battle some other time. You are the one, who was in the middle of the attack; we would be happy to comply with whatever date is convenient to you."

"No," Dawn sighed after some pondering. "I'm running the risk of making her too much of a deal anyway." She turned to the gym leader and glanced at him, questioningly. "Were you in there the whole time? I didn't even notice."

Morty chuckled on their way inside the theater. "I didn't announce myself and it's hard enough already to focus on anything but the sisters. If you're confused, nonetheless."

Dawn laughed lightly, as she slipped of her shoes. The haze in her head had cleared so far she could take a throughout look at the interior. The Kimono Sisters stood on top of a wodden stage that was slighly higher than the floor laid out with tatami mats. Each of the dancers wore a black wig, styled into decorated buns at the top of their heads.

The sisters greeted Dawn with deep bows, which she hastely replied with her own. Even Piplup lowered its head - which wasn't a good idea, as it almost slipped from her shoulder. Casually, she stopped her partner from falling with her right hand.

The dancer in the yellow kimono - Satsuki was her name, she believed - was the one to break the silence and took the formal tension around Dawn. "Welcome, Dawn-san. It is a pleasure to finally have you with us."

"It's a pleasure for me too! Though a bit unexpected."

"It must have been surprising, when an unfamiliar Espeon manipulated your mind."

"Come on," Sakura huffed, "You said yourself I should give a graceful and memorable impression. I still think those points count, when I ask Espeon to do it. The confusion was just an accident."

"It's a risk a Kimono Sister should not take," Satsuki concluded, then returned her main focus to Dawn. "Please, have a seat, Dawn-san. We would like you to feel as comfortable as possible. There is no need to rush the battle."

"Uh, yeah... Thank you!" Dawn followed Morty, who returned to his spot next to a pink haired individual. Seated on a purple cushion, Whitney smiled and waved at the coordinator.

"I'm so glad you could make it!" She greeted her. "Maybe you will be able to stop Morty's nagging."

"I wouldn't be nagging, if you didn't give me so many reasons," Morty retorted, his legs crossed over a similar cushion. "You could have waited here patiently instead of running of and ambush her, for example."

"Just because you don't care for her as much as I do," Whitney sulked.

"You almost spoilt Sakura's plan, then you two would argue and I won't have a quiet minute left."

"It's not like I would have said anything about that."

"D-don't argue over something like that," Dawn interrupted and rubbed her head. Although she did side with Morty in that discussion, since otherwise she probably wouldn't have found out about the contest.

With the care of someone, who wasn't completely used to the attire, Sakura lowered herself next to the little group. Dawn turned her head to her and saw the warm smile on her lips. She could clearly sense the excitement underneath. "Do you still need something for the confusion? Or can I offer you some tea instead? Or... do you want to battle right away?"

Dawn's lips parted for a reply, but she hesitated. She wanted to have that ribbon and the sooner that matter was taken care of, the better. At the same time, though, conscience kept her in reality like an anchor. Questions burned on her tongue and she was sure her first hand experience of the attack was needed as well. She had just sent J away; another rejection didn't feel right. "Some tea would be great. Thanks."
 

"... and not even five minutes later, a bunch of police officers assaulted us," Dawn concluded her renarration of her adevnture at the Bell Tower. Her expression grew sour at the déjà-vu. She couldn't understand her bad luck with police lately. "The rest you'll probably know. Morty saved us, we saw a doctor and now I'm here."

She met the interested and partly amazed expressions of her little audience. Morty and Whitney were still seated in front of her. On request, the Kimono Sisters had joined them in their round. Sakura and Sumomo were on her right, Satsuki, Tamao and Koume on her left side. She could feel their concern as well as the same puzzlement she felt in regard of her theoretically impossible survival.

It was Goldenrod City's gym leader, who spoke up. "Wow! That's so amazing!" Whitney raved. "You could climb the Bell Tower and even saw Ho-Oh! That must have been so great! The best news is, of course, that you came back save and sound. You can't believe how relieved we were."

"Yeah, great..." Dawn agreed. Or terrifying, she added in her thoughts.

"I'm just glad that at least someone was up there, actually doing something against that attack..." Sakura mumbled, glancing at Satsuki from the corner of her eyes.

The dancer in the yellow kimono sighed. "It wasn't our decision to stay here."

"We all would have loved to help," Koume chimed in.

"That's a good point, actually..." Dawn spoke up, hesitantly. "How come J and I were the only ones up there?"

There were various reactions among the group. Sumomo and Koume exchanged an unsure look; Tamao closed her eyes in a silent sigh. Satsuki showed no physical sign of uneasiness, but Dawn felt the tweak of guilt. Sakura just looked annoyed.

Morty remained collected, while Whitney could even keep the distance of an outsider from another city. Not that she seemed thrilled about it, either. It was the ghost type gym leader, who eventually broke the silence. "I apologize that you had to endure that assault mostly on your own. It wasn't our choice, but we could have certainly put more effort into helping you."

He cleared his throat as he readied himself for the explanation. "Three day before the attack, we got a warning from our Nurse Joy that Team Missile's next target was Ho-Oh in connection with the Bell Tower legend. We did try to get ready for it, but the same night a detective found out that the information came from J. Of course, the police grew suspicious. They rather shifted their attention to the safety of the city, since the notice might have been nothing but a distraction from J's actual target. Their main argument was that the Bell Tower never came in touch with Ho-Oh in the first place and that Ho-Oh itself was a mere legend.

"The real trouble, though, begun, when suddenly reports from all over the city popped up. They were either intercepted phone calls or messages directly from Team Missile and all of them contained different information; other goals, dates for the attack, even the kind of attack. At one point they threatened to destroy the city, if we interfered their mission.

"In the end we weren't allowed to make any move," Morty gestured to the others assembled. "At least not, until something devastating happened at the tower."

"Something like a huge blaze?" Dawn asked dryly.

"More like Ho-Oh's appearence. There weren't many people actually believing it excisted. When we spotted it, though, it was already too late to rush to your aid; Ho-Oh had already set the tower and part of the forest on fire. There were dozens of grunts as well, who guarded the tower from the ground.

"I didn't believe you and J would actually end up in such dangers. Team Missile shouldn't have sent a ridiculous amount of people; not too mention that it shouldn't have been possible for them to summon Ho-Oh! In retrospect, that was pretty foolish of me," he admitted. "I can only repeat, how sorry I am."

Dawn held his gaze for a while. Morty was honest; she didn't doubt it for a second. As were the others, who apologized right after the gym leader. And although she wasn't even close to hold a grudge, she wondered if any of their help would have prevented her troubles with J. Dawn sighed, then put on a little smile. "Don't worry about it, I wasjust wondering." After her encounters with Team Galactic and more villains, she was used to little to no help. "I am sorry about the tower, though..:"

Whitney perked up at the remorse in Dawn's voice, but Morty beat her to it. "The loss of the Bell Tower is terrible, but it's neither yours nor J's fault. You did more than we could have asked for. Thanks to you, Ho-Oh could get away. Also, that you're still here with us is just as important - it feels like a miracle, really. Especially after your story."

Dawn was grateful, that Morty at least didn't try to downplay the matter of the tower.

"And it wasn't the first time the tower was destroyed. It can be rebuilt. In fact, since Ho-Oh appeared in its last moment, I would go as far as to say it finally fulfilled its purpose," Morty concluded and for the first time, Dawn was convinced that she hadn't failed.

Relieved, she sighed and relaxed her muscles. There was a light headache building up, but she resisted the urge to rub her temple. "Thanks, I... really needed to hear that. Now," she turned her head towards Sakura, who met her eyes with her own beaming expression. "About the challenge..."

"It's a battle against my sisters and I," Sakura explained. "Five rounds, one-on-one. We have a fixed order; First Satsuki with Jolteon," she pointed at the dancer in the yellow kimono, then proceded with the other sisters, "then Koume with Flareon, Sumomo with Vaporeon, Tamao and Umbreon and lastly Espeon and I!" Her hand motioned in her partner's direction.

Espeon and Piplup were occupied with themselves; while the penguin gave its best to impress the psychic type with chirped anecdotes of great adventures and exaggerated gestures, Espeon flicked its tail, observingly. But instead of being impressed, it radiated amusement.

"You have to win every round," Sakura continued, "and then I will be more than happy to give you the ribbon. Do your best, I really want to battle with you!"

So, Dawn would have to fight for the ribbon. There was nothing surprising about the challenge and mentally, she already made preparations for the battle. Sakura even told her, what she would face and in which order! Odds couldn't be much better for her. But still...

"Can I just go to the Pokemon Centre and change my team?" she asked.

"We've got a PC as well, if you need access to your storage," Sakura replied and rose to her feet. "Come on, I'll show you."

Sakura led her inside an office behind the stage. There was a desk with neatly sorted documents on top of it, a shelf that towered in the corner, filled with books and more files. A few pictures of the sister adorned the wall, right next to the pokeball transporter, Dawn was looking for.

With each step, Dawn's headache grew stronger, but she didn't let it falter her desire to achieve the ribbon, though. She forced a smile on her lips, as Sakura excalimed, "I'll leave you to your preparations. Just come out whenever you're ready!"
 

When they were ready and about to start the battle, Dawn still stood on shaky legs. The headache had subsided to a bearable level and she hoped that it meant J was finally trying to talk to Joy. She glanced at Piplup standing by her side, which finally didn't seem too worried anymore. It stretched its body as if to ready itself for battle.

"The following rules appply for this challenge," the referee announced, "Five battles with one on one pokemon cannot be swapped during the fight. Are you ready?" He glanced between the two girls. Dawn hated to admit, but she felt slightly self-concious facing off against a dancer in full attire, while she had casual clothes on. She couldn't recall the last time she battled for a ribbon without a contest dress.

"We are ready," Satsuki confirmed, her Jolteon barking in approval.

Dawn sighed. "Same here."

"Then the first match beginns!" the referee shouted and waved his flags.

"Alright," Dawn whispered to herself and grabbed her Sandshrew's pokeball, "Here we go!"

But before she was able to release her partner onto the stage, another ball opened itself. There was a flash of light and a popping sound, followed by a fierce roar. Dawn winced in disbelieve, when she saw Luxio crouching on the wooden boards. The electric type had left its pokeball without permission! She thought they had gotten rid of that habit?!

"Electricity against electricity. This promises to become interesting. Get ready Jolteon!" Satsuki exclaimed and waited for Dawn to take the first step.

Gleaming at the oppertunity to overpower another electric type, Luxio shot bright yellow bolts around the stage, cracking the wood here and there. Dawn could both see and feel its excitement. As the lynx turned its head towards it's trainer, she still couldn't help but glower back.

"Fine," Dawn hissed under her breath. Then, in an audible voice she gave the first command. "Luxio, attack with crunch!"

It darted forward, fangs bare and ready to bite down. Dawn kept a close stare on Jolteon and Satsuki as Luxio crossed the distance. Tension grew and when the pokemon were no more than a leap apart, their opponents made their move.

"Jolteon, dodge and then use flash!" Satsuki said and Jolteon obeyed perfectly. With incredible speed, it jumped out of the way, so Luxio slid past it. Not the one to give up, the lynx spun around to try and bite Jolteon's neck, but a glaring white light filled the whole theater. Though she shielded her eyes with her arm, Dawn could still see some of the flash shine through. As soon as most of the light faded, she looked out for her partner.

Luxio stumbled backwards. It hadn't averted its eyes soon enough and shook its head to snap out of the shock. It didn't get that oppertunity, though. Jolteon slammed into Luxio's side with quick attack, pushing it across the stage.

"Follow with swift!"

Jolteon was merely a few feet away, when it spat a storm of golden stars at Luxio. It landed a direct hit on its muzzle, pushing Dawn's partner even further across the stage.

"Luxio, jump to the left!" she exclaimed. Though still dazzled, Luxio followed her instruction and avoided more hits to its face. But Satsuki and Jolteon didn't give them time to recover, as they chased Luxio across the stage. Volley after volley crashed into Luxio's side, back and every other place its opponents could aim for.

Any attempt to hit Jolteon was futile, even when Luxio regained its sight. Jolteon was just so fast; it easily evaded any distance attacks and wouldn't let the lynx close enough for a direct attack. Dawn needed to create an opening, but try as she might, she couldn't think of any way. Not that she could think much at all with the constant throbbing in her head.

She let Luxio continue to dodge, but didn't think the electric type would be able to hold on much longer, if she didn't act there and then. Aginst her will, Dawn recalled the argumentation she had with J earlier that day and she felt hopeless anger heat her insides. Why has it become so hard for me to lead battles? Why do I give people like J reasons to - Wait a second... Dawn interrupted herself as her gaze had settled on the space around Luxio.

There were cracks in the wood, wherever it had come into contact with discharge. An idea sprouted in her mind and Dawn managed to push those bothering thoughts into a far away corner.

If Luxio directed its power directly at the ground... Dawn flicked a glance at Jolteon's nimble moving paws, then at her own hand. She frowned slightly at the thought, but remembered that there was worse. Sorry Jolteon, she thought and decided for her plan, before worries could shake her. "Luxio, use discharge around you! Destroy those stars!"

Luxio stopped in its tracks and faced the other elctric type. It took aim at the golden storm that was so thick by now, it blocked its vision. First a growl, then a roar sounded through the stage, before the sizzling of yellow lightning almost drowned the sound. The stars burst and turned into mere dust. Most importantly of all, though, was the satisfying crack of wood around Luxio.

"Continue with discharge on Jolteon!" Dawn cried and watched her partner return the volleys of attacks. They had no intention of hitting though; the key was to lure in Jolteon.

While Jolteon dodged successfully, it failed to even come close to the lynx with another swift attack. It was only a matter of seconds, before they finally changed their strategy. In Dawn's favour.

"Get closer, Jolteon! Quick attack!" Satsuki ordered her partner. Jolteon charged. It sidestepped the lightning, its black eyes fixed on Luxio. It was completely unaware of the trap Dawn had planned for it.

As Jolteon was close enough to attack, it crouched to the ground for a great leap - thus pressing its paw on the damaged wood. Jolteon yelped as the sensitive skin was pricked by splinters.

"Luxio, tackle attack! Aim for its right side!" Dawn instructed and her partner was more than happy to comply. Using its whole body weight, Luxio smashed into Jolteon's shoulder and sent it flying towards its trainer. "Once again!"

That time, Jolteon managed to get up to its feet in time and avoid the first tackle attack; but not the one following from behind. It was Luxio's turn to chase - or rather push their opponent across the stage.

"Let's end it with crunch!" Dawn exclaimed.

Although Satsuki still remained with a stoic expression, Dawn could see her mind working under her black wig. "Jolteon, use flash!"

An effective yet unsurprising counter measure - Dawn had thought of it herself. "Discharge, NOW!"

While Jolteon still struggled to stand upright, yet alone focus on the new order, Luxio was still charged to the tips of its fur with power. A yellow flash zoomed toward Jolteon, engulfing it in lightning. Just because it was an electric type, it didn't mean it wouldn't feel the sting of electricity.

There was still one more option to avoid Luxio's inrush, but Jolteon was too shaken to leap away far enough. With fangs glowing white, Luxio grabbed its opponent at the fur around its tail and tossed it on the planks.

Jolteon skidded to a halt and didn't rise from its position. The referee gave it a few more seconds to recover, before he rose his right flag. "Jolteon is unable to battle! The winner of the first round is Dawn!"

Only then, Dawn let herself breathe out in relief. She hadn't even realized how tight her muscles had tensed. Once again, she remembered the conversation she had with J earlier that day. How the huntress had claimed to know how plagued Dawn was with her own worries during a battle.

She shook her head and crouched down, a signal for Luxio to come to her. Her partner sparked at the victory, but approached Dawn with care. At least they had taken care of its habit to shock her whenever Luxio felt like it.

"You were great, Luxio," she complimented it when it was sitting in front of her. Luxio grolwed in delight. "But you weren't supposed to come out. This wasn't your battle, remember?"

Next to her, Piplup chirped in approval and stretched out its flipper toward the electric type. Luxio dropped its ears and pouted, denying its wrong doing. Dawn sighed. "You know this doesn't work on me, don't you?"

She shifted her attention back to Satsuki, who knelt next to Jolteon. The Kimono Sister inspected its paw, while brushing tenderly over its head.

"I hope Jolteon is alright?" Dawn asked and directed a smile at the electric type. Now that the heat of the battle had faded, she could focus on the emotions of the assembled people and pokemon. Expect of a slight sting in its paw, Jolteon seemed alright.

Satsuki nodded. "It needs some rest and the splinters removed, but there is nothing to be concerned about." She retrieved it in its pokeball, before she rose to her feet and bowed. "That was a remarkable battle. You made good use of your surroundings."

"Oh, thank you!" Dawn said and replied the bow.

"I wish you good luck for your next battle, Dawn-san" Satsuki concluded with a smile and left the stage.

Dawn rose from her kneeling position and retrieved Luxio into its pokeball.One down, four to go... she observed and looked up to see her next opponent approaching. Koume and Flareon. The two shared a fierce vibe, which forecast a different style of battle, than Satsuki's.

"I hope you are ready for us!" Koume exclaimed as Flareon leaped forward.

Dawn merely nodded and once again grabbed the pokeball that contained Sandshrew. Initially, she had planned to use Piplup for that battle, but now she needed it to defeat Vaporeon - Luxio's opponent. She glanced at the penguin, looking for its approval. Piplup beamed at her encouragingly and Dawn couldn't help but raise her eye brow. She knew it didn't support her just because it cared, but because it sensed a chance to fight Espeon instead.

"We'll see," she whispered and shifted her attention to the battlefield. She swung her arm back, ready to toss Sandshrew's pokeball. "Go Sand-!"

A flash of light shot out of another pokeball still hanging on her belt and Mienshao, her fighting type emerged. Dawn eyes opened wide and her jaw dropped slightly. Mienshao twirled its slender body once, the long fur whips on its arms spinning in a wide circle. Then, it fixed its gaze on Flareon and Dawn felt its surprise. That wasn't the Umbreon it had expected to battle. It shot its trainer a questioning look, but she could only shrug in response.

This can't be... Dawn thought. First Luxio had left its pokeball unasked, which wasn't even that surprising. It loved fighting electric types. But that Mienshao would disobey her, her disciplined fighting type? Something was very wrong.

"That's a pokemon from Unova, right?" Koume asked, slender figure. "There are some of them around Johto, but it's still a pretty rare sight for us."

"Yeah, I caught it, when my friends and I traveled there..." Dawn glanced at Mienshao, then the referee. Switching pokemon was against the rules and even so, she didn't want to. It was quite possible that the pokeball had a malfunction; in that case it was her own fault for not checking the device properly. But could it be that...

No - who would manipulate her pokeballs?

"You can attack first, if you like!" Koume offered.

Dawn hesitated. A fresh wave of headache throbbed under her skull. It was distracting, to say the least and it made the question of whether she should just go with Mienshao or not a lot less complicated. She caught her partners eye and nodded at it.

"No no, you can go ahead! I'm curious about Flareon's strength!"

"Gladly! Fire spin!" Koume instructed and Flareon breathed a spiral of bright orange flames.

Mienshao didn't need as much as one word to dodge the attack and sprint towards the fire type. First attack and she's already trying to catch us, huh? Dawn smirked inwardly and watched her partner dodge fire spin after fire spin. "Aerial ace!"

Flareon was taken aback as Mienshao crossed the distance so fast it seemed to appear out of nowhere directly in front of it.

"Fire spin towards the ground!" Koume cried, but was a second to late. The fighting type had already rammed its shoulder into Flareon's chest, the force pushing its opponent a few feet backwards.

But as soon as Flareon regained its footing, it shot a fire spin at the ground below its paws. The wood ignited and a vortex now towered over the stage, reaching to the ceiling and protecting Flareon's body.

"A counter shield, huh?" Dawn frowned; she knew that strategy, thus had an idea how hard it might get to handle that kind of defense. For the time being, she made use of the time Flareon needed to recover. "Mienshao, swords dance!"

Calmly, Mienshao slid through a number of fighting stances. Blue glowing swords surrounded it, as it boosted its offensive power. Koume might have seen that as an invitation to attack herself. Instead of flames, Flareon breathed out a grey cloud of smog.

Dawn watched as the poisonous gas spread over the whole stage, until she could only see Mienshao and the fire spin. Is it just the smog attack or are they trying to hide in the fog? she wondered and kept a close stare to the stage.

First, there was nothing, as if the delay was a try to unsettle Dawn and her partner. But when the spiral of flames soared right at Mienshao, it was ready to sidestep with a elegant twirl.

"Follow up with flame charge!" Koume yelled over the hiss of fire.

Flareon, its body surrounded by a glowing blaze, leaped out of the smog. It aimed for Mienshao's back, since the fighting type was still in the middle of its dodge.

Dawn gritted her teeth slightly. "Use force palm!"

Its right paw outstretched, Mienshao twisted its flexible body around and placed its palm right on Flareon's muzzle. The shock wave it produced burst some of the flames apart, but wasn't enough to stop the attack. The pokemon skid in opposite directions, neither of them willing to give up, yet.

Another flame charge and force palm collided; this time, though, Mienshao used its superior agility and slid beside the fire type. Yellowish energy built up in Mienshao's palm, which it released with a loud bang, strong enough to blow away all the flames in its way.

Flareon fell to its side, sparks jumping between strands of fur. "Retreat to the smog!" Koume ordered and saved her partner from another force palm.

By then the fog had deflated, so that Koume had a good view of the tall Mienshao. Flareon, though, was still invisible. Dawn narrowed her eyes at the collumn of fire. It bothered her, how during the fire spin attack was.

Since Dawn didn't want to wait for the flames to disappear, she ordered Meinshao to use swords dance again. And again and again, until she could feel a light wave of power press against her. The stances Mienshao went through helped it to avoid or at least lessen the damage it took from various fire attacks that shot out of the gradually thinning smog.

"Good," Dawn murmered to herself, when she could finally see Flareon's shadow leap around to attack from a better angle. "Mienshao, get in close!" The blue glow of the blades faded and Mienshao sprinted forward.

Koume realized the approaching danger and called Flareon back into the fire spin - but the vortex had reached its limit and the flames finally died down. Mienshao was still approaching, its glare focused on Flareon.

"Use fire spin once more! You have to stop Mienshao!" Koume yelled, her frown giving away her tension. Flareon took a deep breath and shot orange flames at Mienshao. While the vortex was big enough to engulf the fighting type completely, it failed to change its course.

"Force palm on the flames!" Dawn said and watched how her partner thrust its paw forward. Yellow energy built up, that time much brighter and powerful enough to blast the flames aside. Flareon was dumbfounded in the face of sheer power and could only wince, when Mienshao towered right in front of it. Dawn had one more order for the fighting type. "Jump kick!"

Leaping up, Mienshao brought its knee under Flareon's chin and catapulted it high in the air. It was knocked out, even before Flareon crashed on the stage.

Good thing I didn't say high jump kick, Dawn mulled, since that one additional word signaled an attack that was essentially the same, just much stronger.

She sighed and held her forehead. At least her headache had decreased to a constant level, but she still waited for it to fade altogether. Why hadn't J taken care of it, yet?

Mienshao had returned to her side and nodded at Dawn, to which she replied with a little bow of respect herself. "Return," she said and enveloped in a red light, Mienshao disappeared in its pokeball. Dawn scanned the device for any visible damage, but couldn't make out anything unusual. No cracks, no sparks. The white button in the middle still worked and shrinked the ball into a more practical size. She didn't know, what else would force Mienshao out of its ball with a timing so convenient.

When Dawn looked back to the stage, she was relieved to see Flareon pick itself up. Though still on shaky feet, it shuffled back to Koume and nuzzled itself against her hand.

The trainers exchanged another bow, then Sumomo entered the stage. Her Vaporeon stepped forward and sat down, flicking its aquatic tail in anticipation.

Two down, three more to go, Dawn thought and tried to suppress the growing nervousness. Now, she turned to Piplup and caught its expectant look. Dawn knew what it meant and for a second, she struggled with herself. On the one hand she really wanted to grant Piplup's wish, but then she thought back to her plan. The pokemon she had chosen were meant to win through type advantage and although that combination had already failed rather successfully, Dawn couldn't just abandon her plan.

A few seconds passed, in which she felt her headache decrease. Eventually, she sighed and gave in. "Piplup -"

But she couldn't even finish her sentence, when suddenly another pokeball opened itself. Dawn winced and felt her stomach sink. Of all pokemon she had left, it was Sandshrew that stood face to face with Vaporeon. Sandshrew. Her ground type, meant for Jolteon.

It wouldn't stand a chance against Vaporeon.

So wrapped up in her bafflement, Dawn didn't even realize her cynical thoughts. All she could do was to stare at her partner, the one she had tried to call for battle twice, but there had always been an interruption. And now that they faced an opponent with an advantage over the ground type, then Sandshrew came out of its ball.

Dawn caught Sandshrew's unsure eyes; it sensed her anger and probably assumed that it was at fault. She had to look away. The throbbing underneath her skull rekindled its intensity and Dawn wondered, how much she could blame on herself.

Sandshrew wasn't at fault, she knew that - but she wasn't sure, if she could keep her boiling emotions in check.

By then, the Kimono Sisters had noticed that something was amiss. "Are you sure that Sandshrew is the one you want to battle Vaporeon with?" Sumomo asked. "It's your choice, of course, if you choose to ignore type matches, but wouldn't have Sandshrew been more suitable for Flareon or Jolteon?"

"Yes," Dawn couldn't suppress the growling undertone completely. "This scenario isn't what I had in mind." She looked at Sandshrew's pokeball and didn't spot any visible malfunction. Her muscles tensed in rising rage. Dawn had an idea, what it was that caused her pokemon to pop out at certain times, and an even stronger suspicion as to who the culprits were.

"Then why..?" Sumomo asked. Dawn could feel the questioning looks on her, but was hesitant to give an answer.

She didn't want to say, that either a pokemon hunter or Nurse Joy or maybe even both, had purposly manipulated her pokeballs. She wasn't sure, why the two would do that - for entertainment, just to annoy Dawn or to see her fail? - but she refused to give those two criminals the satisfaction of any point.

"I have an idea, what made this happen," Dawn admitted, "But I am okay to continue the way it is now."

"Are you sure?" Sumomo inquired. "You can swap, if you like."

"No," Dawn's reply was quick and her voice hard. "We will be fine."

If J wants to rub another failure under my nose, I will make her regret that decision. And if Joy isn't happy that I don't follow J around like her pet, then I'll show her that this is no way to get me back! Dawn thought in defiance. I can play their game. And I'll win!

She took in a deep breath, trying to get rid of the poisoning anger, then nodded at the referee.

"We will continue the battle with -" the referee announced, while Dawn looked back to Sandshrew. Its almond-shaped eyes glanced between its trainer and Vaporeon. Dawn realized with a heavy heart that Sandshrew waited for her affirmation that it could win the battle.

"You can do it," she whispered to both Sandshrew and herself. Next to her, Piplup chirped in the same tone of voice and struck a victorious pose. Suddenly, Dawn felt the familiar, yet suppressed confidence, which allowed her to shake of her tightening anxiety and smile like her usual self. Sandshrew's tail twitched and now convinced, it returned Vaporeon's watchful glare.

"The third battle beginns!" the referee shouted and thrust his arms to the side.

"Sandshrew, use rollout!" Dawn opened the fire. Sandshrew coiled up into a medicine ball sized boulder and shot towards Vaporeon.

Sumomo didn't miss a beat and initiated a countermeasure. Vaporeon shot a hydropump at Sandshrew, which forced the ground type to the side. But instead of keeping up the physical attack, Sandshrew skid to a halt, straigthened its spine and surprised its opponent with a volley of poison stings.

It hit Vaporeon directly in the side, yet the thorns didn't leave much damage. Seemingly unfazed, the water type charged at Sandshrew. A twirl of water surrounded its tail and it almost soaked the hydrophobic Sandshrew, when it slashed its watertail attack downward. Nonetheless, Vaporeon left a notable dent in the wood.

Dawn was quickly convinced that they would have to rely much more on a technical strategy, if they wanted to win the battle. "Sandshrew, come here and use rock tomb!"

Her partner backed away from Vaporeon and focused its powers into dozens of white spheres that surrounded it. They quickly grew to match Sandshrew's body size and transformed into sand coloured boulders. Sandshrew flicked its chubby arms forward, so that the rocks soared through the air, right at Vaporeon.

Vaporeon dodged the projectiles, either by jumping or pushing the boulders away with its watertail attack. Even before all the rocks came to rest on the stage, Dawn ordered another rock tomb, that time bigger. Sandshrew seemed to struggle with the task, but eventually summoned the largest boulders it had ever accomplished. It tossed the attack at Vaporeon, while some projectiles purposly crashed on the wood, before they reached the water type.

Dawn was impressed and felt her heart leap with joy. Gradually, she allowed herself the warming confidence that slowly built up as the battle proceeded. She glanced at Vaporeon and Sumomo and saw that the two frowned, concentrated, as if they sensed some kind of plan approaching. Dawn wouldn't let them wait for too long.

"Use rollout, Sandshrew!"

It jumped up on top of the boulder in front of it and used the slope to gain additional speed. Sandshrew was already spinning rapidly as it approached its opponent. Vaporeaon jumped away, but noticed the rock, which had been behind it, a tad too late. Sandshrew used it to bounce back and hit Vaporeon nonetheless.

The assault continued and since Sandshrew's flexibility kept the gap between the two opponents unusually short, there was little Vaporeon could do to hit back.

"Last resort!" Sumomo said. After sidestepping another rollout attack, Vaporeon tried to slamm its shoulder into Sandshrew's side. It grazed the scales, but didn't even slow the mouse pokemon down. It left itself wide open, though and the next moment, Sandshrew landed a direct hit.

Vaporeon's slender body flew over the stage and crashed into one of the lager rocks, which trembled from the impact. The water type lay still for a second, then rose to its feet again. Dawn saw the potential danger in the distance they had created, but not even Sandshrew could navigate its way through the rolling rocks fast enough.

When it had regained its footing, Vaporeon opened its mouth and shot a colourful aurora beam at the boulders. It was powerful enough crack the hard surface and push the rocks to the other side of the stage. Pleased, Vaporeon snapped its jaws shut and growled lightly.

Dawn didn't let that rebound weaken her self assurance. They still had the advantage of Sandshrew's colouring. It was impossible to make out the desert loving mouse among the sand coloured boulders, especially, when they were spinning around.

Quickly, Sandshrew shoved the rest of the rocks until all of them were in motion. They rolled across the stage in every direction, bouncing of each other and the larger boulders that served as boundaries. Sandshrew moved faster than the boulders, but even when Vaporeon spotted the ground type, it didn't make attacking any easier. Not, if it had to avoid being squashed by the next rock.

Sandshrew landed two, three more hits, before the tables turned.

"Acid armor! Get away from there, up one of those rocks!" Sumomo yelled over the rumble. A moment later, a splash sounded and then there was nothing left of Vaporeon but a puddle. Dawn winced, not trusting her eyes at first. She didn't have time to gather herselft, as Vaporeon's dissolved form slid under the boulders, splashing a few drops here and there. It reached one of the outer rocks and flowed up to the top.

The drops of water clustered, until the feline and aquatic traits took shape. When it was back to its original form, Vaporeon meowed and spat another colourful beam at the boulders. The destruction caused a cloud of dust to arise and Dawn was already worrying, if Sandshrew was alright.

"Sandshrew! Get close then use strength on that rock!" she yelled over the noise and was relieved to see her partner emerge from the dust. It rolled directly to its target and used the hard surface to stop itself. The boulder shook from the impact, throwing Vaporeon out of balance. A determined red glow surrounded Sandshrew's body as it slammed its claws into the rock and gradually began to lift it up.

"Stop it with hydro pump, Vaporeon!" Sumomo instructed, but Vaporeon had difficulties to perform that task, as it was trying to stay on top. If it fell, it could end up underneath the boulder.

Sandshrew's white muzzle furrowed as it struggled with the weight. Its arms were shaking; nonetheless it was eager to succeed. One final strain of its muscles and Sandshrew tossed the boulder together with Vaporeon back to the middle of the stage.

"Get ready!" Dawn warned her partner as she watched Vaporeon's movements. The water type had crouched down on the rock, so it wouldn't fall of, then it spun around and readied itself for an attack. "Poison sting! Aim for the top!"

Before Vaporeon had the chance to properly aim for Sandshrew, it already spat a storm of glowing thorns. At first, Vaporeon could resist the sting and launched a jet of water, but then the venom kicked in. It yelped in pain and lost its focus, so that the hydropump splashed on the ground. Vaporeon even landed on its feet, though clumsily.

The two pokemon stopped any actions for a moment, both panting. Dawn grew uneasy at the silence, but she saw that Sandshrew had reached its limit. They waited anxiously for Vaporeon to move. The water type looked like it was about to collapse from all the damage it had taken.

But then, its purple eyes shot open and it shot one final hydro pump at Sandshrew.

"Sandshrew! The boulder on your left! Use strength!" Dawn yelled. Sandshrew reached out, grabbed the rock - but the water rammed into its front side, catapulting it of the stage and into the wall next to the referee. When the attack ceased, Sandshrew skid down and fell on its belly.

It didn't budge.

The referee took a good look at the ground type and already parted his lips to anounce the result. Vaporeon couldn't stay on its feet either and collapsed there and then. The man glanced between the two opponents, then closed his eyes and changed the result.

"Both pokemon are unable to battle! This match ends in a draw!"

Dawn slumped her shoulders and let out all the tension in a defeated sigh.
 

Sweet. I know it took a while and I apologize for that. I'll see that the next chapter won't take that long ^^'

Write ya next time!
 

FAQ

Like in a trance, Dawn trudged to her Sandshrew and crouched next to her ground type. Sitting up, it looked at her out of its almond shaped eyes and she sensed its worries. Though weakly, she could give it a smile. An honest smile.

"You were great, really! Your best performace, yet. I promise you, next time we'll win." She patted its head and felt the rough scales, "I'm proud of you, Sandshrew. Thank you."

The tight lump in Sandshrew's chest seemed to melt instantly into relieve and joy. For Dawn it felt like apleasant breeze. Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around Sandshrew and held it close. With a delighted "Shrewww" it returned the gesture.

That moment, Dawn felt incredibly calm as if the outcome hadn't affected her in any way. She retrieved Sandshrew into its ball and stood up, all collected and restrained. The only evidence of her inner tourmoil was the iron grip she had on the pokeball. Her wrist was stiff from the strain.

She pressed her cool knuckles against her forehead, hoping that it would dim the pain in her head.

"Dawn..?" Sakura asked her hesitatingly. Dawn sensed her uncertainty and wondered how she must have looked like from the side. She turned around and met the eyes of the Kimono Sisters and the gym leaders.

"Sorry." Dawn slid the pokeball into her pocket. "I was... lost in thoughts."

Sakura just nodded at the explanation and was courteous enough, not to question her any further. Her expression was unreadable. "It was a draw."

"Which means that I didn't win," Dawn vocalized, what the Kimono Sister left unspoken.

"Well, yes, but if it hadn't been for... something interfering, you probably would have won."

Dawn snorted inwardly.

"I think it would be fair, if at least we gave you another chance," Sakura offered.

Dawn averted her eyes. "Why are you trying so hard to battle me?"

The answer Sakura gave was surprisingly passionate. "Because I wanted to battle you ever since I found out you were in Johto."

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Dawn lent back on the wall behind her. She hoped the gesture looked casual and didn't give away the bout of dizzyness that suddenly crept over her. Her eyes were fixed on a dark spot in the wood as she tried to recall if she had any connection to Sakura. The mist in her head, though, complicated her search.

Since Dawn was silent for quite a while, Sakuraexplained her answer. "You know, I haven't been here with my sisters for very long. Just a few weeks ago, I was still traveling, like you. While I wanted to return here and finally start my training to be part of the Kimono Sisters, it's been hard to get used to it." She chuckled. "I don't know how about you, but I still wonder when I'll be off to the next city."

Dawn could remotely relate to that; it was, what any kind of outcome of her contest quest would bring. She would go back home and settle down for a while - and she was anxious that she would face the same difficulties.

"I think it would be much more bearable, if at least part of my life here resembled all the excitement I had during my journey. That's why I was hoping to battle you, because I know you're a challenge."

Dawn's lips twisted into a humourless smirk. "Then I'm... sorry I disappointed you."

"No way!" Sakura denied vehemently. "You were great! It took impressive skill to even score a draw against Vaporeon. Don't belittle yourself!"

Dawn stared at Sakura and she felt her insides tense. She had to get out of there, because otherwise she feared she would unleash her anger at the wrong people. "I'm sorry." She shook her head and held her forehead. "I'm not usually like this. I'm just tired... and my head hurts. Even if I agree to a rematch, it'll have to wait. I'm not capable to do anything right now."

"Would you like something? Maybe some water?" Sakura offered, her expression reflecting her geniune concern.

The question called attention to Dawn's dry throat and she nodded. As Sakura scurried away once again, Piplup waddled over to its trainer. Their looks met and wordlessly, Dawn spread her arms so the water type could jump into them. Gently, she brushed over its smooth head.

"Will you retire for the day?" Satsuki asked.

"Yeah... I really need to sleep."

Jolteon's trainer nodded. "That will probably be for the best."

"I think so, too," Morty chimed in. A Gastly had appeared and floated next to his head. "Maybe you'll have more luck finding J. Gengar lost her."

"Really? When?"

"Before your battle started, actually. I didn't want to trouble you before, because it's not really your responsibility."

"How did she disappear?"

Morty took a look at Gastly, as if to make sure he understood right. "Apparently, she had trouble with a police officer and then just... disappeared. None of the ghost pokemon found her, yet."

"How can they loose her in their own city?" Dawn murmered, not happy at all with that revelation. At least it explain a few things, like why my headache only worsened.

"Usually, that wouldn't happen," Morty said, then he forced a smile. "But ever since the Bell Tower burned down, the ghost types have been agitated and influence my partners. Even I can feel it."

He held Dawn's stare, until she sighed and mumbled a small "sorry".

Sakura rushed back with a glass of water, which Dawn gratefully accepted. While she drank the beverage, Sakura asked, "For how long will you be in Ecruteak City?"

Dawn shrugged. "Not sure, a few days at least."

"Good, that means we can still have a rematch, if you like."

"Sure..."

It took another five seemingly endless minutes, in which Dawn had to convince the others that she was well enough to walk back on her own. Then a few more minutes of saying their goodbyes, until she finally managed toleave. Once outside, she felt the heat of the sun on her skin, but didn't allow herself to enjoy it.

Her pace was fast and her strides long. She was almost boiling over with rage; only the question of where the responsible person was, made her dim those feelings. It was still enough to overshadow the pain that built up in her hip at each step.

About two blocks away from the theater, Dawn noticed a pink haired individuum following her. She hesitated in her steps, but then decided to ignore the gym leader. A few seconds later, though, she stopped again, sighing deeply.

Why won't they leave me alone? Dawn wondered, but knew the answer. They worried. And right then, she could see the concern behind Whitney's determined expression. Dawn closed her eyes and nodded for the older girl to come closer.

Whitney beamed at her with never ending energy. "Thanks!"

Dawn shrugged, but returned the kind gesture with her own small smile. "You couldn't leave me to myself, could you?"

"Nah." Whitney shook her head. "You seemed to have something on your mind. Wanna talk about it?"

"Oh." Dawn hadn't anticipated that. Guilt pricked at her insides. She had underestimated her friends - a stupid mistake that had happened too often those past months. "Sorry... uhm. I'd love to tell you sometime... but right now is a bad time," she admitted relucantly. Nonetheless, it lessened the weight on her shoulders.

"That's too bad... But whatever." Whitney shrugged, a smirk playing on her lips. "I'll still bring you home, Bubble Queen!"
 

"Welcome back, Dawn-sama! J-sama is awaiting you in the patio," said the monk of the temple and bowed at the young coordinator.

Dawn winced inwardly at the message; she felt her anger bubbling up again, engulfing any memory of her calmness. "Oh, is she?" She had to pull herself together not to storm past the monk and even more so, when she turned around and thanked him with a bow. Nonetheless her stride was stiff and she gritted her teeth.

Before anything else, she went to her room, where she put Piplup on the floor. She tried to contain her anger at a reasonable level, did every trick she knew of to calm down. Count to ten, concentrate on her breathing and think positive. But the relaxation only seemed to intensify her headache and she quickly found out; she didn't want to calm down.

To hell with being nice! Dawn declared and slid open the door leading to the patio. And there she was, Pokemon Hunter J. She sat with her back to Dawn, propped up against Salamence's side. The dragon type opened an eye at the newcomer, but otherwise didn't budge. J showed no sign, whether she had noticed Dawn yet or not.

Dawn grabbed the wood of the door and slammed it shut. She then stormed over to J, drew herself up in front of her and scowled at the woman. "Was that you? Did you manipulate my battle?!"

J eyed Dawn, her face blank. She halted any work she did at the moment, but didn't pull her fingers from the keyboard of her laptop. "Technically, no I didn't. I didn't directly interfere with your battles, confuse your pokemon or hinder them from executing your-"

"I don't have the patience to deal with your nitpicking!" Dawn snapped at the huntress. She watched J glance at the screen of her laptop and push a few keys. The distraction fueled Dawn's rage so much, she threw all caution out of the window and slammed down the lid. She almost caught J's fingers in the motion. Almost. "Or any patience for that either!"

All of sudden their faces were merely inches apart and Dawn was satisfied to see a twitch in J's eye. She glared at the coordinator, but her voice was still reserved. "Yes, I did correct the sequence of your pokemon."

"Correct? Correct?! Are you joking me?"

"You were going to rely solely on type advantages, which might be alright for arranged battles, but not when you fight enemies like -"

"I repeat: Are you JOKING me?!" Dawn straigthened up and gesticulated in helpless anger. "Thanks to you Sandshrew lost and neither Piplup nor Absol even had a chance to battle! You owe all three of them apologies!"

"I don't apologize," J murmered so quietly, Dawn almost overheard it.

"Then better start! All of it is your fault! You didn't do anything against Joy and her sadistic Rotom like you said you would! I collapsed under all the pain you caused me! Do you even know that? Lucky for you I was alone when it happened! You - and Joy, too! - You should be grateful that I still cover you! I told no one you threatened me and forced me to babysit you! You deserve to be in jail by now!"

She paused to catch her breath as her voice rose to a yell. She remembered what Morty said about J's disappearance and her police troubles. "What the hell were you thinking anyway? Were you so confident you forgot every bit of caution?! I don't know how you planned to get here unnoticed, but you failed! And I suffered the consequeces! I would have loved to see the faces of your contractors, if I had passed out and bashed my head against an edge - all because you are a stubborn, uncaring, inattentive, selfish -"

J endured most of her rant, but interrupted her before Dawn could lose herself in her scolding. "I did not intend to kill you with these headaches. I tried to talk Joy out of it, but she thinks its fair you suffer from a bit of pain yourself-"

Dawn snorted at that explanation. "I can't even begin to tell what's wrong with that - what kind of pain do I deserve? Why should I suffer from your self-inflicted problems?! Is that the reason my head still feels like its about to explode, even though you're right here?"

"That's your own headache, not the one Joy inflicts on you," J stated calmly, but otherwise remained oddly silent.

"It still wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you two!" Dawn growled and waited for another reply.

J parted her lips, but seemed to think it over. She laid aside her laptop, straigthened her spine and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her light blue eyes rested on Dawn, as if she wanted her to continue.

Which Dawn did gladly. She had so much she wanted to tell the huntress, how she had no right to butt into her life, how her whole way of living was wrong. Dawn quickly ran out of valid arguments, but still found more and more rage that just wanted to break free.

She was ranting for what felt like hours and Dawn found herself unwilling to stop, until her voice broke from all the strain and she fell silent, panting. Her shoulders were stiff from the tension and her head felt as if a storm wreaked heavoc in it.

When it became apparent that Dawn was finished, J let out a sigh. "I take it, you're done," she said and got up.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that..." whispered Dawn, but her words didn't match the anxiousness that crept up in her. What she had just done - yelling at J - was beyond foolish, she was aware of that. That J wasn't allowed to harm her in anyway was probably the only reason, she didn't spin around and fled the patio there and then, but even that thought was no longer putting her at ease.

Dawn staggered backwards, as the huntress approached her. The first step, though, already felt too much for her. Her injuries, especially her hip throbbed like a buzzing objection to her actions and Dawn felt her legs shake. She didn't even realize she lost the strength to stand, before her knees bumped on the ground, driving a stone in her shin.

She tried to support herself by pressing her palms on the grass, but it didn't stop her fading vision. As she toppled forward, she felt something - or rather someone catch her. Even without looking, she knew who it was - logically the only person in the patio, but at the same time the most unreasonable individuum to help her.
 

A growled and chirped discussion roused Dawn from her sleep. Here and there, a human voice chimmed in.

"No... not an option..."

Growling.

Frantic chirping and a sigh.

"Salamence... just stay there! And you -"

Even more chirping and by then, Dawn was awake enough to make out Piplup's voice. Her back lent against the smooth, but still uncomfortable trunk of a tree and felt the tips of grass tickle her exposed shins. A light stinging from her legs reminded her of her fall.

"Girl, time to wake up. Come on," J's voice called out to her. Dawn couldn't think of anything she wanted to do less. She furrowed her eye brows to show her dissapproval.

"Fine. Dawn, wake up. It's getting hard to keep both your Piplup and Salamence at bay. That and you'll end up sleeping the whole evening away."

Though Dawn for once liked the outlook J spoke of, she relucantly pulled herself out of the rest of her slumber. She blinked and noticed that the sun in her back didn't shine with the glaring intensity of midday. She wondered for how long she had passed out that time.

Piplup sprinted next to her side and embraced her with overflowing joy. It comforted her, how easily pleased it could be sometimes. "Hey... No need to worry, Piplup..." she murmered and stroked its head. Her throat was sore.

"What a bold, delusional claim to make." J chuckled.

Through narrowed eyes, Dawn looked at the huntress. She crouched a few feet away from Dawn and seemed to inspect her.

Dawn was the first to avert her eyes and whispered, "Sorry for not being a pessimist." She probably could have talked louder, but the scratching sensation in her throat was uncomfortable enough. Not to mention that her head still ached, though not as intensely as before.

"I see you screamed your lungs out. That's actually quite convinient, since it means you won't interrupt me."

Dawn shot her a glare.

"Probably." J nodded at a plate sitting to Dawn's right. "Have a drink and something to eat. I don't want you to pass out again - or else you might bash your head in."

There were triangular shaped riceballs and a greenish teapot with cup, as well as a glass of water with two different pills resting next to it. The capsule one reminded Dawn of the medicine J had showed her earlier that day. The other one seemed to be a usual headache tablet that would dissolve in water. J confirmed her guess after one sceptical look.

It still didn't satisfy Dawn, so J added "Joy wasn't here to poison anything. And you can believe me, when I say that if you die, I'll be the one in the world who'll suffer most from it.

"I'm also willing to give you a full explanation, if you eat first."

Dawn still wasn't convinced, especially when she thought of the drama earlier. "Aren't you... mad at me?"

Glancing back, J acknowledged Salamence's position and stepped next to it. She sat down on its broad back and placed one hand on its shoulder. "No, I think I can handle a fit of rage from a sixteen-year-old girl."

The coordinator raised her eyebrows. She didn't doubt J's words, it was just that she thought the huntress welcomed any reason to torment her. "You're... uncharacteristingly nice. Again."

"Really?" For the first time, J showed her annoyance. "I suppose I should be glad to hear you say that."

"Why would you?"

"Good question," J said and motioned one more time at the plate.

Sighing, Dawn reached out for the teapot and poured in some fresh green tea. She took a careful sip and felt how the warm liquid soothed her throat ache. It was her turn to focus on J. Though still relucant to forget her initinal anger, she was curious enough to listen to J's explanation without a fuss.

Sighing, Dawn reached out for the teapot and poured in some fresh green tea. She took a careful sip and felt how the warm liquid soothed her throat ache. It was her turn to focus on J. Though still relucant to forget her initinal anger, she was curious enough to listen to J's explanation without a fuss.

"Since you were involved with Team Galactic and the lake trio, you must have known that I died all those years ago at Lake Valor," J opened up her story.

Dawn pursed her lips. "Presumably."

"No, not presumably - I really did die. Though it would probably be more specific to say that I ended up in Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit's dimension." J smirked slightly as she watched Dawn's partly surprised, partly sceptical expression. She quickly dropped the hint of amusement, however.

"I guess I would have stayed and rotted there for all eternety, if Team Rocket hadn't increased the ammount of pokemon they capture for their plans. They need to be stopped, so the guardians brought me back and sent me and my pokemon here. Our only mission was to destroy Team Rocket and make sure they never recover." As J said that, a scowl hardened her expression and she crossed her arms. "That is, until you came along."

Dawn blinked once. Twice. "J, are you serious with this?"

"Yes," J confirmed.

"But... but... that's just..." Crazy! Dawn caught herself, before she said that out loud. The bandage wrapped around J's head caught her gaze. She winced with guilt. "Oh, uh... sorry J. I never asked you about your condition..."

J rolled her eyes. "This is not a concussion talking. It's how it is! I would prefere any alternative to this, but I've been spending the last five years accustoming to this reality. You said, you were friends with the guardians. Then think about it, instead of labeling it as insane without a second thought!"

Dawn found herself at a loss of words. She had fantasized about a few reasons, but never did she imagine such a scenario.

The point that probably made most sense was that the guardians would oppose a criminal organization like Team Rocket. However, she had never experienced them taking action before, unless they were threatened directly. Knowing Team Rocket, they might have done just that.

Even that J was sucked into another dimension didn't seem farfetched - Lake Valor was the entrance to another world after all.

Dawn decided to voice the matter that made the least sense to her. "Assuming you're right about that... Why in the world would Mesprit and the others trust you with this job? You were the one, who captured them and almost destroyed the world as we know it!" Dawn swallowed. Her throat itched, after all these words. She cast a glance at Piplup now standing at her side, flippers crossed in a similar fashion to J. "I doubt they would forgive you."

"Of course they didn't forgive me. Why should they?" J raised her eye brow at Dawn. "They are sensible enough to see my skills. I managed to capture them, didn't I?"

"You also managed to get blown up the same time."

"That's not the point," J huffed. "It happened and I paid the price. That doesn't change though, that I am the kind of person you would ask to do this job. I'm efficient and have the experience dealing with all kinds of odds. Besides, I'm guessing they also feel much better about themselves risking the life of a criminal, rather than the one of a civilian."

"A civilian like me, huh?" asked Dawn. "Is it my fault now, that you have to look after me? Since I came here?"

"No. This isn't really your doing," J grumbled under her breath. "You didn't just waltz into this mess, you were sent here by the guardians."

"What? No." Dawn shook her head. "That can't be. I've never spoken to them since the battle with Team Galactic."

"They are psychic types; there is no need for them to talk to you or even ask for your permission. I'm sure they just manipulated your mind and made you come here."

"Just because you think badly of them, doesn't mean they are that way! They're my friends and I trust them," Dawn replied. Piplup chirped approvingly and took a step towards the huntress.

"In that case you shouldn't be surprised about anything that's going on here. I had an argument about this topic for a few hours; I think I should know what those three did. Think back. Was there a reason you wanted to come here in the first place?"

It was Dawn's turn to scowl. She kept silent, though, as she drank her tea and mulled over the question. The beverage had become more bitter, so she puckered her lips. "I've never really been to Johto for more than a few days before. So why not?" She averted her eyes and met Piplup's concerned look. Dawn could imagine, where those worries came from. It didn't want the huntress to be right, but it knew better.

A sigh escaped her lips, before Dawn admitted, "Though that wasn't the reason. I actually wanted to stay home for a while and take a break - I promised to take it easy." Her partner nodded. "It kinda felt like an inspiration struck me, so I didn't think too much about it."

"See?" J smirked.

"Well then, care to explain why I'm here?"

"You are here to give me a hand," J said, but a slight hesitation in her words made Dawn suspect otherwise.

"Is that all?" Dawn questioned and rose an eyebrow. "Give you a hand at stopping Team Rocket? Couldn't they have asked somebody else? Whatever happened with your henchmen; they crashed into Lake Valor, too."

"The guardians refuse to revive them. They fear I will go and hunt pokemon for a living, if I ever get my resources back."

"Yeah," Dawn agreed. A memory started to resurface. The police officer in Goldenrod City had revealed her a few details about the huntress. "You don't need your ship to start working as a hunter again. You already did! You've been to Johto for longer than I have; you had plenty of time to harm innocent pokemon!"

J was about to respond, but Dawn wouldn't let her, yet.

"Is that the real reason I'm here? So I make sure you won't go against Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf again?"

"It's what they had in mind, but it's not how reality looks like. They brought me back to stop Team Rocket and that's what I'm doing. If they didn't approve of my methods, they should have thought about it before sending me here on this suicide mission!"

"It's pretty obvious to me that they wouldn't approve," Dawn frowned. "I remember how your methods looked like and I don't know anyone, who would let you get away with them!"

J took a deep breath as if to calm her nerves. "Easy for you to judge; you don't have any idea what odds I'm facing. I have an organization against myself that exceeds Team Galactic in numbers and resources and they are still expanding. I, on the other hand, have neither my crew nor my equipment. My funds have shrunken to a fraction of what I used to resort to.

"All this time I've been trying to avoid direct encounters like the one on top of the Tin Tower. Team Rocket's objective is to gather powerful pokemon, so I would seek the targets out first and made sure they were as far away as possible."

"Just because you may have had some good intentions, it doesn't change that what you did was wrong," Dawn insisted. "What happened to the pokemon you hunted?"

"I shipped them back to Sinnoh, where they are safe. Besides, they helped funding this whole project. I don't see the point in all this complaining," J answered nonchalantly.

Piplup was the one to react that time. It flailed its flippers and chirped, offended at the very idea that it's fellow pokemon had been treated like will-less puppets. It's aggressive behaviour stirred Salamence and the dragon type raised its head. It growled, a sound strong enough to cause a slight tremble in the ground. Dawn was painfully aware, how close they sat to Salamence, so she picked up Piplup from the ground and sat it on her lap.

It wasn't enough to intimidate her, though. "Piplup is right. You should have known that you can't treat pokemon that way!" Dawn firmly believed in that claim, but even so, she couldn't help but notice J's situation. With a slighly less harsh tone, she suggested, "You could have made other arrangements to protect those pokemon, couldn't you?"

"Right. I could've built a sanctuary for dozens of rampaging pokemon. Or hand them over to the police. I'm sure those incompetent morons would keep them safe for at least a week." J let out a long breath and dropped her arms on her lap. She seemed to struggle to keep her posture upright. Another reminder of her injuries. "I did consider dropping a few targets at the pokemon ranger's bases, but they have their hands full with minor problems around their territories.

"It's futile to leave the pokemon here and my solution basically covered two problems."

"Why won't you ask for help, then?"

"From whom?" J demanded to know. "Even you barely believe me, though you are closest to the guardians. If I ask for help, I might not land in jail but in a nuthouse. I'm not keen on psychotherapy."

"How about Joy?" Dawn offered. "You could have asked her to contact her sisters in Sinnoh or any other region. They would have taken care of those pokemon just fine."

"Joy," began J with a sigh, "is a matter for itself. She refuses to get involved into this in any kind of way. She said that I should be grateful for all the medical help she already offers me. Guess it wasn't easy to rehabilitate to a normal job at a pokemon centre."

"If she was working for you... how come, she is still around?" Dawn asked. "I mean, I thought you would have kept her on the ship..."

J rose an eyebrow in her direction. "Two days and you already want her dead?"

Dawn wanted to deny J's assumption, but noticed the smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. Instead of responding, she crossed her arms in annoyance.

"She left a few weeks before I crashed to attend to a family reunion. Even back then, she covered up any association with me. I haven't made up my mind yet, if I should count myself lucky she is still alive, or wish she had drowned years ago."

A few minutes of silence followed, in which Dawn mulled said things over. J's story made more and more sense - Dawn was rather openminded after her mindblowing adventures revolving around mystical pokemon. She still found it hard to grasp the idea of her and J working together, though.

"To sum everything up," Dawn began, "you were resurrected and sent here to stop Team Rocket. I'm here so I can play your... your conscience. In return you have to make sure I get hurt as little as possible."

J nodded, a gesture that looked too casual for Dawn's liking.

With a light groan, she rubbed her throbbing head. "I can't believe I'm going to have to work with you..."

The huntress nodded again.

"I suppose it was the guardians that saved us from our fall? They came out and..." Dawn hesitated. It would make sense for them to intervene - but why would they have left them in the dungeon of the tower, then?

"Their powers don't work that way. It's risky for them to leave their dimension and teleport to our location. Since Team Rocket is after Celebi as well, they observe if anything enters this world from somewhere else.

"Instead, the guardians use their link to us and influence our bodies. Lessen damage, supporte the healing process; that's the reason you're constantly hungry, because this takes a toll on us as well. It might be the source of your empathy, too."

J had given up keeping a straight back and now sat hunched over with her elbows resting on her thighs.

"That sounds amazing! Just think what would have happened to either of us, if the guardians hadn't helped," Dawn exclaimed and shuddered, when she thought of the consequences.

"If it hadn't been for them, we wouldn't have been in this mess in the first place," J retorted.

"Yeah, well... I think it's at least something..." Dawn shied away from that claim. J was right, but the girl didn't let herself worry too much about the 'what-if's just yet. Hastely, she changed the subject. "Do the guardians give you any special abilities?"

At that J chuckled - or rather, she stiffled a laugh that otherwise might have shaken her wounded body. "No, or at least nothing I could use."

"I see..." Dawn muttered, her momentary bout of excitement long forgotten. She could already picture it - more arguments, clashes of interest and overall hardship alongside the huntress. Dawn let out a drawn-out breath that lifted the strands of her blue fringe.

Chirping from her lap made her look at Piplup. It punched the air, its expression highly concentrated. With an uppercut, Piplup finished its demonstration, then pointed at the huntress and cried out in anger.

"Right." Dawn nodded, slightly annoyed with herself that she had almost forgotten about that matter. She focused back on J. "You still didn't explain your actions today."

J shrugged. "I just wanted to see, how you would work in a stressful situation. You're better when you face actual difficulties, rather than pressure yourself."

"I still lost..." Dawn beat her to the point. The fact didn't feel as defeating as usually; not if she had a good reason to blame somebody else.

"It was a draw, get over it. You already beat my expectations with that. Besides," now J's voice grew scornful. "none of this would have happened, if the guardians hadn't interfered once again."

Dawn's questioning gaze made J continue. The huntress sighed; she was clearly fed up with the discussion, but forced herself to finish it properly. "First of all, the cop wasn't the actual cause for your headaches. I took care of him quite easily - without harming him. The problem was that I left today with every intention of getting as far away from you as possible. The guardians weren't happy with my plan, so they reminded me, how fast they are pulling me out of this world, again."

"That's the reason Gengar and the other ghost types lost you..." Dawn muttered. She also wondered, what Joy would have done to her, if the guardians had decided to keep J in their grasp. A shudder rushed down her spine.

"Yes and they were so agitated that coming back was a real pain. It might be the distraction we need, though, so that Team Rocket won't notice that I traveled worlds," J mulled more to herself than to Dawn. She quickly directed her attention to the girl. "I figured that since I don't have much of a choice but to work with you, I might as well get started."

"Sounds more like you wanted to take out your anger on me..." Dawn muttered, crossed her arms and pouted slightly.

"I admit that, but I think we're even." J's tone was more amused than anything else.

"I know, I know." That's why she sulked. Shaking her head, she banned that emotion from her consciousness. It brought a fresh stab to her head.

Finally, Dawn dropped the medicine into the glass of water and watched the tiny bubbles, as it dissolved. "How did you do it? Activating my pokeballs, surveying the battle..."

"I had my Porygon-Z do all the work," J explained. "It transmitted the images and sounds of the battle and released the pokemon I choose."

"Right..." said Dawn. She didn't agree with J's actions, but knew it was futile to argue with the huntress. In fact, now that she knew J's motivation, she wanted to avoid any more tension between them. If they really had to work together in the future...

The girl gulped the medicine down, hoping it would not only drown the pain in her head. "So," she began, "what are you going to do with me? Not that I'm eager to spent any more time with you, as we already do."

"I'll see that we avoid putting you in any more danger than necessary. You'll have the freedom to run after your contests, while I keep taking care of Team Rocket myself.

"However, since you already encountered them twice, it would be foolish to deny the possibility that you might end up in the crossfire, again. I would try to polish up your fighting skills for both battling and close combat. You seemed to have a rough idea, how you can fight, but you weren't ready to act on it."

Dawn wanted to interject, but J cut her of with a wave of her hand. "I'm not going to spent all my time drilling you; I still have plenty of other tasks to do. At the moment, though, we're stuck with each other. I need about a week to recover and Joy will keep an eye on you for most of that time. Might as well push you in a more independent direction."

Why me? Dawn allowed herself to wonder for the first time, but kept her reluctance in check. It wasn't as if the huntress was eager to work with her and Dawn noticed it wouldn't be fair to J, if she rebelled too much. Even if she was a criminal.

But there was one more reason, Dawn accepted the changes that would come with J. It was the lake trio that had arranged that plan in the first place. Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit. Since the day they had met, there had always been a bond between them. She trusted them and their judgement.

J could be lying with her whole story, Dawn mulled, but I really can't think of her as that creative. And even then, forcing me would be so much easier for her.

That settled, Dawn looked at the onigiri she hadn't touched, yet. She really was hungry.

And J was probably, too.

Gingerly, the girl stood up and lifted the plate from the ground. She stepped over to J - making a little circle around Salamence's head as it growled - and finally presented it to the huntress. "You said those healing powers take a huge toll on both of us. So..."

J seemed surprised; she rose a brow at Dawn's direction. When the coordinator offered her a little smile, she reached out for one of the riceballs and accepted it.

Despite all their differences, there was a certain understanding between the two. Neither wanted to be part of the story and opposed the way of the other. That knowledge helped Dawn, even if just a little.

"Come on," said J after her first bite. "You just wanted to make sure they really haven't been poisoned."
 

I did it! Phew. Most. Complex. Chapter (to edit). Ever. You should have seen the first draft. Or rather the comments I wrote next to it... *shudders*

Hope you like it, hope it explains a thing or two.

So, as always, write ya next time!
 

Approx. one week later

Time Jumping around! Enjoy!

It was a busy week. As soon as J had left her room some time late in the afternoon the next day, they had found themselves a clearing in the woods surrounding the Brass Tower. A secluded, wide space.

There, J tried to destroy Dawn's team - and, after a rocky start, Dawn did her best to return the favour.
 

"Hyperbeam! And Drapion, cross poison!"

"Dodge!" Dawn yelled - and jumped to the side herself as a black beam whipped past her. The impact with the ground showered Dawn with a cascade of dirt. She barely paid it any mind, though and yelled a set of orders.

Mamoswine unleashed its blizzard at the airborne Salamence, while Piplup and Absol occupied Drapion. Somewhere in the bushes to Dawn's left, her Spinda and Ariados were rustling about. As for Whimsicott... she hoped it was behind J, ready to act as a distraction.

More dust rose, as Salamence swooped down and ripped the ground open just a mere feet before Dawn. She barely had time to fall backwards, before a hot flame shot over her.

"Restraint, restraint!" She murmured, agitated. "How hard can it be -" As she turned around, she saw that one of the trees was ablaze. "J! You're causing another forest fire!"

"Didn't we come here, so we wouldn't have to worry about destroying something?"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can just torch anything you want!" Dawn looked over to her water type. "Piplup, take care of it please?"

Piplup saluted and ran of to fulfill its duty.

After a few moments, J spoke up again. "Aren't you just overreacting because your Whimsicott is on fire?"

Dawn had just pulled herself up, before she spun around, aghast. However her grass type had ended up in the patch of tall grass opposite of the direction it was supposed to go, she didn't know. But as it zoomed around in the air, frantically looking for a way to extinguish its burning fluff, Dawn couldn't help but hang her head in shame.
 

... There was irony...
 

Dawn was just feeding Pichu a poffin, when she came to the crutial question. "So, you have all this information on my pokemon... How did you... I mean... Did you by any chance hack into my storage system for it?"

"No. I used legal methods to gather that information." J didn't seem to mind that Dawn was around - or rather she wasn't overly annoyed. "Are you familiar with a page called 'Conway's Archive'?"

"Con-" Dawn repeated. "You're using Conway's page? Great. Means you're an expert, aren't you?"

J seemed highly amused by the revelation. "You know each other," she stated.

Dawn snorted. "Yes, well. If he didn't, he might be of, stalking another poor girl." Why do I get the feeling he and J would get along perfectly?

As if to underline her guess, J said, "He isn't by any chance bonded with Uxie? It would be fitting and maybe we could persuade it to swap you for him. A researcher and strategist would be an actual relieve of my job. Not some coordinator, whose family must have had a history with Gardevoir."

Dawn almost tripped over a loose stone. "Excuse me?"

"Why not? It's humanoid and its evolution line is able to sense emotions. If there is one pokemon people like to mess around with -"

"Stop putting pictures in my head!"
 

... There was the issue of close combat...
 

Ever since her time as a temporary member of Dewford Gym, Dawn had known hits. There were the occasional misjudged low sweeps and karate chops and even Mienshao's jump kicks that would knock all winds out of her.

It still didn't soften J's blows, when the huntress took her drilling too far.

That paticular moment, Dawn was rubbing her throbbing jaw.

"Stop whining," J complained.

Dawn only grumbled as a response.

"I didn't hit you that hard. I barely felt any contact."

Now Dawn glared at the huntress. "Since when do you feel anything? I remember how you burned down a whole forest and you didn't seem like you felt even a bit remorse about it!"

J sighed. "Are you going to hold my past actions against me again?"

"Does it bother you?"

"I'm more concerned about the time you're wasting."

Dawn wanted to argue, but J was right. There was no point in telling J the mistakes she made, if she wasn't going to regret them anyway. "You didn't listen when I told you to stop! You've been kicking me around for an hour now! I'm still a beginner at fighting!"

"That's why I went easy on you. You don't have any broken bones, that should be enough."

"It's not!" Dawn jumped up from the rock she was sitting on. "I am not one of your minions; you can't just punch me around when you feel like it!"

She began stomping of the clearing, back the way they came from. Piplup chirped once, then hopped next to its trainer.

"Where are you going?" J demanded to know.

"Back to the temple, before you get to the point when you actually break my bones!"

J grabbed the collar of her shirt, effectively stoppping her tracks. "And you are just assuming I would let you run off like that?"

Dawn spun around and swatted her hand away. "Of course! What can you do to stop me? You're the one that's supposed to make sure I'm well and unharmed, so you can't force me to do anything I don't want. In fact, I should be the one deciding, when - or if we do anything! And right now, it's enough!"

Fury was building up in the huntress; Dawn could clearly make out a twitch in her muscles, but J restrained herself. They scowled at each other, neither willing to lose that fight.

It was J that eventually relented. "Suit yourself." With a flash Salamence was released and the two disappeared in the hazy afternoon sky. Dawn was happy to ignore the ache that built up in the back of her head.
 

... There was stuff from horror movies that Dawn would have been glad to forget...
 

Darkness spun around her in a pulsing vortex. Though without light, Dawn knew her skin was unnaturally pale. She knew the cold that dug deeply right into her bones. She knew the sensation of her mind crawling too slow to grasp the world around her.

But suddenly, it was all sucked away, leaving her drained and with new visions to pain her. Friends turning to stone, then to dust. A splitting headache. Flames twisting around her.

And then there was a vision of her mum and Dawn feared for the worst -

"DAWN!" a voice boomed next to her ear.

Dawn's eyes snapped open and the first thing she saw was a grim looking face.

Instintictively, her arm darted forward to swat away the threat, her heart thumping rapidly in her chest. It wasn't until she heard a few hissed curses that she recognized J crouching next to her, rubbing her forehead.

"Now you hit seriously? Why not at any other appropriate time?"

"J! What are you - Why?!" Dawn stuttered.

"It seems the ghosts from the Tin Tower came back for revenge. They tried to suck out all of your energy, just like with your Piplup."

There was a muffled thump and chirp, when the sleep walking penguin stumbled over some obstacle. Dawn was too shaken, though, to pay it too much mind.

"I noticed that! But why were you looming right over my head? You almost gave me a heart attack!" Dawn hissed quietly, noticing that it was still night time.

"I was waking you," J stated.

"Next time I'd rather stick to my nightmares than wake up to your -"

A tad too late, Dawn slapped her hands over her mouth. J's eye brow twitched.

"You what?"

"Uh, y'know. I'd rather... not... wake up and see your..." Dawn cleared her throat. "J... If you keep frowning like that, you'll get wrinkles."

"One more word and I'll throw you back into the basement."
 

... There were harsh reminders of who the villains were...
 

"How many are there?" Dawn asked, wringing her hands in front of her chest.

"About three to four Mamoswhine, a dozen Pilowswine and a lot of Swinub." J pressed the headset closer to her ear, so she could understand the distress call one of the pokemon rangers in charge sent out. She hissed. "If this report is right, then there is a nest with a few eggs. They won't be able to just move the herd, unless they get access to that. They're trapped."

Dawn couldn't take it any longer. She jumped up, ready to sprint of. "We have to do something! There has to be a way!"

"There is none!" J snapped. "The only thing you can do is stay low - better yet, you can go back to the temple and wait there. Play with your pokemon or something."

Dawn replied the scowl J shot her. "They need help!" she insisted.

"I agree, but not from us. They're at the Ice Path. How do you suppose we should get there? Fly? Even if that mountain wasn't plagued by a snowstorm, we would never make it there in time! I am not going to waste Salamence's energy just so you can pat your shoulder later and say you tried."

"You're just fine sitting here, aren't you?" Dawn gestured at the clearing, the soft wind that rustled through the leaves, no threat in sight. J knelt next to her laptop, protected by the shade of nearby trees.

"As a matter of fact, yes I am," J exclaimed, her eyes betraying that she only said so in regard of Dawn.

Why did Dawn even bother? "How did the guardians ever think you would be able to protect a pokemon? Or any living being? You don't even care!"

"I do care."

"But only because it would mean more work for you if Team Rocket caught them, too!"

"So you want me to care for their feelings? How would that improve this situation?" J demanded to know.

Dawn gritted her teeth. "It wouldn't," she admitted. "But then I could pretend that you're really no longer a pokemon hunter."
 

... There were resolves...
 

Dawn knocked the doorframe of J's room. At first, she was met with silence, though she was sure she heard the huntress working on her laptop. She knocked once more, just to be sure J noticed her. Then she waited patiently until J was ready.

"What is it?" J asked eventually.

"I just... wanted to talk to you." Dawn shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

"We already did. You can leave now."

Dawn bit her lip at the rejection. She really wanted to do as J told her, yet she stayed. "But I've got something that will interest you! Can I just come in for a few minutes? It's not like Team Rocket will do something devastating in so little time!"

There was a heavy sigh and J called her in. Dawn took it as an indicator, just how fed up the huntress was with their arguing that day. If she let Dawn in after so little discussion, she must have been exhausted.

Gently, Dawn slid the door open and slipped in. J sat at the low table, her laptop right in front of her. Dawn couldn't make out what J had been working on just seconds ago, but she saw Porygon Z stretched over the whole screen. Next to it sat Pichu that seemed to be absorbed in a sparkling discussion. They noticed the girl and waved at her. Especially, the virtual pokemon put up a lot of effort in that gesture as it moved its flippers frantically.

"Uh... Hi Pichu... and Porygon-Z," she replied. It was weird to see such an upbeat attitude in relation to J. Then again, the pokedex itself mentioned that something went wrong with that pokemon.

Dawn cleared her throat and presented a paper cup. "I thought you might want some fresh coffee?"

"That's actually quite good thinking," J admitted and motioned for Dawn to come over. Once the girl had settled on a cushion and handed over the cup, J cut to the point. "So, what is it you want this time?"

Dawn took a deep breath to brace herself. "I... wanted to apologize... for all the trouble I'm making you."

J rose her brow, but didn't reply. She radiated mild surprise.

"You're just always so harsh and-" Dawn stopped herself, shaking her head. "I still have a hard time accepting that I'm supposed to work with you. You used to be the bad guy we always had to stop, after all! And now you're helping me, so that I'll be ready for the next time I'm up against other bad guys?

"I always imagine that you do all of this just so you could get back at me. That's much easier than to think something you do would benefit me."

"Sounds to me as if you're looking for excuses to hate me," J stated levelheadedly.

At first, Dawn wanted to deny the idea, but quickly realized that J was probably right. She sighed. "I don't really hate you... but I'd love to have a reason not to be stuck in this mess."

"I see." J took another sip of her coffee. "That's a nice story, but I don't see any way to change that. I won't start pampering you, just so you might feel better."

"I'm not asking for anything like that. I do think that we might have to find some balance in our training, but..." Dawn couldn't help the wry smile spreading on her lips. She remembered how the police officer had accused her being J's assistant; how vehemently she had denied that statement. Her current idea felt silly beyond compare.

"What... what if we... actually tried to get along?"

J didn't reject her suggestion right away. She lowered her cup, a questioning frown on her face. "You want us to get along?"

"Well, yeah! I'm much better when I work with my friends. I know that I can trust them my back and they know they can rely on me, too."

Though it didn't seem possible, J's expression became even more sceptical. "You don't actually propose we develop some kind of friendship, do you?"

"No!" Dawn denied, throwing her arms up. "No, no, no! There is no way I could manage that! But still... it would make things much easier."

J crossed her arms. "It's still not enough for you that I don't have any other choice, but to protect you."

"Of course not! I actually don't want you to be forced into this. It's not right. But if we could somehow try to trust and to understand each other..." Dawn shrugged. "I don't want to be constantly reminded that I work with Pokemon Hunter J.

"So, no matter how crazy this sounds... I'd like to give it a shot, at least."

J shook her head, but Dawn got the impression that she mulled it over. After some moments passed, J finally relented. "How do you suppose this should work out?"

At that question, Dawn smiled sheepishly. "... Dunno yet. Got any good ideas?"

"Of course not," J exclaimed. "I don't get along with people. That's what contracts are for!"

"I'm really dragging you out of your comfortzone, aren't I?"

"If you are going to joke about it, I'll stop even considering to listen to you any more."

"Sorry!" Dawn winced slightly. She glanced at J. "Are you really okay with trying?"

J rubbed her left eye and shrugged. "I suppose. As long as this 'getting along' won't take up too much time."

Inwardly, Dawn breathed a huge sigh of relief. If J agreed - even though that was just the result of the huntress working herself into exhaustion - it meant that the idea wasn't a complete catastrophe.

"I doubt you'll let me tear you away from your precious work. What are you doing here all day anyway?"

"Watching enemy movements, keep a close track to possible targets..."

"In other words you stalk people all day long."

"You could put it that way, yes."

Though neither wanted to admit, the exchange cleared some of the awkward air around them. Dawn could swear she even saw a smirk tugging at J's lips. The development was strange enough to make her look for a distraction. Her gaze fell on the laptop.

"You said you were a member of Conway's page... and that you could look into their dicussions..."

"You want to mess around a bit?" J asked, but was already calling up the page.

Dawn looked between J and the screen for a few times, before answering, "Yeah kinda."
 

... There were surprises...
 

"What are you talking about?"

"Team Rocket," Dawn repeated slightly annoyed. "Back when I was traveling with Ash, they used to blast off so easily. I kinda have troubles believing that the ones we're up against are actually -"

"Stop right there," J interrupted her, waving her chopsticks at Dawn. "You... used to battle them - in Sinnoh?"

"Well, yes!" Dawn restrained the urge to roll her eyes. "I'm pretty sure you met them!"

"I would have known if someone from Team Rocket set foot on Sinnoh."

Dawn halted her hand halfway from the bowl to her mouth an rose an eyebrow at the huntress. "But I'm sure you know them! They were always around to try and steal Pikachu, so you must have met at some point."

"I'm sure I didn't - unless..." J shook her head. "No. I am certain. Team Rocket wasn't in Sinnoh, at least not before I was blown up."

Dawn frowned at the huntress. "Come on, you have to remember something. Jessie, James and Meowth? The trio that always followed us around? Their motto? The Meowth could talk?"

Dawn had to admit; J was a master at disguising her emotions. Without her empathy, she wouldn't have guessed how disturbed the huntress actually was at those news. Slowly, she placed the chopsticks on the table. Then she looked insistently at Dawn.

"You mean to tell me that those morons were part of Team Rocket? The Team Rocket?"

"Yes! They had a habit to call themselves that. They had huge 'R's on their uniform - you can't make me believe you missed that."

"I noticed, but... I thought they were imposters or overenthusiastic fans or -"

"Cosplayers?"

"Excactly."

Dawn paused to mull it over. "No, they are real. Ash and Brock had plenty of time to figure that out. I'd even say Ash is somewhat of an expert on Team Rocket."

"I see," J exclaimed and crossed her arms. "They... were more desperate for new members than I thought."

Dawn glanced at her. "You sound like I just destroyed part of your world view."

Judging from the look on J's face, she really had.
 

...There were times things got out of hand...
 

Thunder clashed with poisonous claws. A huge whilrpool raged around with the intensity of a razor wind. The ground shook, as Mamoswine stormed over the ground towards its foe.

And suddenly, Dawn called out with a teasing voice "Pichu! Show your mum your new move! She really wants a hug!"

Overjoyed, the mouse did as it was told - and, with its body covered in an electrical current, it leaped right into J's back.

J seemed too confused to react. She blinked, her eye brows furrowed and her lips slightly parted. Then, the volt tackle hit in an explosion of squealing and crackling electricity. The impact was strong enough to jerk her forward, drawing a low grunt from the huntress.

Salamence and Drapion both halted their attacks, obviously stunned by the development. That moment was enough. Mamoswines ice fang crashed into Drapion, while the whirlpool swept over the airborne dragon. The attacks pushed the two back, far enough to cross the line J's party had to defend.

"Yes!" Dawn cried out triumphantly. "We did it! Finally!"

Piplup, Mamoswine and even Absol shared her enthusiasm.

Before suddenly, the world turned upside down. Again.

Though that time, Dawn didn't have the freedom of a net she was sticking to. Tied in a cocoon, she dangled from a branch that didn't seem like the sturdiest choice. Her eye was twitching, as she scowled at Ariados. It beamed at her, overflowing with pride for its work.

"I'm impressed," J said, while she walked over to the coordinator. "That's the dirtiest technique you have ever used."

"Of course you'd compliment that," Dawn mumbled, her voice sounding muffled from the threads that crossed her lips. "But if so, why am I still hanging here?"

"Revenge." J smirked. Something about it felt different. Almost, as if for once Dawn had acted just the way J wanted her too. As if she really earned a fraction of respect from the huntress. In all her life, Dawn wouldn't have been able to imagine that once, she would be able to welcome such a situation. Even if it meant that she cheated.

"It's your turn again to come back at me."

"Great!" Dawn spat out a few threads that stuck to her teeth. "Does that mean you'll get me out of here?"

J tilted her head to the side, a funny looking gesture from Dawn's point of view. "I might consider it."

Dawn sighed. "I'll never get down this tree, will I?"

Just then, the branch cracked.
 

... There was research...
 

J scrolled up the profile one final time. "What a waste of potential." She sighed.

"Well, if you hadn't tried to capture his Pikachu..."

"I know, I know." J waved her off. "How could I've guessed I might end up at the mercy of the Lake Guardians and that the brat - I mean Ketchum - would be a possible candidate?"

A click and another profile popped up. "The other one is Brock?"

"Yeah." Dawn nodded, though she knit her brows slightly. "He's a pokemon doctor-in-training. I think his final exams are set sometime this year..." She glanced at J. "You already have a doctor."

"Yes and I'd love to get rid of her," J chuckled. "He would have been very convenient for that." She scrolled down, taking in the information. "Pewter's former gym leader. I think I could work with that."

Dawn felt more delighted to burst J's bubble than she should have. "I'm sure you could. Until Brock happens to stumble over your Joy. He has this nasty habbit of falling in love with every woman he meets, especially Nurse Joys. I don't know why, but I can't help but picture a catastrophy, if they met. He'd jump at her. Croagunk always had to immobilze him, when he got into someone."

"That does sound troublesome," J admitted. "But still... Azelf is willpower, Uxie knowledge. I'm stuck with Mesprit's emotions."

"That doesn't mean that I'm good for nothing else..." Dawn muttered.

J wasn't done with her sporadic research of Dawn's friends, though. She randomly clicked at some other names, closely related to the coordinator. "Oh, you traveled with quite a few people that have already become Top-Coordinator. You're still limping behind, aren't you?"

Dawn didn't like the direction J went.

"What is that 'Synchronized Victory' supposed to mean?" J asked, pointing at a certain part in May's profile.

Still frowning, Dawn explained "May and Drew - that's her boyfriend - they won in the final round of the same Grand Festival. They kinda juggled with their points, so they'd finish with the same amount."

"I see." J nodded to herself. "Bribing. Now that's a refreshing skill."

"No no." Dawn chuckled. "They didn't cheat. I wouldn't be friends with people like that. No, they synchronized their attacks, so the judges would rate them similarly. It took them weeks to practice and tons of research. Conway had waaay too much fun helping them."

"... Are you serious?" J rose an eyebrow at the coordinator, who only nodded as a reply. She suppressed a shiver. "Disgusting. But strangely efficient." Another click. "Ah. That Garchomp user you're friends with." J smirked. "I suppose even if you'd made it past the first round, you wouldn't have stood a chance against her."

"It was just bad luck I lost there..." Dawn mumbled, involuntarily thinking back to the day of her last Grand Festival. It had felt worse than any jab to her stomach, when her pokemon's moves had failed. She hadn't been able to concentrate properly - that and the training they had done had felt too insufficient. From that day on, Dawn had put much more effort and thought into her training, until it was too much.

"The Johanna is your mother?" J asked, sounding geniuly surprised. Dawn could sense that she was not.

"You know her?" The sceptisism in her voice couldn't have been heavier. If J knew her mother - Dawn didn't even want to imagine what that would mean.

"I never got to meet her in my line of work - or even acknowledged her existence, to be honest - but I read enough." She pointed at the screen. "Seems to me that she was very successful. Winner of three Grand Festival, countless other awards... and she earned her title of Top-Coordinator on her very first try. You're still struggling after half a dozen attempts."

"So?" Dawn mumbled. "It doesn't mean anything..."

"No wonder you have no confidence. If you've grown up with such a role model, the tension must have gotten to you eventually. You've failed every possible goal."

Dawn winced and wanted to protest, but J had already found another link. "This seems interesting. Your redheaded friend will compete against Wall-"

"Why are you doing this?" Dawn interrupted her.

J raised a brow. "You need to be a little more specific."

"Why are you showing me all of this and act as if all this is news to you, when you clearly read everything, every reference there is about me on this page?"

"I'm doing what you wanted me to do," J responded non-chalantly, though she did relent and closed the window. "You wanted me to understand you, so I'm trying to figure out what made you so miserable. I guess it can't be helped, seeing how competitive you are."

Dawn clenched her fists. "I'm not competitive!"

"Fine then, you're just envious of your friends' success -"

"I don't envy them, either!" Her voice rose and she almost forgot how late it was.

"If so, then you can't bear being left behind. Whatever the reason, we can't risk that your inferiority complex might -"

"That's it!" Dawn cried out, too loud for her taste. She leaped from her cushion, eyes boring into J's surprised expression. "We're going out, now!"

"Now?" J echoed and glanced at the digital clock on the laptop. "It's well past midnight. You said it was getting too late for -"

"Change of plans! I'm going to kick your butt and if it'll take me 'til sunrise!"

J still seemed a bit taken aback by Dawn's change of demeanor, but her perplexity quickly shifted into recognition. A smirk tugged at her lips and she rose as well. "You're lucky I'm here," she said as they left for a long night ahead. "Otherwise you would suffocate in badly written puns."
 

... There was conflict of - WITH another force of nature...
 

Dawn and Piplup shared a glance. The penguin nodded, its eyes determined, though it did shuffle on its feet. Eventually, Dawn sighed. "I've got an idea."

J rose an eyebrow at her, a clear sign that Dawn could continue. Joy, on the other hand, didn't look up from J's head wound. They were at the nurse's house for their regular check-up's on their conditions. Even though Joy didn't bother to acknowledge Dawn's presence anymore.

"The idea actually involves..." The coordinator tried, but stopped herself. She still wasn't quite sure how she should call Joy. Neither 'Nurse Joy' nor plain 'Joy' felt appropriate. She cleared her throat. "You could tell your sisters in Sinnoh about J's clients, so that they can-"

Joy's glare darted at her. "... they can, y'know... ask a pokemon ranger for help?" She looked at J. "It would be great if they could rescue those pokemon - and not only for their sake. You never know if those people might decide to sell them to Team Rocket."

"You are getting good at this," J acknowledged. Joy wasn't as enthusiastic about the idea, though.

"That is out of question," she declared. "Why do you think I am - well, was - trying so hard to avoid any connection with this criminal?"

If I only knew, Dawn was tempted to say. It's not like your reputation would suffer any more, just because you treated one of the most notorious pokemon hunters in Sinnoh.

"I might not be able to read your thoughts," Joy said and sneaked over to the girl, until Dawn had no other choice but to look right into her dangerously glowering sky blue eyes, "but I know that expression."

Dawn shrinked back. "Y-you don't have to tell them you worked with J! How about you squeezed it out of her?"

"There is something else I would love to squeeze into none-existence. Don't you think it might be suspicious if suddenly all of J's clients are attacked? Do you really want more hostile adversarys striving for J's life?"

"That doesn't necessarily have to be the case," J responded from her - formerly - save spot behind Joy. "I could find out enough information about other people I've worked for. I can think of about a dozen contract-breakers I'd love to get back at. Besides, you know your sisters and cousins in Sinnoh. I'm sure you can relay the lead until it's untraceable-"

Joy spun around and resumed her work on J's head wound. Apparently, the bandage felt too lose to her. J's eye twitched as the nurse increased the pressure on her injury. "You mean maintain my anonymity. It worked so well before, after all." Another tug on the bandage. "You still haven't paid for the glass door."

"I am not going to pay for bullet proof glass."

"Haven't you realized what fragile glass brought us to?"

Dawn let out the breath she had been holding. She turned to Piplup - but Piplup was already off inspecting something as far away from the nurse as possible. Dawn surpressed the urge to pull it back by its cape, when J spoke up again.

"I can understand that a lot of unsatisfied customers would love to come by and use their Salamence to destroy your clinic, but I'm not paying for a reinforced front door to a public building!"
 

... There were insights...
 

"J, can I ask you a personal question?" Dawn asked one night, when they were on their way to the temple, ready to turn in for the night. Salamence was flying overhead, content to be on its own for once.

J was looking at the screen of the little computer in her hand. Her frown seemed to deepen slightly. "You can pose it, but I can't guarantee that I will answer."

"Why did you agree on all of this? From what you've shown me, I'm guessing that Team Rocket will be so hard to stop. It could take you years! Not to mention, you do fight against another criminal organization. What do you get in return?"

J chuckled. "I suppose its still hard for you to grasp that I'm capable of doing something 'good'. I didn't become a pokemon hunter, just so I could break some rules and be evil.

"As for my agreement with the guardians; I get another chance to live, instead of rotting in their hell. That's enough of a motivator for me. That is, until they decided I need supervision."

Dawn shared a look with Piplup hanging to her head. "What do you mean with 'their hell'?"

"Exactly what I said. Their dimention is a direct response to my life style. You could say that I had quite a bit of bad charma I had to work through."

Dawn was almost certain, she didn't want to get to the bottom of that subject, but she asked nonetheless.

"I don't quite remember. Uxie altered my memories, so I wouldn't end up insane from all the... situations I went through." She shot Dawn a glance. "I can't entertain you with any details, but I know enough to make sure it doesn't happen again."

When she saw Dawn's shocked expression, she said, "No, your friends are not some wonderful all-loving creatures ripped out of a fairy tale."

"I never thought something like that of them! I saw them summon Dialga and Palkia and then stop them from creating a new world right in front of my eyes. But what you're saying... it sounds horrible," Dawn explained and her expression must have looked really disturbed. J sighed.

"To be fair, it's probably a relic of a time, when pokemon and people were mortal enemies."

They reached the temple and sneaked inside, careful not to wake the monks. In front of their rooms, J asked a final question. "Do you still think I deserve any more pain?"

Dawn felt hot guilt and shame weighting down her stomach. She couldn't help but remember J's injuries and how she had secretly struggled with the pain even days later. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry..."

"You're still soft," J noted. Dawn was about to defend herself, but J beat her to it. "I didn't say it's a bad thing. It's not going to help us, but I'm starting to think it won't be harmful, either."

"Good night, J," Dawn threw at the back of J's head, before the huntress could disappear in her room.

"Right." J frowned, but she did raise a hand and replied "Good night," for once. It was a start.
 

... Eventually, they even went as far as doing an activity J enjoyed...
 

Not for the first time that week, Dawn was dangling from Ariados' silky thread. The only difference, though, was the fact that the ground was about five stories away.

Braviary was struggling against the string shot just an armslength below her. Further down, on a street at the ground were flashing lights. An electronic voice halled all the way up. The person responsible for that mess hovered above them. Dawn had to flex her neck, just to catch a glimpse of Salamence' belly. She knew, somewhere up there stood J, her intentions yet unknown.

Dawn could only hope J didn't know about her intentions, either.

"Come on girl." J's voice easily carried through the wind and distance. "I thought you wanted to impress me?"

"Oh, I'll show you..."

And just a moment later, Piplup, which had climbed up the thread, created a massive whirlpool right underneath Salamence. The string around Dawn loosened, making her fall a few feet before Braviary caught her. It's wings were still glowing white from the move it had used to cut itself open.

Finally, when Piplup was safely back in Dawn's arms, Braviary brought her up until they were on the same height as Salamence. J was smirking. Not a good sign.

"You had your fun for the day!" Dawn cried over the cool wind. "Let's go back now!"

She winced closer to Braviary's body, when a dragon pulse zoomed right over her head. The gust it created tousled through her hair.

"I don't think Salamence had enough fun, yet," J replied, now from Dawn's right side.

The coordinator scowled at J. "Then your Salamence can explain to all those officers down there, why we're rampaging in the middle of the night like a bunch of Exploud! Did you even hear them shouting in their megaphones over the explosions? Or see those red flashing lights?"

J flew next to her, her expression thoughtful. "I didn't. Must be a result from ignoring cops for as long as I did."

Dawn wasn't about to argue over that statement.
 

... It wasn't until the final day that Dawn's strategy satisfied J...
 

Dawn tried to breath as calmly as she could, despite the sprint she had just endured. The loud scratching of Drapion's claws seemed distant, but it wasn't the sound she paid attention too.

Peaking behind the trunk of the maple tree, Dawn spotted two of her party hidding in the shrubbery. Lopunny nodded at her, while Kirlia had its eyes closed and concentrated on their surroundings.

Finally, there was rustling nearby. Steps that sounded heavy enough for boots, but still lighter than talons. Kirlia's eyes shot open. Trainer and pokemon braced themselves.

Dawn jumped out from her cover, startling J. The huntress recovered quickly and lifted her arms to a defensive stance, but even her remarkable reflexes were futile against that blow.

In a flash, Kirlia teleported right in front J and with it Lopunny. The rabbit was swift to bury its knee in J's belly, drawing a low grunt from her. Despite the direct hit, Dawn didn't hesitate as she sprinted forward. She sidestepped Kirlia and Lopunny and finally kicked J's legs from underneath her, toppling the huntress.

J managed to cushion her fall, by langing on her shoulder blades. She wasn't quite dazzled enough to stay down. Not that Dawn hadn't counted on that.

"Piplup, your turn!"

In a splash, Piplup launched itself from the hole of a nearby tree. Blue energy glowed in its beak, before it unleashed an ice beam attack that froze most of J's body.

The huntress was finally stuck.

Dawn, Piplup, Kirlia and Lopunny cheered, their trainer's cry the loudest. "We did it! We did it!" Dawn plopped down next to J's head, beaming. "We did it."

Although J was nowhere near a match to Dawn's excitement, she bore a little, self-satisfied smirk. "What happened to Ariados?"

"I have no clue, what it did, but Venonat took care of it." Dawn grinned.

"Salamence is probably still busy with Altaria and Drapion..?"

The coordinator chuckled. Not even J had noticed, what pokemon had been bugging the scorpion. "It's probably still chasing Pachirisu. I gave it my special coffee poffin."

J blinked. "You doped your... Never mind." She cleared her throat. "Congratulations. You did it. How about you unfreeze me now?"

Dawn didn't even have to think about that question. "No," she said. "There is no way I'm going to let you free now. Who knows what kind of revenge stunt you'll pull on me this time."

"What am I supposed to do, thaw on my own?"

"Yeah!"

"It's night time!"

"It's not my fault you insist on sleeping in!"
 

... It was weird, when they said their goodbyes after little more than a week...
 

The monks were out and bowed at them as Dawn and J exited the temple for the last time. While Dawn stopped and thanked them for their hospitality, J was already on her way. It was times like that, she wanted to whack J's head.

"It wouldn't have hurt your pride, if you had taken a minute of your life and thanked them. They did quite some effort to care for us, you know..." Dawn chided her, once she had caught up.

"I never asked them to feed me." J rolled her eyes. "Besides, I knew you would probably show enough gratitude for both of us."

Dawn shot her a sceptical look, but that moment, she was content not to start another discussion with the huntress. She moved on to another topic. "So, Olivine City. What's Team Rocket up to this time?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle by myself. You just go on to your contest. And make sure you win; I don't need you moping around the next time we meet."

When they were out of sight from the temple, J released Salamence. The dragon growled and knelt down, waiting for J to hop onto it. The huntress turned around to Dawn. "You don't seem convinced."

"Well... no." Dawn shifted her weight from one leg to the other. "I'm supposed to help you, aren't I?"

"There is no need for that. This time, there will be plenty of pokemon rangers around. And I believe the police was informed, too, but they're rarely good for anything," J said. "You have your own priorities and you should take care of them."

"But I can't turn my back on pokemon that need my help." Dawn felt slightly torn between her consciousness and her desire to go to the next contest.

"There will be enough people around that care more about the safety of said pokemon, rather than bringing down the organization responsible," J assured her.

"That was convenient for you, huh?"

"Very."

Dawn couldn't share the smirk J wore, but she didn't say anything further. If police had caught J years before, a lot of pokemon could have been saved. At the same time though, she wondered how her current situation would have played out. J's help had saved a few lives.

She didn't think she would ever be able to accept with J's former profession. For the time being, however, Dawn was willing to look past it. "You'll be careful, right?"

"Actually, I thought I would narrow my chances of survival with a few tons of dynamyte as my baggage," J retorted as she strapped a bag on Salamence. Dawn's frown made her sigh. "Fine. I'll be careful. You won't have to worry about Joy threatening you again."

"That's not the issue!" Dawn chuckled. It made her realize, how tight her chest felt. "I'm not worried about Joy. I want you to be unharmed, because I'm a caring person!"

"I see..." J looked sceptical and was quick to change the subject. "If you're still unsure, then this might help."

She tossed a little object to Dawn. The form resembled her poketch, though without the wristband and in a plain grey colour. It had a little display and a speaker.

"It's a communication device," J explained. "If there is something concerning you, I can contact you."

"And how do I contact you?"

J waved the question of. "I will know, if you're in trouble. Now, unless you need something else, I'll be on my way."

"Actually, there is," Dawn carefully began, when J was standing on Salamence and ready to take of. "We still have to figure out Pichu. It can wait until you're done with your stuff in Olivine City, but still..." She shrugged. "It really likes you. And Porygon-Z, too."

"We should really leave it until then."

J nodded at Dawn, Salamence growled and they ascended to the sky. On Dawn's head, Piplup let out an overdramatic sigh of relief.
 

One day later, on the stage of Mahogany Town's contest hall, Dawn tossed a pokeball that errupted in a burst of stars. Inside the storm was Kirlia, twirling gracefully in the golden light.

Many performances had already taken place that day and the audience was craving to be entertained until the very last minute. Dawn was as confident as she hadn't been in months and she planned to deliver.

"Let's start with grass knot," she said.

Kirlia's eyes glowed green and little blades of grass sprouted from the ground. Barely visible at first, they surrounded the psychic type and tied their ends together. Already, pink energy built up in its two horns.

"Heal pulse."

Twirling in another pirouette, Kirlia released a soothing wave that struck both the plants and the crowd. A collective, pleasant sigh went through the audience. Then, the grass started to grow. The blades thickened, became longer, much longer and interweaved into spirals.

Kirlia was a shining white dot in the middle of the sea of green. When it steped to the side, the grass bent. When it twirled, the plants followed. The audience was captivated by the dance of pokemon and nature.

As a grand final, Kirlia spun around and enveloped itself in a turquoise safeguard. As the shield touched the plants, the energy moved on, giving the grass an even more vivid shine.

The cheers Kirlia and Dawn received were not nearly as defeaning as any other participant had gotted. It only reinforced Dawn's confidence. It was a proof, how extensive Kirlia's heal pulse had been.

"And the Bubble Queen is back with an incredibly relaxing performance!" Marina announced. Dawn slightly winced at the title. Glancing to the side, she met Kirlia's eyes and they shrugged at each other, smiling wryly.

"Did you see that?" Dawn asked a smiling Sakura and an even happier Piplup, when they were back at the waiting room for the coordinators.

"It was hard not to!" The Kimono Sister laughed. She had decided she needed a break from her training and had tagged along with Dawn to the Mahogany Contest. "I'm glad to see your instructor gave you enough free time to polish your skills."

Dawn didn't even try to explain that the training battles she had with J had actually proven to be beneficial. Instead, she spun around and grabbed her partner. "You were amazing Kirlia! I'm so proud of you!" She pressed the psychic type close to her. If it hadn't been for the dress - and quite a few people staring at her, Dawn would have started to jump around in joy.

"It's great to see you so enthusiastic! But unfortunately, it won't be enough to win," Sakura said.

"Oh?" Dawn cocked her head. "How so?"

"Well, you might reach the finals, but then you'll have to face Espeon and me. I don't think that my partner will let you take our ribbon."

"Your ribbon, huh? We'll see about that!"

Suddenly, thunder roared. When the girls turned to look out of the window, there was a grey curtain of rain.

"That's some storm. It was nice just an hour ago and now that," Sakura noted.

"I can't complain about it. It was so hot the last few days, I really thought I would overheat before J could get to me."

As a water type, Piplup couldn't agree more.

"Are you still sore?" The Kimono Sister asked with concern in her voice. Beyond that, Dawn could sense disapproval.

"No, no! I'm fine, really. I asked J to hold back, since I'm on stage today." What Dawn didn't say, is that instead of their usual close combat training, J made her jog for her life.

"Good. I'm kind of glad you get to take a break from her. You sounded really frustrated."

"I'm fine, no need to worry!" Dawn smirked and when the announcer called out the next performer, she gently pushed Sakura towards the entrance. "It's your turn! Try to get at least half as many points as I did!"

"You mean twice as many!"

Dawn flew through the next two battle rounds, a feat Sakura managed to match. Before the semi-finals started, they could enjoy a brief break.

They sat on a bench nearest to the window. Piplup and Kirlia nibbled at their poffins, Sakura brushed Espeon's fur and Dawn stretched her back. There was the usual buzz of people chatting, celebrating and sighing. It felt great being able to enjoy the atmosphere, with her worries being at the back of her head. Though not all of her concerns had to do with her next performance.

Part of Dawn felt guilty for letting J go on her own. Some kind of pokemon was in danger. Team Rocket caused trouble. Yet Dawn sat there and leisurely waited for her next round to start, drinking cooled juice.

"I wonder how the situation is over at Olivine City..." Dawn thought outloud.

"At Olivine..? Ah." Sakura nodded. "I'm sure it's alright. If something catastrophic happened, we would have found out. Besides, even Morty said there would probably be enough rangers around to Team Rocket!"

"Yeah." Dawn wasn't sure if she should welcome that kind of information or worry that J might end up in jail. It was weird. Why should she be concerned about the huntress?

Another flash of lightning cracked through the sky behind them. "And this storm is bothering me, too!"

"Come on! Where did that upbeat attitude go to?" Sakura poked her in the side.

Dawn waved her hand of, though smirked. "It's not available right now. Leave a message!"

Right on cue, there was a high-pitched beeping sound coming from Dawn's backpack. She almost dropped her glass in surprise. Quickly, she reached into the side pocket, but as she retrieved the device J had given her, the sound stopped. There was only the notice that J had called and even that vanished after a second.

"Weird?" Dawn tried to push the only two buttons the device had, but nothing happened.

Sakura watched over her shoulder. She shrugged. "Maybe she dialed you accidentally. Doesn't have to mean anything."

Dawn wasn't so sure. An unsettling vibe went through her mind and body. However, she wasn't going to let it come in her way of getting that ribbon once and for all. She had waited for quite a while for that. "You're right, it's probably nothing."

"Contestants! Get ready, you're up in five minutes!" The voice of the announcer called over the microphone.

"That means you!" Sakura cheered. "I'll see you in the finals!"

Dawn nodded, but then Kirlia caught her attention. It focused its energy on her and showed her a picture of a massive storm. Afterwards it pointed outside the window, seemingly further than the rain obscuring their view. It was the direction they had come from. The West.

"Something out there?" Sakura asked.

"No... It's... you mean Olivine City, right?" Dawn leaned over to Kirlia. It nodded. "You mean the place where J is?" Another nod. Dawn didn't like the news. She especially didn't like what it would mean to her. "Are you sure? I mean, we're quite far away. Aren't you just imagining things?"

Another wave of telepathic powers hit her, that time with a clear image of J standing atop of Salamence. They seemed to be caught in an even more ferocious storm than the one that raged over Mahogany Town. Dawn bit her lip.

"Shouldn't we just leave it to her? I mean, even J said I should concentrate on my contest, if only to get rid of me."

That time, Kirlia's psychic thrust bordered on painful.

"Come on!" Dawn snapped. "I know you're worrying, but we can't just rush into this!" She shook her head and pointed to the screen, where the matches of the semi-finals were displayed. "We've come so far, we might as well wait until after we're done!"

Kirlia stood its ground with a stubbornness Dawn didn't know it possessed. A stubbornness it didn't really possess.

"Isn't Kirlia able to sense your emotions?" Sakura chimed in.

"You mean, isn't it fond of amplifying them?" Dawn mumbled barely loud enough to hear. She felt torn. She had been waiting so long to regain - actually regain, not forcing those feelings of excitement before a contest. J on the other hand, was a part she did not welcome in her life at all.

And yet, they were partners against Team Rocket. They had trained together and Dawn still owed her for all those rescues.

When Sakura saw, how Dawn's shoulders slackened in defeat, she asked "You're not really coming to her help? She is so far away and you can't fly in this weather."

Dawn thought back to the herd of Swinub and their evolutions that Team Rocket had tried to capture. The rangers had somehow managed to drive them back. They could succeed again. It didn't make her concerns disappear, though. She knew, it had been pointless trying to help, then. That time, her rescue attempt might be just as pointless.

"We can get there without flying, I think. If we teleport there..."

"Has Kirlia ever been in Olivine City?"

Dawn shook her head. "But I was. And J is there. I'm sure Kirlia will be able to sense her location and bring us right to her. It's just so far away..." She looked at the psychic type. She could see its determined expression, though knew that it was just a fassade. In reality, Kirlia was scared.

"Excuse me?" One of the staff members approached Dawn. "The battle is about to begin. If you please follow me-"

"I forfeit," Dawn said behind clenched teeth.

"Excuse me?"

"I said," Dawn hissed, though then relaxed her shoulders. "I forfeit. I'm not going to compete; I can't. I'm sorry."

She rose to her feet and shared a determined look with Kirlia. "We are going to save her. Sorry Sakura." The coordinator turned around to face her friend. "You'll have to win that ribbon, after all. Next time we see each other, we're going to battle over it."

"This is going to be dangerous," Sakura only stated and Dawn remembered that she had her fair share of adventures as well.

"No need to worry. We'll make it."

Dawn took out Kirlia's pokeball and recalled the psychic type. She fumbled with a few settings on the device, then released the psychic type again, but not in the typical red light. It was blue.

"You just set it free... What are you planning..?" Sakura asked hesitantely.

Dawn shrugged. "I need more than five pokemon on my hand that can battle. If I release Kirlia now, I can recatch it and sent it right back to my storage system." She shuddered. "Bebe is going to kill me for glitching her system again. I just hope its worth it. I'm sorry I can't wait for your battle, but I wish you good -"

"Wait. I have a better idea." She sighed. "If you really want to go, then my Kadabra can teleport you until Ecruteak City. My sisters will take care of it and that way, the strain on Kirlia won't be as bad."

Dawn blinked and wanted to argue that they shouldn't have to worry, but it was obvious how relieved Kirlia was at the proposal. She beamed at Sakura. "Thank you. I have to go and put my team together. I'll be back in a minute!"

When Dawn was finally ready, she returned to the waiting room. Sakura and her Kadabra were already waiting. Outside, the storm raged on. The weather around J was probably no better.

"If I don't hear anything from you after a day, I'll come and get you," Sakura declared.

Dawn knew, it was futile to argue, so she only nodded. Kadabra stepped next to her and stretched out its hand. Dawn took it with her right hand, while in her left arm she held Kirlia. Piplup clutched to its usual stop on her head.

"Thank you, Sakura. See you soon."

Sakura nodded and still frowning, told her Kadabra to use teleport. With a flash, they were gone.
 

Is this considered as another cliffhanger? I dunno. Hope you enjoy it!

Write ya next time!
 

The Past's Opposition

Teleportation. Dawn remembered, why she rarely traveled that way. The world spun around her and even if she tried to close her eyes, the sensation remained the same. She felt Piplup’s grip on her head strengthen. Kirlia in her arms, however, didn’t seem as affected.

The whole ordeal didn’t take much more than half a minute, yet when Dawn’s feet finally touched the ground, she felt as dizzy as if she had been forced into several teeter dances.

Dawn opened her eyes and saw the Kimono Dance Theatre right in front of them. Kadabra let go of her hand and pointed at the building. She nodded.

"Ecruteak City," she noted as she took a step forward. Dark shadows appeared all around her. "Isn’t it great to be-" Suddenly, red glowing eyes snapped open and countless dark pulses and shadow balls aimed for the newcomers. Dawn and Kadabra barely had the time to drop flat on the pavement, before the attacks exploded over their heads. "back..."

"Stop! Stop!" A familiar voice yelled. A second later, Morty skidded next to Dawn, taking a stance with Gengar at his side. "She is not your enemy! She did not destroy your tower!"

For a moment, it looked as if the hordes of Ghastly and Haunter would relent, but then a bloodcurdling cry resonated through their ranks and they resumed their assault. Kadabra built up a shield around them that deflected the attacks.

"Dawn! What are you doing here?" Morty yelled over the commotion. "They think you’re trying to ambush them!"

Dawn was curious how she then should refer to the actions of the ghost pokemon. "It’s an emergency! I’m trying to get to J in Olivine City!" She replied in a similar tone, trying to stand up again. However, the chaos around her combined with her dizziness proved to be rather overwhelming.

"Olivine City? Last I heard of Hunter J’s position was that she was somewhere near Silver Rock Isle." The gym leader glanced over his shoulder and gave Gengar a few instructions.

"Silver Rock? She’s at the Whirl Islands?" Dawn echoed. Another spot that was closely linked to Johto’s legends. She suddenly had an idea, what their situation was really about.

A shadow ball broke through the shield, heading right for Dawn. Before she or Piplup could prevent contact, Morty jumped forward and swatted the projectile away. Dawn could feel a jab of pain coming from Morty, yet he didn’t as much as flinch, when he spun around. "Something went wrong over there; we lost contact to Jasmine not too long ago. I hate to ask you again, but if you could go and have a look at the situation, that would be great!"

"Well, I was heading there anyway, so -"

"Hurry! Before the ghost pokemon destroy this part of the city!"

"Okay!" She nodded her thanks towards Kadabra, then looked at her partner in her arms. "Kirlia, let’s go!"

Their second trip via teleportation felt even bumpier, if that was even possible. Now the spinning made her feel queasy and it took Dawn a lot of mental effort to pull herself together. Throwing up right in front of J was something she was quite keen to avoid.

Fortunately, their little journey across half the region was over soon and Dawn almost welcomed the feeling of a fresh breeze caressing her face. She could have done without the rain pattering on her rain cloak, though. Piplup clutched her head, so she couldn’t put on her hood. Within seconds, Dawn felt her hair getting completely soaked.

The moment the grip of Kirlia’s psychic powers left her body, Dawn stumbled forward. Her boot slipped on the soft ground; she yelped and lost her balance. Somehow, Dawn managed to turn her body, so she fell to her side, instead of burying Kirlia underneath her. That didn’t make the landing any more comfortable, though.

Mud splashed halfheartedly around her, even more seemed to cling to her and suck her into its depths. Almost immediately, Dawn darted back up into a sitting position, but only ended up wobbling around, again. Piplup on her head chirped frantically, digging its flippers into her beanie. Kirlia was quiet.

"Oh great! Nothing happened, yet and I’m already-"

"Stop right there!"

Dawn flinched at the sudden command. A man sprinted towards her and stopped just a few meters in front of her. The motion caused more mud to fly at Dawn’s already dirtied face.

Oh for crying out -

"You’ve entered a restricted area. Identify yourself!" The man continued in a strict, but not hostile voice. As Dawn rid herself of some mud lumps around her eyes, she glanced at the man. Judging from the red fabric she could make out behind the stains, which sullied his clothes, she guessed that she had run into a pokemon ranger. She breathed a sigh of relief, before she gladly complied with his order.

"My name is Dawn. I’m a pokemon coordinator and I’m kind of here to help stop Team Rocket." Pushing herself of the ground was nearly impossible.  Her one arm was occupied with Kirlia and she couldn’t get a good hold on the slick dirt, never mind the spinning sensation in her head.

The sound of another person approaching cut through the rain fall; he too, wore a ranger uniform and positioned himself next to his collegue. "Kellyn? What’s the situation over here? Who is this girl?"

Kellyn? Dawn repeated the uttered name in her mind.

The first man with soppy brown hair radiated concern and suppressed anger, yet his voice didn’t reveal any of that. "We don’t have to worry about her; she is with me." He chuckled lightly. "Call it an ambush attempt gone wrong. Inform the others that I will be occupied for a few minutes. I’ll be back ASAP."

Kellyn was already offering a hand to Dawn, when the other ranger - a tall guy with black hair and an athletic physique - directed a closer look at her face. "Hey, isn’t that the girl we were told we should be worrying about? Wasn’t she the one from the reports?"

Kellyn shifted his body slightly, so Dawn was mostly hidden from view. He shot a glance over his shoulder. "Mako, I need you to go now! Trust me, I only need a moment to figure this out."

The ranger called Mako didn’t drop his composure; only after another hard look at Dawn and a frown at his colleague, he relented and backed away. The slapping noise of his boots on mud was soon drowned by rain and the Top Ranger and Dawn were alone.

"It’s... been a while, Dawn," Kellyn began with a grimace.

A while was an understatement, as she hadn’t seen the ranger since the incident with Riolu. She was surprised he even remembered her.

"You’ve got some mud on your... ah, let me help you." Kellyn grasped her free hand and pulled her up, careful not to let her slip on the wet ground. Dawn attempted to wipe of the dirt in her face, but there was not a single clean spot left on her. "You’ve gotten yourself into quite a mess."

Somehow, Dawn didn’t believe Kellyn was talking about the mud anymore.

He let her check on her partners for a silent minute. Kirlia had fainted due to the ordeal of teleporting them such a distance. She took out an empty pokeball, gently touched Kirlia’s forehead and caught the psychic type. Then, a sizzling sound later, the device was sent back to her storage system.

Piplup was still clinging to her beanie and didn’t appear to let go anytime soon. Even when Dawn tried to put on the hood of her formerly sky blue rain coat, the penguin wouldn’t budge. Piplup was fidgety, obviously torn between the urge to greet a familiar face and anxiety. Dawn shared its feelings.

"So... Kellyn. Hi." She tried to smile, but her lips only seemed to twitch.. "I didn’t expect to see you here, of all places."

The more she thought about it, however, the more logical it seemed that they would meet at such a place. After all, it was Kellyn’s job as a Top Ranger to protect pokemon against people with evil intentions.

People like J.

"And I hoped I wouldn’t meet you here," Kellyn said, his tone harsher than she recalled it ever to be. "How long has it been, six years? Back, when we were protecting Riolu, I thought ’Those three sure have their heart at the right place'. And now, one of those kids is acquainted with the same pokemon hunter that abducted that Riolu?"

"I’m not acquainted with her! Nor am I her assistant or anything -"

"Then what is your relationship with J?" Kellyn demanded to know.

"I... I can’t... tell you that...".

"You can’t tell? Or you just don’t want to?"

The ranger sighed at his own words, shaking his head. A few droplets slid from his hair, barely noticeable in the rain. "I’ve spent the last few days reading the same police reports about you over and over again, and I still can’t believe them. Can you at the very least tell me what this is all about?"

Oh, nothing illegal is going on. It just happened that Sinnoh’s Lake Guardians chose us to stop Team Rocket so they sent us here to do just that. Dawn perfectly understood J’s reluctance to tell the tale.

At the same time, though, anything else seemed like a lie to her. She looked Kellyn in the eye and sensed a deep, honest concern. A heavy lump nestled in her throat. "It’s... complicated. You see, J and I, we sort of have a similar goal. We both want to stop Team Rocket."

"But just because your goal might be similar doesn’t justify any kind of cooperation with her. Who knows what motive drives her? It could never be even close to your reasons! I know that you want to protect pokemon, while she probably only wants a rivaling band of poachers out of her way."

Dawn suppressed any kind of physical reaction and tried to keep their eye contact. Kellyn couldn’t possibly know, how wrong he actually was with his assumptions. To some degree, Dawn’s and J’s motives were one and the same and while Dawn was - by then - aware of that, she comprehended the other side all to well. The urge to run away and hide from Kellyn’s accusing stare made her legs tremble.

"Kellyn, I know this sounds... impossible, but right now I have to work with her," she said and remembered, why she had left her contest so quickly. She still didn’t know, whether J was alright or not and it itched her to find out, if only to get away from Kellyn. "I promise you, I’ll explain everything I can later, once this mess is over. I really need to go now -"

"And do what?" Kellyn cut her short. "Dawn, if you go and join Hunter J now, you’re going to be in so much trouble, I doubt any sort of explanation will save you! The police is keeping an eye on you already; you’ll end up becoming a criminal yourself!"

"But I’m not doing anything illegal! In fact, I saved Ho-Oh just a week ago!" Dawn desperately defended herself, all the while never getting rid of that feeling of guilt. "You said so yourself, you know what my motive is."

"Well, I can only base that on the impression I got from you half a decade ago, can’t I?"

"Nothing’s changed since then!"

"I’m not so sure about that."

Dawn herself had her doubts. Slowly, but surely, the conversation was starting to wind her up. She didn’t want to let out any more frustration in front of the ranger, her friend. "Look, if you’ll just let me go for now," the weight of J’s farewell-present in her pocket suddenly became apparent, "I promise, I’ll tell you everything you need to know. Right now, all I want is to stop Team Rocket!" It was barely a lie, in Dawn’s opinion.

Kellyn frowned. "That’s another thing." He sighed. "It’s not Team Rocket, you’re after - it’s Team Missile."

Dawn wanted to whack him for avoiding an answer. "Why can’t we just go on calling them by their real name? I know - A rose by any other name is just as sweet - but really, that’s ridiculous!"

"You don’t understand. Some of Team Rocket’s agents are working with us to stop the guys responsible for this!" He stopped to motion around the island, the storm and the spray coming from the cliffs.

Dawn snorted. "You - you what? You’re working with the bad guys and you’re giving me a hard time?"

"In contrast to your J, they made a real effort to pay for their deeds - but that doesn’t mean we trust them blindly."

"As if I’d trust her!"

"Apparently enough to come here! Ogi Isle is an enclosed research area, you know? You’re trespassing!"

"That’s what I was told at the Bell Tower and guess what? Without me or J around, Ho-Oh would have been captured! Where the hell were your friends, then? Or you, while we’re at it!"

"Busy trying to rescue the pokemon J stole."

Both went silent for a minute. Dawn felt like she had been knocked in the stomach - she didn’t have a good answer for that. While he was right, it was a cheap blow against her nonetheless and Kellyn knew it.

The beeping on his capture styler brought them back to reality, but they were still glaring at each other, Dawn grimmer than him. Eventually, he rejected the call.

"This isn’t leading us anywhere," the ranger conceded. Reluctantly, Dawn nodded. "You said you’d explain everything?"

"Later, yes," said Dawn, though she already wondered, how much she should tell him. J and she had agreed to keep it a secret and so far Dawn hadn’t seen any reason to share that ridiculous story.

"Alright..." Kellyn cleared his throat. "The situation looks like this: Missile attacked the research facility here, stole heir test results and destroyed the rest of the lab. The scientists were pretty vague about what they were actually researching, but it seems like the machine they built is able to manipulate pokemon’s behaviour."

Dawn opened her mouth to speak, however decided otherwise. She’d expected anything; that Kellyn would insist on delivering her to the authorities, on her telling him all the information she got on J, just about anything. Him sharing his information was the one thing Dawn hadn’t anticipated. It made her feel relieved, glad even, yet at the same time she felt uneasy accepting it.

"Since this kind of resulted into a major catastrophe," he looked up at the storm clouds, "the local police, the rangers and the sponsors of the lab - Team Rocket - had been called to resolve the situation. We have the police and the agents taking care of Missile..."

Dawn didn’t like the sound of Rocket agents taking care of Missile, but kept quiet about her concerns. A worried, borderline helpless tone had crept in Kellyn’s voice, as he continued with his report.

"The real problem are the local water pokemon. They're in a frenzy - we believe that they caused the storm. They are destroying everything in their path, no matter if its a ship, humans or other pokemon - they even fall over each other. It’s our job to try to find a solution to this, but so far nothing seems to work. Not even my Vatonage Styler shows any lasting effect."

"How many of you are there?"

Kellyn shrugged. "Just four. Jasmine, Olivine’s gym leader was helping, too, but she dashed of to find her own solution to this mess."

Thoughts raced through Dawn’s mind. "What about Lugia?"

That time, Kellyn hesitated. "So far no sign of it."

"Come on! I’m not asking because I want Lugia - I wanna make sure it stays wherever it is. I was on top of the Bell Tower, when Ho-Oh began burning it down, I don’t need another experience like that!"

That reminded her... "By the way, you might want to check out any helicopters Rocket - I mean Missile has around. Last time they called Ho-Oh through some kind of device that they kept save in a helicopter."

Though Dawn wasn’t sure, how well any kind of aircraft would fare in that storm.

"We’ll keep that in mind," Kellyn said, nodding approvingly. "What are you planning to do?"

Now Dawn didn’t answer right away. The reason she felt reluctant to accept his share of information was, because Kellyn would most likely expect the favour returned. Not only did the mere thought of talking anymore about the subject of her and J cause a fresh wave of uneasiness - there was little Dawn could actually share.

"First... I’d like to check out if... J’s alright..." She mumbled the last phrase, but judging from his frown, Kellyn seemed to have gotten the message. Feeling the need to explain herself, Dawn continued. "Well, she contacted me right when I was having my break - but before I could find out why, the call was ended. I’m wondering if that was just an accident, or..." She shrugged. "She saved my life so many times now, I can’t help but worry."

"How does she contact you?"

"Uh... with a little radio like thing..."

"Can you show it to me?"

That was another question she had dreaded. Slowly, she unzipped the right pocket of her rain coat, slid her hand in and took out the device. Her eyes never left it, as she gave it Kellyn.

He examined it, turned it around and tried to push the buttons. Nothing happened. "How does this thing work?" Kellyn asked, furrowing his eye brows in deep thought.

"I dunno."

He rose an eyebrow in her direction and Dawn threw her arms up. "It’s not like that woman sees the need to ever tell me anything!"

Kellyn gave a sympathetic chuckle. "Sounds like trouble."

"You don’t know the half of it."

"Then how come you don’t do anything to free yourself?"

It was a good question, one Dawn herself struggled to accept the answer to, so she kept quiet. Kellyn continued.

"You said she saved your life - that doesn’t have to mean you owe her anything. This is J we’re talking about. I’ve had enough confrontations with her to know she doesn’t give a damn about personal favours. As long as it’s for her ulterior goal, anything is an option. You don’t have to back a person like that, especially not if she’s giving you a hard time."

The words resonated with Dawn, yet she still kept her mouth shut. She avoided Kellyn’s brown eyes, her gaze locked on a scorched blade of grass.

"Dawn," Kellyn began, dead serious, "is there anything you can tell me that would us help apprehend Pokemon Hunter J? It might - no I’m sure, it would be enough to get you out of this mess."

Very slowly Dawn shook her head. It took her a moment to find her voice, but when she did, her words came out steadier than she had imagined. "I’m sorry Kellyn, but there is nothing I can do. I barely know anything about her usual whereabouts, what she does, who she meets, and what I know I can’t tell you. I can’t stab her in the back. It doesn’t matter if she doesn’t care that she saved me; I do care. Besides," she added when a thought occurred to her, "if I don’t look after her, no one will."

And J would have to continue that horribly impossible struggle on her own.

"I see." Half-heartedly, Kellyn posed a final question. "You’re really sure about this, aren’t you?"

"Yes. Yes, I am," Dawn replied. Finally, she called out her Braviary. The great eagle stretched its wings and took in the weather conditions. It nodded at Dawn.

"Kellyn, I still need my communicator back," she exclaimed and stretched out her hand.

The ranger looked at the device, then, with a sigh, he returned it. "But before you leave..." He pulled out a radio similar to the one J had given Dawn, coloured in the typical red, black and yellow the rangers wore. Kellyn handed her that as well. "After all, we need some way to get in touch, preferably without you in handcuffs."

Dawn took a closer look. The buttons had short, but useful descriptions on them. Simple, but effective. She felt like thrusting the thing into J’s face with a lecture about designing methods.

"Dawn," Kellyn went on, "if anything happens, you can still come to us. We’re mostly on the isle. Only a few officers and agents are taking care of Missile’s copters - and J, mind you. Just give me a call before that. I’m sure we’ll figure something out, and we could always use another helping hand."

The wind was still howling and rain drops were still sliding underneath Dawn’s coat, yet the coordinator felt a little warmth return. She put the communicators in the two front pockets of her jacket and zipped them up. "Thanks Kellyn," she said with a little smile. "I appreciate it. Very much."

She mounted Braviary, patting it’s head. One reassuring glance at Piplup let her see it’s bright, determined expression. It punched the air, ready for some action. Dawn couldn’t agree more.

"See you soon!" She called out to the ranger. "Good luck!"

Kellyn cried something in response, but his words were drowned by rumble.

Even from afar, Dawn could hear the crash of what must have been huge waves. Seconds later, they reached the end of the plateau she had landed on and saw the meter high water masses colliding with the cliff. Little chunks of rocks were ripped out by the sheer force and fell into the raging ocean, only to be hurled against the land over and over again. And somewhere underneath the water’s surface, there was angry red glowing, likely where Tentacool and Tentacruel clustered together.

By then, Dawn was already soaked. As the wind whipped past her and she was beginning to freeze, suddenly the idea of overheating didn’t seem like such a bad thing after all.

There was, however, a problem much worse than her numb fingers; Dawn could barely see. As much as she squinted against the rain, all she could make out were speckles of white and red shifting in the distance; head- and taillights, she assumed. However she was going to find J was a mystery to her.

Maybe I should have asked Kellyn, Dawn mused, but regarding how their conversation went, she hadn’t felt like stressing that topic out any further.

Fortunately for Dawn, though, the problem solved itself. As soon as they decided to circle around the isle and get an overview for themselves, a now familiar beeping noise drowned the patter of rain. Dawn almost dropped the radio, when she hastily pulled it out of her pocket.

"J!" She answered the call. Relieve was evident in her voice. "About time you showed some life signs!"

There was a lot of static crackling, but Dawn could still make out J’s words. "You show too many for my liking! What the hell are you doing here? - Never mind that, turn around immediately! You’re about to -"

Sharply, Braviary veered to the side. Dawn shrieked and tried to hold onto Braviary’s sides with both hands, only using her index finger and thumb on her right hand, where she gripped the communicator. The cliff on their left exploded in a cloud of dust and purple black energy, before another wave washed it away.

Immediately, the girl turned her head towards the source of the attack. The flare of a helicopter’s headlamps greeted them. Blinded, Braviary had to ascend to escape the light and didn’t stop, before they were at least ten meters above the helicopter.

A Seismitoad fixed a glare at Dawn and her team - they gladly replied the gesture. The water type stood on the flat roof of the helicopter. The rotors, which kept the metallic monstrosity in the air, were held by a pair of wings at the sides. She found that Seismitoad had way too much free space to roam about.

"You were saying?" Dawn mumbled into the radio. There were a series of curses and grunts on J’s end. Apparently, the huntress wasn’t alone, either.

"Damn! I am too far away to get to you in time!" A sound rang as if something fleshy was rammed into a metal wall. Dawn heard another yelp.

As curious as she was to find out what the huntress was up to, Dawn had her own problems. Seismitoad spewed out jets of hot water and began chasing Braviary across the sky. She lay flat on its back, so she wouldn’t be thrown of that easily.

"J, we’re going to be alright!" The scald move bubbled directly overhead and Dawn squirmed on Braviary’s back, when some drops burned her skin. She tried to make her voice sound neutral. "Just tell me where you are. As soon as we’re done here, we’ll come over to you."

"As soon as you’re done?" J snorted.

"This isn’t the time for this!" Dawn had to yell over the wind pushing the words back in her throat. "We somehow survived without you until now, we’ll make it this time, too. Just answer!"

For a moment, there was no reply; only the sounds of combat and Drapion’s roar. Then, finally, J answered "We are north-west of your position. Once I’m finished, I’ll head in your direction. Stay alive."

"Gladly."

With that, the connection ended and Dawn could finally concentrate on their battle.

"Get us under that thing!" Dawn bellowed against the howling wind, but wasn’t sure if her partner even got the message. It kept dodging the attacks that were launched against it. Dawn quickly grew tired of it and told Piplup to put up a shield.

The water type glowed, when it created a whirlpool larger than Braviary and hurled it in general direction of the helicopter. Once it left Piplup’s direct control, the wind pushed and dragged at the twister and another attack from Seismitoad tore the move completely apart. By then, however, Braviary had disappeared from sight.

They dove underneath the helicopter, and although the waves seemed to reach out for them, they somehow got away unscathed. Dawn turned around to see a hatch open. A man sat on the edge, leaning outside and followed her with his olive green eyes. Pierce gripped a microphone in his hand and when he spoke, his words were reproduced by megaphones attached to the sides of the aircraft.

"I don’t know, what I’m more surprised about. That J actually had some back up planned, or that her back up is nothing more than a little girl. Either way, it doesn’t matter. Today is the last time you’re meddling in our business."

Dawn could hear the smirk on his face.

"Try to make the most of if."

"Oh, I will," she murmured, more upset about the words than she admitted. Was it really that much to ask of other people from J’s department not to underestimate her?

When they were in a good position, Dawn told Braviary to fly up once again. It shot up in an almost ninety degree angle, past the rotating death trap of blades, just above the helicopter. Spinning around, it created some boulders with its rock slide. The move wasn’t as expansive as it could be, but Dawn didn’t want to make the aircraft crash. She frowned, when the thought occurred to her that J would scold her for her restraint.

As expected Seismitoad handled the rocks with ease. What it hadn’t foreseen, though, was Piplup’s drill peck following right behind. It collided with its unguarded shoulder, jamming the arm against its body. Seismitoad gurgled agitatedly, but before it could launch a counter attack, Piplup hopped away. They unleashed a series of attacks against each other, among them bubble beam.

Dawn noticed something very strange with that move. The bubbles, which hardly weighted more than air, didn’t seem affected by the wind at all. They just hovered around Seismitoad. Even the whole helicopter, which was bound to have navigational problems, didn’t budge under the storm. It barely even looked wet!

For a moment, Dawn was angered that she had to put up with crazy gusts and a soaked undershirt, while Missile’s goons could sit in their cosy, dry copters and attack her from a distance. Then, an idea struck her.

She reached into her pocket and took out a dusk ball. There was little more than a low hum indicating that there already was a pokemon inside. As expected her nocturnal partner was still resting. Dawn was glad that the first thing it would lay its eyes on wasn’t her.

When they were once again close enough to the roof, Dawn threw the dark green pokeball, aiming for a spot behind Seismitoad. The capsule popped up and a purple furball appeared. It shook its head, taking in its surroundings. Fresh poison started to ooze out from all over its body; it didn’t seem pleased about its situation, at all.

"Piplup, come back here!" Dawn called out. Piplup threw one glance at Venonat, before it hastily fired a hydro pump at the helicopter, catapulting itself back to the safety of its friends.

The helicopter shook under the impact. That and Seismitoad’s mumbling made Venonat slowly turn on its heels.

"Venonat, how about stun spore?" Dawn suggested a tad too late. The bug type already had that glow in its eye. It spat out a blob of purple liquid that hit Seismitoad right between the eyes. Enraged, the bulky pokemon started to flail around, but as it was temporarily blinded by the toxins, it only groped the metal frame of the aircraft.

As if to make sure the offender understood its place, Venonat did indeed follow with a vast cloud of brownish powder. It encased almost the whole roof, before the spores were sucked in by the rotors. Hastily, Dawn recalled the bug type and they sped of towards the sea, leaving Pierce and other possible pursuers behind.

Dawn sighed in relief. Glancing back, she observed that the lights of the aircraft were shaking and descended in direction of isle. Piplup, who stood in front of her, also looked at the helicopter.

"You think one of your or Venonat’s attacks might have damaged it?" Dawn asked her partner. Immediately, Piplup puffed out its chest and wiggled a flipper in the air as if to say, for a mighty and intrepid pokemon like me, this was nothing.

"Good job," she patted its head, silently hoping that the aircraft would still reach land, before she turned her attention back to her other partner. "Okay, Braviary," Dawn exclaimed and looked at the compass function of her poketch. "North-west is over there!" She pointed across part of the isle for the eagle to see.

With a flap of its wings, Braviary changed course. Fortunately, it steered right into a path that had a strong tailwind. The extra boost let them soar quickly over the shore, past the red glows, until the Tentacool only made up a few speckles in the dark ocean.

There was an awe inspiring beauty in the tremendous waves. The water arose in vast masses, adamant as a brick wall, yet alive with motion. For a moment, it halted in mid air, taller than Dawn’s home, before it plunged forward, coiling into a gigantic fist.

At some spots, the currents were so disturbed that waves raced in all directions, some slapping against each other in an explosion of spray and ear-deafening rumble.

Despite their distance of a couple of meters, Dawn felt as if she could taste the salt on her tongue. It was mesmerising to watch from afar, but a shiver ran down her spine at the thought of experiencing one of those monsters up close and personal.

Piplup next to her, seemed to share her thoughts, but it also took a much deeper issue with the chaos. It cried in dismay and curled its flippers into fists. Dawn nodded. "We’ll find a way to turn everything back, I promise. And I want you guys to promise that you’ll be careful, alright?"

She knew, her voice sounded much more assured than she felt, but Piplup’s and Braviary’s enthusiastic cries lifted her spirits. "You’re right," she said. "There is no way, any team in this world could beat us!"

Dawn directed those words also at the pokeballs hanging from her belt and felt each of them humming and buzzing and nudging her palm, when she brushed over them. At the last one, Dawn paused. The capsule was black with three yellow stripes that formed the letter 'H'. An ultra ball and inside was one of her most powerful, but also most dangerous pokemon.

While the rest of her party - consisting of Braviary, Mamoswine, Aron, Mantine and Venonat - had accustomed themselves to J and her team, there was one quite unwilling to get along with the huntress. Dawn hadn’t chosen Ninetales lightly, worrying what it would do if it laid eyes on J, again. Its cunningness and relentless battle style, however, had saved them on so many occasions, Dawn was willing to take the risk.

Still, it won’t hurt reminding it, Dawn thought and brought the ultra ball to her face. The device was hot to her cold fingers, almost burning, but laid perfectly still. That lack of response did trouble Dawn, but she didn’t let it affect her words. "Ninetales, I know what I’m asking of you is impossible, but I want you to hold back on J. She’s on our side now, so -"

Suddenly, a jolt of energy blazed through her arm. Dawn gasped; she almost dropped the ultra ball, but it seemed as if her muscles had constricted to a point, they wouldn’t release the grip.

The next moment, the pain faded and only the memory remained. She was trembling from head to toe, yet when she pulled down the sleeve of her right arm - she saw nothing. The skin was wet with rain and completely unharmed.

Dawn stowed the pokeball away so quickly, she almost tumbled from Braviary’s back. Piplup chirped in a frenzy, obviously attempting to touch her, but afraid that it would cause her more harm.

"I’m... I’m fine," Dawn muttered, unable to come up with a better reply. That feeling... she certainly hadn’t experienced it for the first time. The night Dawn had battled Ninetales and caught it... it was from then, she remembered that pain. It had never bothered her again and so, Dawn hadn’t bothered to recall. The moment then had been so brief, she had started to doubt it had ever occurred in the first place.

But now, she wasn’t so sure anymore.

Before her thoughts could trail along that path, though, a lurch in her stomach pulled Dawn back to reality. Something in the distance made Braviary alter its course; it dove downward, still nowhere near the foamy crowns, yet much to close for her liking. She squinted at the rain, but it was the rattling sound of rotors that warned her of the approaching helicopter.

Not again, Dawn thought, groaning. To Braviary she said, "Can you fly us quickly around this thing?"

The great bird nodded, though it never got the chance. Once again, they were almost hit by a ferocious attack, which whizzed past them, unfazed by the wind. A dragon pulse and by then, Dawn had seen it often enough to know, what pokemon had fired it.

She turned her head to meet the scowl on Salamence’s face. A wave of disbelief washed over Dawn. "Salamence, are you out of your mind? We’re not your enemies!"

The two flying types hovered in the sky as well as possible, neither of them giving in more space than they had to. The dragon type looked assured, as if it had intended to shoot them out of the sky. There was no trace of J.

Suddenly, a floodlight poured down on them. It burned in her eyes and she had to cover her face. Still, she could see shadows scurry behind her lids. Salamence’s growl sounded even louder than usually; that and the thought of more hostile pokemon lurking put her on edge.

She felt Piplup shift in front of her and launch a jet of water upwards. Dawn leant back, just as far as she felt safe without falling of. Another roar rang in her ears; there was a blast over their heads and litres upon litres of water splashed down on them. Dawn was assured, that there was no dry spot left on her.

"Salamence, enough!" A woman’s voice bellowed, amplified by speakers. The light disappeared, but Dawn was still blinded, as she tried to peer at the helicopter. "Girl, get up here and make it quick!" J commanded.

Whatever tiny amount of relief Dawn felt at the sound of J’s voice, it was drowned by her confusion and anxiety. She felt Braviary’s head shift and knew it was starring at her. Dawn, however, was busy trying to make sense of what had just happened.

Salamence approached, snarling at them. It’s scales were glistening in the rain and it flexed its talons as if it was about to lunge at them. Dawn decided that it was for the best not to test the dragon’s patience any further. She beckoned Braviary to ascend towards the helicopter.

What’s going on? she could only wonder as they neared the hatch at the side. It was open and even behind the grey rain curtain, Dawn could see the menacing scowl J directed at her.

Hey!

Sorry, dass es solange gedauert hat, aber hier ist es!

Kapitel 10. Ich hoffe, dass nächste Kapitel wird im Laufe nächster woche fertig sein ;)

Vielen, vielen Dank fürs Mitlesen und die Geduld!! Ihr seid super :)

The Storm

Over the past week, Dawn had experienced a broad span of emotions, regarding the huntress, fury being the most prominent. Also mild degrees of annoyance and eye-twitching irritation. Most surprising were the moments, she had laughed in the presence of J.

Dawn had almost forgotten, how terrifying J's glare could be, when she wanted to be feared.

As soon as Braviary had ascended directly next to the hatch, Dawn opened her mouth to pose a question, but J cut her short. She swiftly grabbed Dawn's arm and yanked her inside. Yelping, Dawn stumbled and almost fell; only J's iron grip held her upright.

"J, what in the world -"

"Quiet!" she snapped. Dawn could already feel the bruises that would blossom over her skin, there where J's gloved fingers dug into her flesh. Any attempts to pull herself free were rewarded with pain searing up her arm.

"You could have made us crash just now!" the coordinator screamed over the noise the rotor blades caused. She caught a glimpse of Piplup and Braviary, still behind her, outside the copter. The penguin was about to launch itself inside, but J slammed a button on the wall. The door slid shut, cutting of the cold and ruckus from outside.

"I'm doing what's necessary! Now give me the radio that ranger brat gave you!"

Dawn almost chocked on those words. "How - what are you talking about?"

"Don't act stupid!" J shot at her. "I am aware that you spoke to Kellyn; his communicator has shown up on my radar miles before I saw you." Then she added with a growl, "I'm almost disappointed, he didn't come with you."

Dawn trembled, but choose to ignore the threat. "I- I can't give it to you. Kellyn wanted me to -"

"To what? Tell him all the information he needs to apprehend me?!" In the eerie silence, J's yelling ringed particularly loud in her ears.

"You listened to our conversation, didn't you?" Dawn cried in a volume similar to J's, yet she tried to keep her own bubbling anger in check. There wasn't just rage twisting within J; Dawn sensed a whole tumult of emotions lurking. "I told him that I'd never do that! This isn't about you!"

"Not about me? Then what is this about? You and him reminisce about old stories, over a cup of tea perhaps?" J gave her a little shove, so that Dawn bumped into the wall. It didn't hurt her much, but it was more likely that J opted for a more threatening, captivatingsensation. Her strategy was quite effective.

"Enough of your little game," the huntress pressed out between clenched teeth. "I am giving you one last chance to give it to me voluntarily; I don't have time to meddle with you!"

Reluctantly, Dawn's hand slid towards the pocket containing the radio. She couldn't avert her gaze from J's stormy blue eyes, felt the old fear return. Yet she stood her ground. Something was off about the huntress and it worried Dawn.

"What are you going to do with it?" she asked, already dreading the answer.

"What is necessary," J repeated. Her attention was by then fully on Dawn's hand, watching as the girl very slowly unzipped her pocket. Eventually, all the stalling was for naught, because the instant a glimpse of red and yellow appeared, J snatched it from Dawn's grasp.

Without as much as glancing at the temporary owner, J stepped over to the control panel. A metal pipe lent onto it, stained and glistening in the lights of the overhead neon lamps. When J grabbed it with her right hand and tossed the radio next to a cracked monitor, Dawn's dread turned into icy horror.

"No!" She skid over to the huntress and threw herself against J's side as she rose the pipe to strike. "J, stop!" She wrapped her arms around the huntress and tried to move her away from the radio.

J barely budged under Dawn's weight, but she was irritated enough to halt in her movements. "Do you want me to smash you along with this thing?"

"Please understand, I need it!" Dawn half pleaded with the woman, half wrestled with her arm. "Kellyn is - was - my friend! I need to set things right with him. This might be my only way."

"Set things right!" J finally shook Dawn off and stood there, scowling at the girl. "Where does that leave me? In handcuffs or rather a straitjacket?"

"I'm not going to tell him everything!" Dawn argued. "Just enough for him to understand."

"Just enough means everything!"

"All kinds of people start believing I'm your assistant, I have to do something! Even if it's Mesprit, who wants me to help you stop Team Rocket; this mess is going to far. He said the police wants to arrest me now -"

"Damn you!" J finally snapped. The pipe whizzed downward. There was a burst of sparks and smithereens of electronic hardware, when the pipe smashed through the monitor. Dawn jumped in surprise, all her muscles tense. The crash echoed in the cockpit, until she couldn't tell, if it wasn't just her own ears ringing. She didn't dare to move nor make a sound. All Dawn could do, was stare at the huntress, disbelieving, terrified.

After what felt an eternity, J relented and let the pipe slide down to the ground, where it bounced of several times, cutting through the silence with that horrible, hollow clang. She turned away and walked to the pilot seat at the front.

The radio was still there. Undamaged and in its bright colours, it made the break in the control panel almost look surreal. Dawn let out the breath she had been holding, but didn't move until J asked briskly, "Why are you here?"

Dawn's eyes moved from the radio to the back of J's head and to the radio, again. For a moment, she was tempted to secure the device back in her pocket, but decided against that. While J acted as if she was through that topic, Dawn didn't want to provoke the huntress any further. Instead, she stalked next to her and looked outside the window. The storm didn't rage as bad as before; it seemed much worse. Now, there were flashs of lightning cracking up the sky. Strangely, though, she barely heard nor felt the rumble of thunder.

"I came here to..." Dawn choose the word carefully, "assist you. I mean, I- I couldn't just sit around, when you called me and hung up a few seconds later."

J tensed. Dawn noticed that she was steering the helicopter with her left hand; her right one was clenched to a fist on her knee. Even so, she couldn't stop the blood drenching her dark glove. "What's this nonsense? I didn't call you."

"Yes you did!" Dawn took the radio J had given her and held it up, so the huntress had a clear view on it. "If you'd just explained me, how I can call you, I could have asked what's wrong. I was worried! Of course I'd-"

"Quiet!" J hissed all of sudden. She was focused on the display of a radar. There were several dots visible. A flock of smaller ones zoomed around rather quickly. "It's coming toward us."

"J you -" Dawn was fed up with her mood. "You can't by any chance tell, what they-"

Suddenly, the whole aircraft jerked sideways, almost throwing Dawn of her feet. She grabbed J's backrest to steady herself. Outside, white blurs darted around. Dawn had to concentrate very hard to make out any shapes and when finally one of the offenders stopped in front of the headlamps, she gasped. "Wingull? What the -"

The Wingull she had been staring at rammed head first into the windscreen. It's glowing beak penetrated the reinforced glass. Dawn could only gape at it. She knew those things were sharp - but not to that extent!

J grabbed the microphone. "Salamence! Get those pesky things out of my - oh no."

Now alarm signals added to the chaos. A triangular warning symbol popped up on one of the displays; beneath it, Dawn made out the shape of the weather pokemon, Castform. "J, what's wrong?"

The huntress didn't answer right away as she bombarded the keyboard of a nearby computer. There, too, everything began to flash red. She slammed her fist on the console. "Damnit! The Castform-Shield is going down! We'll lose out protection from the storm." She pulled out a flash drive from the computer. "We have to leave; you go first."

The hatch to their left opened, letting in cold air. Braviary already waited for her along with Piplup, who stood on top of it and beckoned for Dawn to join them. The girl was more than a little confused and the sudden quakes made her stagger through the cockpit, first to her ranger radio, then towards the door.

She was about to hop on her eagle, when a burning chill clenched her stomach. "Wait, where is the crew?" She turned to the huntress. "Where are the guys, who flew this thing?"

J had already jumped up from the piloting seat, but returned to the steering stick. "Are you out of your mind? Get the hell out!"

"What did you do to them?" Dawn persisted. Dread almost made her choke on her question. "You - you didn't -"

"If I could, I would have!"

Dawn didn't have the time to appear shocked - it was hardly surprising, after all. "So they're still here?"She nearly cricked her neck, looking for a likely place to hide a handful of people. There was a door at the back of the cockpit. She ran for it, when suddenly two screeching Wingull soared in through the hatch. Their wings were steely as they aimed for Dawn's head. She barely had the time to throw herself flat on the floor.

The flying types missed her, but instead slammed into each other. It made them endlessly furious and when Dawn looked up again, they were tangled in a huddle of feathers.

"This'll take forever," J roared over the noise and tossed a pokeball. At the touch of a button, the door in the back slid open. "Ariados, get one of them out! Preferably the pilot."

The huge spider clung to the upper part of the door frame as it spit out a bundle of threads. A high-pitched scream sounded from what looked like a small cargo hold and an instant later, a bound Missile grunt tumbled forward. J caught him with ease, grabbed his collar and slammed him against the console. The frightened men's eyes darted around the cockpit, white with terror and confusion.

"I'm feeling generous today, so I'm giving you a fighting chance," she explained and whipped out a knife to cut the threads, which pinned his arms to his body. With the same blade, she pointed between his eyes. "But I'm warning you. Any attacks and you will find out what joy it is to crash in a whirlpool and feel the salt water fill your lungs. Understood?"

"Y-yes..." he stammered.

"Yes?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"That's still wrong!"

"J, I think he is about to pass out." Dawn had to pull J away from the poor man. Now it was Salamence hovering in front of the hatch; Ariados was already clinging to its neck, when the two trainers jumped on its back.

Rain greeted them as Salamence hurtled away form the air craft. Dawn shot a glance back at the helicopter. It staggered, winds pushing it from side to side. Ogi Isle seemed so far away, barely visible in the darkness. Dawn couldn't even be sure that the black patch to their right was the isle, or just a random spot, where most waves crashed.

She wanted to help the crew, but when half the flock surrounding the aircraft parted and sped towards her group instead, she regained her focus.

"Um, J?" Dawn called out for the huntress. She tugged the back of her cloak and noticed several tears in the fabric. "Do the obnoxiously yelled words 'Mine! Mine!' ring a bell?"

J frowned at the girl over her shoulder. "No."

"That's great! Then this battle won't be as annoying for you."

She blinked, obviously wondering whether Dawn still had all her wits about her. As the Wingull further gained on them, however, J noticed them, too. She told Salamence to hold a steady course. "I suggest you get on your Braviary, but wait for my instructions, understand?"

Dawn nodded, without arguing and waved at Braviary. Once it was at their side, she tried to swing her leg over Salamence's back, but with so little space, J sitting in front of her and soaked pants clinging to her skin, she bumped with her knee into something. Dawn shrieked, when she lost her balance and almost slipped of the dragon.

Just in time, J grabbed her collar and thrust the girl onto her eagle.

"Don't try anything stupid," she reminded her and promptly, Slamence veered around and ascended higher. A large portion of the Wingull followed, while the rest held their course and advanced in direction of Dawn.

Although she hadn't quite enough time to calm herself, Dawn adjusted her position, so Braviary had as much freedom in its movement as possible. "Nothing stupid, huh?" she mumbled. "I'll try."

In an instant, the Wingull were upon them. They pecked at anything within reach and made Dawn understand, just how one of them managed to crack the copter's window. There seemed to be a hundred stings all over her arms at once and she had to roll into a ball, so they couldn't reach her face. The noise itself was enough to pierce her ears.

"Piplup, whirlpool!" she yelled and tried to catch a glimpse of her partner. Colourful light appeared in front of her and, with a determined cry, Piplup chased the assaulters off. More water splashed down on her, but by then Dawn didn't care anymore. "You guys alright?"

Both nodded, but had their attention focused on the Wingull. They were even more agitated and it started to pinch Dawn's mood. "Why do we have to battle in the middle of the sky, above the sea? Piplup, see that you trap them in bubbles!"

The penguin shot out wave after wave of its bubble beam. It succeeded once, twice, five times, but more often than not the Wingull soared past the projectiles.

"Braviary, tailwind! Let's try and shake them off."

Dawn felt the shift of the winds; they were now pressing against her back and Braviary used their support to charge right into the flock of Wingull. Like a channel, the gusts followed the eagle, bending as it turned. The Wingull had no chance to follow them as every curve threw them off course.

Quite quickly, however, the wild pokemon grew so annoyed that they started to spit water guns at them. Water guns that forced their way through the chaotic currents of air. Braviary was so startled, it couldn't get away in time. One jet of water struck it right in the chest, hurtling it several feet backwards. Dawn felt a lurch in her stomach and clutched to Braviary's shoulders for dear life. Piplup was somewhere squeezed underneath her body.

They fell. She couldn't tell, how far, but it felt too long, before the eagle stretched out its wings again and regained height. Dawn's first glance was towards the waves, still crashing far below them, then towards the Wingull, diving for another attack.

Dawn just about had enough of them.

A strangely green water pulse flew past them, missing her right ear by inches, but Dawn paid it little mind. "Braviary, fly us below them, and Piplup, I want you to round them up with a whirlpool."

Still a little stunned, the penguin waddled forward onto Braviary's head, where it had a much better aim. Dawn grabbed its back, so Piplup wasn't thrown off by the next gust. Together, they dove. The Wingull followed suit, but they weren't as fast, since they showered them with more attacks. Some projectile flew close enough to Dawn's hat to almost knock it off, so she spun around and looked for any more. There was one, soaring right towards her head.

With no other way to block it, Dawn tore her hand from Braviary's shoulder and swatted the water pulse aside. A burning sting made her skin tingle.

"Okay, now!" Dawn yelled, wobbling back into her semi-safe position. Just in time, she managed to hold on again, before Braviary twisted in the air. They now faced the Wingull head-on and Piplup drew in one huge breath. "Go!" Dawn cheered it on.

A huge whirlpool emerged from Piplup's body. It enveloped all the charging Wingull, then twisted into a tight current that whirled around for another few moments. Finally, Piplup ceased it's control over the move and trapped the hostile pokemon in bubbles.

Dawn couldn't help a little grin at their victory, but a glance at the waves rolling right beneath them sobered her up quite quickly. "We have to get the Wingull higher up... I'm counting on you, Braviary!"

Once again, the flying type conjured the winds for a speeding boost. It ascended, rotating, so the Wingull were pulled up as well. As soon as they were high enough, Braviary relented, much to the relieve of Dawn's stomach.

Gradually, the spinning in her head subsided and she could look at the cluster of bubbles. They reminded her of pearls - twitching pearls, which radiated fury. "What is wrong with them?"

Just then, for the third time that day, a beeping interrupted Dawn's puzzlement. "Hi J," she answered. "You know, it said the same thing during my break at the contest. J called. Are you sure you didn't accidentally dial me?"

J's voice came with a crack. "I am sure. You're absolutely certain it displayed that?"

Dawn couldn't resist to answer with a "Positive!".

There was grumbling. "Just what I need. More broken gear." A sigh. "Have you taken care of your pests?"

"The Wingull," Dawn corrected her, "are safe in Piplup's bubbles. They shouldn't be able to break out, before we put some distance between them and us." She watched as one of the Wingull bore its beak through the bubble, but it didn't get any further and when it pulled its head back, the membrane closed again. It shrieked in frustration.

"J, there is something wrong with them. Kellyn said they had some sort of machine to manipulate their behaviour, but..." she inspected her scratched arms. Her jacket had now tears as well and some of the cuts in her skin appeared to be bleeding. Rain kept pouring down on her. "That's not all there is to it, is it?"

"It's not a machine, more like a drug. They threw a few tanks of it into the ocean a couple of hours ago. I couldn't find out what it's made of, but the effects are quite... potent."

"One of them attacked me with a water pulse, but it reminded me more of your Salmence's dragon pulse!" Dawn's hand tingled. There, were she had hit the sphere, an angry red bruise was forming.

For a while, there was no reply from J. Dawn scanned the sky and spotted a shadow soaring towards her. Once they were close enough, she could make out Salamence, with J sitting on its back.

"That sounds problematic." Despite their closeness, J continued to speak through the radio. "We need to get going. There is another helicopter -"

"We're just going to leave the Wingull?"

Dawn could feel the scowl the huntress directed at her. "Dawn," J began, her tone sounding strained, "how are you going to help them? Tell me, what do you think you could do right now to safe them?"

Dawn's immediate thought was Kellyn - but he, she remembered, already had his hands full. Catching them was another idea, but she had packed her emergency bag with medicine, not with loads of spare pokeballs.

Full of regret, she had to avert her eyes from the scrambling Wingull. "Nothing. Let's move."

Braviary flapped its wings and followed Salamence. "Our possibilities are limited right now. The best approach would be to hijack as many of Rocket's choppers as we can, bring them over to the Ogi Isle and hope the police actually does their job for once. Whatever you do, hold back with your attacks." J threw a glance over her shoulder. "I can't allow any causalities. Courtesy of the guardians."

Next to Dawn, Piplup was comforting her with tiny rubs on her arms. "What's with Lugia?"

Once again, the huntress glanced over her shoulder. "So you know about -"

"Of course I do! I must have been in deaf and blind not to notice all the legends around the Whirl Islands! If you'd told me from the beginning that they're trying to catch Lugia, I would have never let you go on your own!"

"Oh, I see. You're meaning to tell me you don't care about the target as long as its not a legendary, eh?"

Hot blood rushed to Dawn's cheeks. "N-no! That's not what I -"

"Anyway, Lugia has not yet appeared, though I'm fairly sure it's nearby. Drugged or not, I doubt any of these pokemon could create this kind of storm, even with all their powers combined."

Dawn had to agree with J. "Are they summoning it like Ho-Oh? From one of the helicopters?"

"No," J said. "Their air unit is for capturing Lugia as it was often observed emerging from the sea, when there was any kind of trouble. They have submarines for luring it here. Needless to say, there is no way of reaching them." J snorted. "I'd say good thinking, if it wasn't so damn -"

"We could."

J visibly froze on Salamence's back. "What?"

Her heart thumping, Dawn shared a look with Piplup. They both glanced at the waves, their rumbling more prominent than ever. The penguin nodded. "Piplup and I, we could go down there and try to hinder them. I'm sure they won't be -"

"Are you mental?!" J nearly screamed into the radio. Salamence swiveledaround and brought its trainer on eye level with Dawn. "You are not going down there! Under no circumstances whatsoever, understand?!"

"So, you just want us to keep flying around and wait for Lugia? What do we do then? How are we going to calm it down, if we don't even know how to deal with a Wingull?" Once again, Dawn could feel the unusual pressure of J's emotions. She would almost dub the sensation as fear, if she didn't know the huntress any better. "Last time, Ho-Oh immediately backed down once the copter stopped working!"

"Who is going to protect you down there?!"

"We'll be fine!" Dawn insisted. She had another look at the waves. Though they did scare her, she hoped J wouldn't notice. "I've got Mantine and Piplup; I'm confident, they'll handle it."

"That's a lot of tough words for a girl, who was fretting about her contests just a week ago!"

"This is different!" Dawn huffed. "If you're so worried, why don't you come with us?"

For a second, just an instant, J's eyes widened as if she was terrified. "Enough!" she yelled. "It's ludicrous enough, what we're risking here - I already have doubts we'll actually live to tell the tale! So, no matter what pokemon's neck is at stake, there is no reason for you to drown deliberately! Do you understand me?!"

"Okay, okay!" Dawn leant away from the huntress, as far as her position allowed. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to upset you! Don't jump over here and throttle me, alright?"

"No - I just -" J shook her head and returned to a more relaxed seating position. She brought the radio back in front of her mouth, as both had forgotten all about it, for a moment. "Let's just proceed with the plan - my plan," she added with a glance at Dawn. "There is a copter south of us."

The two flying types began to move, but Dawn hadn't quite recovered from that shock. Eventually, once her breathing slowed a little, she spoke into the radio. "J, what's wrong..?"

Suddenly, the sky flashed in blinding light and a violent jerk shook Braviary. The eagle screamed, a beam of energy crackled at her left and over it all, the roar of thunder erupted.

For a moment, Dawn couldn't move. She felt herself hanging in the air, then falling. We were hit! was her only thought, but somehow she managed to grab hold of Braviary once again. The eagle stopped and brought itself into an upright position. Gravity now pulled her towards her legs.

Her eyes darted over the sky, searching. It occurred to her that they must have been struck with lightning - but that was absurd, since they were still alive. So where did it come from?

The answer jumped right into view. A Mandibuzz charged at them in a storm of blue energy. Dawn wanted to deflect or at the very least slow it with a hydro pump, but J intervened.

Salamence steered in front of the assaulting dark type, roared and breathed fire. Mandibuzz relented and ascended higher. A flash of lightning, somewhere behind Dawn, illuminated the flying type and the trainer sitting on it.

"Pierce..." Dawn mumbled.

The agent must have noticed her used a megaphone that easily carried over the howling winds. "I am disappointed, Dawn. No introduction, no farewell, a remarkably malicious handling with other people's property - that's bad form, even for a third-class coordinator like yourself."

Dawn clenched her hands to fists; next to her, Piplup sprang up, ready to take on Pierce himself, if necessary. "Oh, I'll show you bad-"

"Dawn!" J suddenly called out to her. She and Salamence had flown over to her side. "Where is your radio?"

"Radio..?" Dawn echoed. A glance to her empty hand confirmed - she didn't hold it anymore. Frantically, she began to search for it, but it was neither in her pockets, nor anywhere on Braviary's back. "I'm so sorry J! I must have dropped-"

"Never mind! Are you hurt?"

"N-no. I'm fine. Braviary seems okay, too..." She brushed over its head and for a moment, Braviary nuzzled against her palm.

Just then, Pierce resumed his attacks. An airslash cut through the gusts, aiming for the girl. That time, they dodged and flew directly towards their opponent. Dawn leant forward and shared her plan with her partners. Piplup's response was a devilish grin.

"Good," Dawn muttered, when they closed in on Pierce. "Just a bit closer, then -"

They never got the chance, though. From the direction they had come from, another flock of flying types rushed toward them. The screeching had a deeper ring to it and when one of their water pulses nearly smashed into Dawn, she noticed that those were Pelipper.

"Braviary! To the right! Quick!" Dawn urged and pressed her body closer to its back. Braviary made a sharp turn and their pursuers rushed past them. There was, however, another tiny white pokemon already awaiting them. Tynamo seemed to flash her a smile, before it launched itself in the spot between Braviary's eyes, sparkling with electricity.

The eagled cried out, mostly in annoyance. The electrical current surged through its body, towards the tips of its wings. Braviary had visible trouble to move its limbs.

"Oh no, you didn't!" Dawn glared at the little electric type. "Piplup, take care of Tynamo - I need to look after Braviary."

In her haste, Dawn almost spilled a few items from her emergency belt pouch. "There it is!" she exclaimed as she fished out the paralyse heal. Out of the corner from her eyes, she noticed another spark. Piplup pressed its flippers against Tynamo's hind fin, while the electric type desperately tried to wiggle free. "Piplup, I said take care, not catch! I can't have you paralysed, too!"

Her stubborn partner, however, wouldn't give up, not until Dawn herself grabbed Tynamo. Needless to say, it was quite the shocking experience. And from behind, the Pelipper approached.

"Salamence, flamethrower!" J bellowed as they soared right over Dawn's head. The fire seared through the rain, creating a cover of mist. The Pelipper baulked at the heat and scattered. "And the rescue spree continues," J added, raising an eyebrow towards the girl.

"Thanks, J." Dawn breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at Tynamo. For a moment, she could see a ruby, no bigger than the tip of her pinkie, strapped to its body. Another surge of electricity jolted up her arm - it was enough to numb her hand and set the tiny pokemon free. It zipped right towards J's back. "Look out!"

J, though, seemed completely unfazed. "Salamence, snack."

In one movement, Salamence spun around and completely locked its giant jaws around Tynamo. It made a satisfied rumble noise, even as sparks crackled between its fangs.

"J!" Dawn cried. "You can't just -"

"It's alright, Dawn. Salamence likes sashimi -"

"That's not what I meant!"

J allowed a smirk to tug at her lips, before she returned to her pragmatic self. "Heal that Braviary of yours. I need you to help me abduct Pierce. He should do nicely in questioning."

Finally, Dawn sprayed the medicine on Braviary's head, near the spot, where it had been hit. The eagle stretched its wings, savouring the feel of fluid movements.

"Fine by me, but - you can't just snack on pokemon!"

"Oh, don't worry." The smirk was back. "I have something better in mind."

As fast as they had arrived, Salamence and J shot away again. Dawn focused on Pierce, who was seated on top of Madibuzz and overlooked the brawl. "Let's resume our plan," she declared, much to the joy of her water starter.

So, once again, they flew. Pelipper still tried to get in their way, but with a combination of water attacks and evasive manoeuvres, none of them posed a threat.

Pierce merely observed their approach, cocking his head to the side as Braviary rolled to dodge a water gun. He didn't seem to bother participating in the battle himself, nor did he react, when they sped directly towards him.

Dawn could only guess what he plotted, but she wouldn't relent in their approach. Instead, she crouched lower and kept a close stare on his expression.

Twenty meters to go, nothing. Ten meters and Piplup began building up power. Dawn held it back. "Braviary, aerial ace! Be ready for anything." Wind whipped by as Braviary gained speed for the move.

They were almost within arms reach, when Pierce made his move. His Mandibuzz dropped down and cleared the path for Braviary. Suddenly, a blue wave of ice streamed towards them.

"Rock slide!" Dawn cried and clung to Braviary's back. It strained its wings in an attempt to halt them. The boulders it created were frozen within seconds and burst into pebbles. Braviary managed to stem most of the attack, but once they were above their opponent, Dawn noticed it shaking.

"Braviary, you okay?" she yelled and inched forwards, hoping to glimpse the spot where it had been hit. Her partner nodded, though she still sensed its pain. "That was a sheer cold," Dawn mused and set her sights on their new enemy.

Cryogonal scowled at her as if reproaching them for dodging its attack. Glancing to the side, she also saw Mandibuzz gliding closer to them.

With one hand on Braviary's back, Dawn grabbed her ultra ball from her belt. "Hang on there; I'll clear our way!"

Mandibuzz launched another dark pulse at them, while Cryogonal prepared an ice beam.

"Piplup, protect us against Mandibuzz's attack! And Ninetales," she said and could have sworn that a tiny jolt of energy tingled her skin. With all her might, she tossed the pokeball over to the ice type. Cryogonal nearly fainted, when it came face to face with the fox. "Fire blast!"

A blazing cascade engulfed Cryogonal, while next to them, Piplup's ice beam collided with the approaching dark pulse.

For a moment, Dawn could feel both a chill and heat licking at her cold skin; she hadn't been aware how numb her fingers were. However, as much as she wanted Ninetales to stay, gravity's merciless pull was already upon it and Dawn had to recall it.

"Quite impressive," Pierce applauded her from below. Once again, he spoke in his megaphone and Dawn noticed a long bag strapped to his back. "You wouldn't care to join us?"

"Is that a joke?!" Dawn yelled. "I want to see you guys in jail!"

He seemed to hear her. "Your help with our research was excellent. A brilliant idea to confine the Wingull! We hoped our drug would aid the evolutionary process, but you were the first to force a satisfying amount of evolutions."

Dawn's insides froze, as if Cryogonal's attack had hit her. "Y-you mean those Pelipper were..?"

"That's not the only wonder our scientists have achieved," Pierce continued. "Take our aircrafts; protected by a new species that we derived from Castform. They are weather repellent, though a bit more... fluid, for transportation reasons. It's a shame you paralysed them."

"That's horrible!" Dawn shouted. "I knew you don't care for pokemon - but that's low, even for you guys!"

Braviary stirred and cried out. In a response to its trainer's boiling anger, it charged at Mandibuzz. It's steering was clumsy though and their target dodged with ease. Piplup spat out a hydro pump, but it, too, was clearly tiring and missed.

Seemingly more amused than anything, Pierce tossed something in Dawn's direction. It hit her temple, before it fell in her lap. Rubbing the sore spot, she looked at the object, which turned out to be a ruby, similar to the one Tynamo had held. Instantly, she felt that something was missing; the winds stopped blowing and even the patter of rain was gone.

"Better than any umbrella," Pierce said. "The Cloud Nine Gem, guaranteed to help you weather any storm. Pure organic, of course. Harvested from the best Golduck in the region.

"What do you say, Dawn?"

Dawn was shaking as she glared at the stone in her hand. It looked exactly like the gem's embedded in Golduck's forehead and for what she could tell, it was real. All of sudden, the red seemed a few shades darker.

Overcome with disgust, she clenched it in her fist so hard, she hoped it would crack. There was nothing she wanted more, than fling it away.

Except for one thing. There was a long list of words Dawn knew, but was uncomfortable using. This situation called for one and she yelled at the top of her lungs, "I say, I want to shove it up your -"

An explosion right next to Pierce's head cut her short; first green energy, then a jolt of electricity flashed. Salamence soared by, with J and Aridaos standing on its back.

"I am interested," the huntress declared. They hovered higher than Pierce, and Dawn had to crane her neck to see her. Even from so far away, she meant to make out a faint glow of red in J's hand. "However, this three meter radius is pathetic."

Pierce seemed shaken, but he straightened quickly enough. Whatever had hit him - and Dawn assumed it was a slightly gnawed Tynamo - he called it back in a pokeball. "I believe that one is still a prototype."

Suddenly, Dawn felt a chill creep up her spine. A melodious cry resonated through the darkness, reaching out to her very core. Next to her, Piplup winced and pointed towards the sea, horror-struck. Dawn leant over Braviary's side. It was nearly impossible to make out anything in that swirling black mass, but even so, she could sense it.

"Oh no, please, no..." she whispered.

Pierce held a palm to his ear, where his hair hid a headset. As his expression lit up, Dawn's heart sank. Once again, he lifted his megaphone to his lips. "I dare say it won't be enough to withstand this storm."

And the whole world erupted. Rolls of thunder shook the sky and lightning cracked. The ocean thrust a fist into the swelling clouds, its roar completely drowning the rest of the sounds.

Dawn and Braviary were hurtled back by the sheer gusts blowing about. She and Piplup clung on for dear life as the eagle strained itself to stay airborne. Once again, rain lashed down on them; Dawn felt as if it had turned to hail.

She squinted her eyes, but at first, all she could see was one dark grey mass stretching over her whole vision. Her heart skipped several beats, when Dawn realised that the column of water was that vast. And close, impossibly close.

Dawn wanted to scream that Braviary should move, but the shock still paralysed her bones, when she spotted Salamence. The dragon was rocked from side to side, yet it didn't appear to fly away, even though it looked like it was about to be swallowed by the whirlpool. J crouched on its back, facing the deadly force.

"J! What are you doing, move!" Dawn tried to shout, but the winds forced every syllable back into her throat. Salamence's roar got carried over to them; still, those two wouldn't budge.

The girl wanted to urge Braviary in their direction, when movement at the right corner of her eyes caught her attention. Mandibuzz flapped its wings, desperate to take flight, but Pierce forced it to stay. From the bag on his back, the agent pulled out a long, black object.

It was a rifle and the barrel pointed directly towards J.

Dawn almost threw herself of Braviary's back, trying to call out to the huntress. Salamence flexed its body; she guessed it tried to force J to hold onto it.

Meanwhile, Pierce kept aiming, intent on firing at the right timing.

"Guys!" Dawn finally managed to choke out. "Ice Whirl Jet on Mandibuzz! GO!"

Mustering all the strength it had left, Braviary shot towards Mandibuzz. The winds were unforgiving, but Dawn's emotions propelled the eagle forward nonetheless.

Suddenly, a fierce cry sounded from within the watery inferno. At first, Dawn could only see a huge shadow shifting; the creature didn't emerge, yet.

But it had unmistakably spotted the figures closest to it. Energy crackled within the twister. Then, it fired a vortex that ripped through the side of the column and headed directly for Salamence and J.

With no other choice left, Salamence unleashed its own black hyper beam. The attacks collided in an explosion.

It took Dawn all of her willpower to avert her eyes and focus on Pierce. The agent, it seemed, was so captivated by the chaos unfurling he didn't even notice Dawn. In fact, he smirked.

"NOW!" she yelled - but it was too late. The bang of the shot ringed impossibly loud in her ears. In the distance, Salamence roared. Piplup pressed itself low against Braviary's head as it first created a whirlpool and then froze it into a ram.

Shadows were the only way of orientating themselves, but it was enough. Pierce only noticed the attack, when it was upon him. There was a satisfying shatter of ice shards; Mandibuzz and Pierce yelped and fell backwards, out of sight. Dawn only saw how the gun was knocked out of the agent's grip, but whether or not they recovered, she couldn't tell.

Her eyes were on J only. The huntress finally seemed to have returned to her senses as she clutched to Salamence's back. The dragon was twitchy. It growled and tried to rub its chest with its head. Dawn wasn't sure if that was because Salamence was irritated, or in pain.

"J!" she tried to call, but the wind scattered her voice across the sky. They were still out of earshot, when the great water column burst into cascades. Dawn almost choked as she caught sight of the silver body and black eyes.

"Lugia."

Wings reaching out to tear the world apart, Lugia let out a howl of rage. Whether it was luck or not, its attention was quickly grabbed by a helicopter buzzing around its head. Again, Dawn had to force herself to look at her target and not to see what moronic method Missile would be using to try and capture the legendary pokemon. She just hoped they would keep Lugia busy for long enough.

"We're almost there Braviary!" She cast a glance at Salamence, swaying above them. "Hang on just a little more!"

And so, Braviary kept fighting on, until once again, Pierce voice sounded over the rumble. "Salamence, finish off Hunter J!"

Dawn couldn't trust her ears. "Is - is he insane?" she shot at Piplup. It was ironical, but she had experienced J and the dragon to have a strong bond - after all, their favourite past time was flying breakneck stunts, while the huntress stood on its back. "There is no way Salamence would -"

But then, a red aura appeared around Salamence. A bloodcurdling cry ringed from its massive lungs and, eyes burning with malice, it twisted its body. One moment, J had been crouching on its back, the next she hung in the air, almost unmoving.

Salamence's talons flared in a screaminggreen. It rose the claw high. And struck.

For the life of hers, Dawn couldn't remember a louder noise, than the clash of the dragon claw against J's chest.

Different yet Similar

Part of Dawn was aware that she was risking her and her partners' lives.

The sheer shock of the situation, however, rendered all concerns meaningless.

As Salamence swung down its claws, Braviary tumbled forward. There was a sickening crack and for a second, Dawn watched a body falling directly towards them.

Then, J crashed into her and Dawn was hurtled to the side. Her legs slipped; her hands lost their grip on Braviary's shoulders. J's head had hit the left side of her face. Tears prickled in her eye. She couldn't breathe, but rather felt as if her chest was smashed into pieces.

With all her might, she tried to fight against the pull of gravity on her back and J's weight sagging against her body. She clawed for any hold within arm's reach, yet cold air was the only thing brushing her palms. There was that lurch in her stomach; Dawn gasped and could only watch, how her vision tilted to face the massive cloud overhead.

"Piplup!" sounded a chirp to her left. In the shadow of the storm, Piplup's blue light stung in her eyes. It conjured a whirlpool and tossed it towards Dawn. The tug of the twister made her already spinning head feel like exploding. She swallowed a mouthful of cold water, but for a second, the move held her in place.

Enough time for Braviary to position itself underneath its trainer. The whirlpool released them and they toppled back onto the eagles' back. Coughing, Dawn dug her fingers into its shoulder, unable to care, when she ripped out a few feathers.

J slipped away. Dawn lunged to catch her, clutching her black rain coat so strongly, it hurt her hand.

Only then did she register the pain coming from her new bruises, but also another danger hovering at their side.

A growl deep and terrible rolled over her. Salamence's muzzle was contorted to a grimace. White hot flames crackled around its fangs. She could feel its wrath, its rage cutting through her like a knife.

Dawn's stomach dropped. "Salamence - please don't!" she tried to plead with it, her voice shrill in her ears.

It wouldn't listen.

Salamence tossed back its head, building up power behind its move. The resulting flamethrower burned in a brilliant light, so strong that Dawn had to avert her eyes. Braviary's muscles shifted underneath her palm as it dove away from the fire, which hissed and crackled. Like a sword it cut through the rain; Dawn felt the heat lick her chilled skin.

Dawn grunted in an effort to keep up herself and J's heavy body, while Braviary fled, dropping, ascending and turning in abrupt sequences. Within moments, Dawn felt sick to her stomach. Her muscles burned. And more than once, she had felt one of Salamence's attacks so close it had almost grazed her back. Just being near that sheer power made her skin tingle.

A crash sounded from close by. Gasping, Dawn remembered Lugia. Despite the whipping rain, she tried to catch a glimpse of the legendary. For a moment, there was a silver hue in the corner of her eyes.

Its still here! shot through her mind. Terror filled her; it was only a matter of time before the dragon would get to them, but if Lugia decided to attack, everything was definitely over.

A black beam seared overhead. Tears welled up, when her beanie along with some strands of her hair were just ripped of.

"Braviary! You have to bring us down!" she cried over the wind, hoping beyond hope that her partner would hear her. "To the ocean! There is no other way!"

Another thundering blast shook her, when one of Salamence's moves was halted by Piplup's hydropump. Braviary yanked them upwards, almost in a vertical line. Dawn clutched to its feathers, wincing when she felt them loosen.

"Braviary!" she called once again, but the eagle shook its head. For the first time since Dawn could remember, her partner had defied her order. "I know it sounds crazy! Just do it before that mad dragon has us for dessert!"

Braviary still struggled with its decision, Dawn could see it in the way it kept glancing at the waves. J slipped under her arm and she held her breath, fearing that any wrong movement would make the huntress fall.

"If you don't fly down," Dawn now cried, her heart hammering against her ribcage, "I'll call you back into your pokeball! I will get to the ocean, whether you want it or not!"

She tried to swallow the heavy lump in her throat. I'm so sorry, Braviary!

The flying type came to an abrupt halt. It swivelled its head towards her, black eyes wide with shock, but finally, it relented. It thrust its beak downward and like a rocket, they dove towards the living manifestation of chaos.

Dawn felt as if she had lost her stomach somewhere at their starting point. Icy wind cut through her eyes, making them water. Images of them crash landing on some rocks popped up in her mind, no matter how firmly she brushed them away.

"You know what to do," she directed at Piplup, which emerged underneath the white feathers of Braviary's mane. It nodded, eyes beaming with determination.

With a trembling hand, Dawn let go of Braviary's shoulder and retrieved an item from her belt pouch. It was the mouth piece of her scuba gear, which she somehow managed to strap over J's mouth and nose. There was enough air for half an hour.

Dawn only prayed that it was still for some use to the huntress.

The sea was only meters away now. Braviary held a steady course, but Dawn felt its fear. "Use brave bird to break the waters surface!" she yelled and placed her free palm on its head. "It's going to be alright, I promise."

A roar sounded from behind and before them, water exploded in a spray of orange flames and mist. Salamence was still on their tail, yet there was little she could do as Braviary covered itself and its passengers in blue, sizzling energy.

Waves rushed at their sides. Dawn could feel their overwhelming presence, though she didn't dare look.

All she could do, was reassure her grip on J, take a deep, possibly final breath of salty air and squeeze her eyes shut.

Ecruteak City's pokemon centre was packed with people swarming through the lobby. Joy could hear their muffled bickering, spoken worries and panic. Her trainee Emily, the daughter of the distant cousin, who had used to run that centre, tried to calm the crowds and coerce them to state their emergencies in an orderly fashion.

A trait Joy herself had long since abandoned as she would have resorted to threats. She was pestling revival herbs for the dozen new patients, all the while ignoring the tiny sprite of Porygon-Z, which darted about on the screen of her computer. The list of her mails was growing steadily, as most of her cousins and nieces bombarded each other with news of their emergencies.

Just as I anticipated it, Joy mused. A region wide catastrophe.

"Aunt Joy!" Emily called through a speaker. "I have some people here, who would like a word with you. I'll send them to you, alright?"

"I don't have time for visitors; unless somebody is at the verge of dying, I won't see anyone."

"You will find that this statement is quite close to the truth."

The door to her lab opened. Morty strode inside and at his heels was Whitney, Goldenrod's gym leader. The pink haired girl fumed, but she stayed in the back. Morty had spoken and after ensuring that the door was closed and they had their privacy, he elaborated.

"I hate to disturb you, but we need information on Hunter J's exact location."

Joy actually snorted. "That hunter? Why should I know? And more importantly," she narrowed her eyes at the blond boy, "why should I tell?"

Before Morty could even open his mouth, the girl had already blurted out, "Because she was with Dawn and its her we want to safe!"

Whatever morsel of her heart had softened in regard of the injured pokemon, Joy felt it petrifying into steel once more. "Really now? I was informed that the girl travelled east as in the opposite direction said hunter supposedly headed to."

"She teleported! Sakura called just now and told us how Dawn quit her contest and teleported to J! With things escalating right now-"

"Would you care to name those things? As you can see," she gestured at the medicine, "I haven't had the time to follow events unravelling miles from here."

Morty stepped closer to her desk. "It's Lugia. It has finally appeared."

Joy was actually proud of herself, when she didn't drop the pestle. She did halt in her work, but still she wouldn't look at the agitated Porygon-Z on her computer. It merely took her a lot more self-discipline, not to pay it any mind.

"Lugia. So those idiots did it again." Joy took a deep breath, hoping it wouldn't look to shaky and resumed grinding. "I believe this time you actually have some people at the ready."

"But they weren't with Dawn!" Whitney intervened. "Kellyn said he'd seen her, but ever since Lugia appeared they couldn't contact her! Something must have gone wrong, we need to save her!" To emphasize her words, Whitney slammed her palms on Joy's working desk. Several medicine bottles shook; an empty one even toppled over.

Joy had to strain herself not to call out Ursaring there and then.

"We are currently assembling the other gym leaders," Morty exclaimed, stepping between the girl and Joy. "We hope that together we can avoid an aggravation of our current crisis. It would be great, if we could at the very least save a civilian caught in the crossfire."

Morty's sensible reasoning was rather pleasing to listen to. It annoyed Joy to no end. "I certainly wish you luck with your plans, but there is nothing I can-"

"Oh yes, you can!" Whitney burst out. "You have info on J. Morty knows."

"Not me, technically. Gengar knows." Out of thin air, his purple partner appeared. What really surprised Joy, however, was the orange ghost at its side. "Rotom called us."

Joy could only gape at her ghostly pokemon in dismay. At the very least, Rotom had the decency to look abashed. It wasn't even grinning. In fact, it looked worried. She shot it a glare that said I told you. No.

"Joy, I don't know, what your problem is with J," Morty said, "but if you refuse to help it could very well mean the end to both Dawn and J. Personally, I'd like to see both protectors of Ho-Oh safe."

On her computer, Z continued to spin around, even messing with settings like brightness or colour, Despite her forced indifference,something within Joy realised that J's life may, indeed, lay in her hands.

"J!" Dawn cried out, when she heard a cough. She dropped the mouthpiece of the scuba gear and leant over J's head, watching how her facial features contorted with strain. Though J neither opened her eyes nor responded to her call, Dawn could have wept with relief.

Carefully, she rolled the huntress into a recovery position and tucked her wounded hand between her cheek and the slippery rocks on the ground. It took her a ridiculous amount of effort, as Dawn trembled all over from the icy seawater that had drenched her clothes.

"I can't believe it," Dawn whispered.

Not only had Braviary beat the water, it had plunged deeply into the ocean, almost far enough to escape the waves' currents. Together with Piplup and Mantine they had then dived towards the sea floor, which, once the murky water had cleared, had turned out to be quite close.

Now she and J sat in a bubble that clung to the ocean floor. Her pokemon were outside, guarding them against aggressive passers-by.

Dawn's soaked flash light was the only light source they had. Their situation reminded her too much of the Bell Tower. And just like then, her mind wouldn't give an answer to the question, how she should get J to Nurse Joy.

"Okay, calm down," she told herself and watched as another cough jerked through J's body. Concern surged up and threatened to overwhelm her, but Dawn shook her head. "It's- it's going to be alright. Maybe it's not that bad."

As Dawn scooted around J's body, she tried to remind herself of the guardians' healing power. They had fallen from the highest building in Johto and had survived, she told herself. There was nothing that could threaten them. Nothing. Nothing.

And yet Dawn's heart hammered just the way it had underneath the rubble of the tower.

Gulping down the lump in her throat, she reached out and laid a clammy palm on J's midsection. Rough fabric was underneath her fingertips. In the quivering cone of her light she could make out J's rain coat, torn and glistering with wet. Was it blood? she wondered.

She tried to trace the damage with her eyes, but J's arm was in the way. Full with apprehension, she grasped the limb and replaced it. Every twitch of her own body startled her. Dawn found herself fixating on J's expression. Was she rousing? Was she in pain?

When finally Dawn had a clear view of J's front, she was surprised to see her wearing a hard, black vest. A bullet proof vest.

She brushed over the fabric, not yet daring to hope. There, on J's left side, she found the texture ragged and burnt. Her hand quivered as she brushed her hand across the spot. Breathing was all but forgotten.

Suddenly, her middle finger slipped through a tear in the vest and touched something warm, sticky. She flinched back so hard, a few rocks pricked her skin. Dawn paid the ache no mind.

Her hand had a bluish tint; the blood clinging to it glistened at her in the richest scarlet, Dawn had ever seen. It made her sick, just thinking about the amount that hid underneath that armour.

J hadn't moved, but Dawn was sure that the crease on her forehead had deepened.

"Hang in there," she mumbled, resuming her examination. There turned out to be two holes, where Salamence's claw had ripped through the vest. Both were slick with blood. She tried to press against them in an attempt to stop the bleeding, which was quite difficult to do with J lying on her side. More than that, though, the vest hardly seemed to budge.

Dawn took another careful look at J's face and the rise and fall of her chest. Her breathing came in short heaves, a little erratic. Her eye lids twitched, but J didn't appear to be rousing.

Feeling as safe as she possibly could, Dawn laid J on her back. Part of the raincoat's zipper had survived, so she first pulled that apart and then wiggled both of J's arms out of her gloves and the sleeves.

All that was left was the vest - and Dawn had not the faintest clue, how she could open that. She traced the sides for a clasp, but they were perfectly even. The same applied to the shoulder straps and collar; smooth and black and in the way.

"Why does everything have to be so difficult with you?" Dawn snorted at the huntress, while she desperately tried to ignore the burn creeping up in her own chest. If she couldn't help J any time soon... It dreaded her to even think about the possibility.

"Come on," Dawn spoke behind clenched teeth, when she tugged at the shoulder portion. Instead of opening the vest, she tried to pull it over J's head. "Get off you stupid thing!"

That was the moment, J's eyes fluttered open.

"J?" Dawn gasped, staring right into J's unfocused eyes. "You're awa-"

WHAM!

Stars erupted behind Dawn's eyes, when J's fist smashed into her right temple. She staggered backwards, more rocks scratching her legs. For a moment, Dawn was blinded, but she made out a scuffling noise to her right. J was backing away from her, as far as the bubble allowed.

"Touch me again and I'll break your fingers!" J snarled at her.

"J!" Dawn cried out, her hand pressed at her temple in a feeble attempt to ease the throbbing. "What in the world was that for?"

"Girl?"

"Dawn! It's Dawn!"

As soon as her blurry vision allowed it, Dawn grabbed the flash light she had dropped and turned to the huntress.

J sat slightly hunched over with her back pressed tightly against the bubble's surface. Her bare right hand clutched the wounded spot, her muscles twitching. She blinked at the light glaring in the darkness.

"What is this place?" J squinted at the muddy rocks surrounding her. A shiver went through her body and she huddled a little closer. "What were you doing? Did you... take of my coat?"

"Yeah, I did!" Despite J's confusion, Dawn found it hard to keep a level head. "I had to get of your vest, didn't I? No need to hit me for that!"

"I disagree," J mumbled to her great annoyance.

A nasty retort lay on the tip of her tongue, yet Dawn managed to swallow it. With logic, she forced herself to calm down. J had been startled, nothing more. As painful as the ache in her head was, she was a little relieved to see the huntress awake.

However, she could still hear J's shaky breaths and sense the ache in her chest. So she shuffled a little closer, careful not to hold the torch right into J's eyes.

"I was trying to help. We have to get this thing of you; you've got a horrible wound-"

But J didn't respond. She didn't even seem to hear Dawn's voice. Her gaze darted over the surface of the light blue bubble. Little by little, a shiver crept over her body, until she rasped out, "Wh-where are we?"

Dawn froze in her movements. J had never stuttered before. "We- we're in a bubble," Dawn blurted out, her breath hitching, "under water."

"Un-" J choked.

It was as if a wave hit Dawn. All of the sudden, she was suffocating. Something, some unknown force had caught her and was now crushing her chest, her body. Cold claws wrapped around her insides, turning them into ice.

I'm dying, Dawn realised with a pounding heart, I'm dying!

She tried to think of a reason and her eyes fell on the bubble. Dawn gasped. It must have broken! Torrents of water were surely about to flood inside, sweeping Dawn into the darkest depths of the ocean. Desperately, she tried to brace herself with deep breaths, but was only capable of wheezing.

Then Dawn remembered; she wasn't alone! With a jolt she sat upright, almost slipping over the tangle of seaweed underneath her palms. Her clothes, sodden with cold sweat and sea water, stuck to her skin.

"J!" the girl called out, "we have to-" To what? Not even she knew, yet she couldn't leave the huntress by herself.

She received no answer. All Dawn could hear over her own frenzied heart was an odd noise. Like the cry of a suffering pokemon. A sob, a whimper. But there was no one else around, only...

Finally, Dawn faced the huntress - and although she had deemed it impossible, she felt her terror increase.

J, a woman who always dominated over her surroundings, now trembled in a tight little ball. She had her legs drawn close to her body and her forehead almost touched her knee. Both hands were clapped over her mouth and nose. Chalk white was her skin, except for the red marks glaring from her nails all over her cheeks. J's eyes were closed, her face furrowed in deep wrinkles.

The feeble whimpers came out of her shuddering throat.

If Dawn hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed it.

"J!" she exclaimed, yet in vain. J either didn't hear her or ignored her. Dawn pleaded it to be the later reason. She hastened over the few feet that separated them and fell on her knees, barely noticing the rough ground.

Once again, Dawn yelled her name and that time she grasped one of her wrists. Light blue eyes flashed up, their gaze wild.

"What's wrong?" Dawn couldn't keep a level voice; her stomach felt like it was doing somersaults. She wanted to feel relieved to have grabbed J's attention, but among the turmoil, wrath sprang up.

"You-" J screamed. All of the sudden, she leapt at Dawn. The girl flinched backwards, but she felt her own wrist caught in a bone crushing grip.

She tried to jump, crawl away, yet all she managed was falling backwards. J followed, her free hand shooting forwards. A gurgle was the last sound Dawn made, before the hand closed around her throat.

"You brought me here, did you?" J's eyes were white with madness as she thrust Dawn into the ragged ground.

Pain jolted all over Dawn's body, but the burn in her chest soon drowned it all. Inhumanly strong fingers dug into her neck; it felt as if they could rip out the life of her on a whim's notice. Dawn clawed at them. Something underneath her nails gave way, yet the pressure never ceased. The monstrous bulk kept crushing her.

Stop! STOP! was the only word, she could muster. Wild fire spread through her chest and up her throat. She felt her lips move, but no air came in.

She would suffocate. There, on the dark ocean floor.

NO!

With a last burst of strength, Dawn thrashed about. Somewhere, among those frenzied kicks and scratches, her leg found a target. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. Then the clutch on her neck relented and air, sweet, intoxicating air flooded in.

Relief, though, didn't come. Instead the weight crumbled and fell on top of her. Dawn didn't even glance at it, but shoved it of her, then rolled onto her hands and knees and stumbled away.

Blinded by tears and coughing, she bumped face first into the bubble's inner surface. Fear ignited itself anew, yet when Dawn pushed against the membrane, it tensed around her hands like an inflated balloon. There couldn't be any rupture. If there had been, water would have flooded inside a long time ago.

The girl spun around, rocks scraping against her knees, chest ablaze. Confused as she was, she was not about to let her guard down. Dawn looked around the shadows, while she seized the ultra ball hanging from her belt. It almost scorched her numb palm. Only dimly, did she register which pokemon she was about to unleash - anyone from her team was fine as long as it kept her assaulter at bay.

Seconds passed, in which her eyes adjusted to the gloom. The flash light had rolled away, probably during the struggle. So Dawn strained her ears for sounds of movement. Rolling pebbles, the slither of seaweed, anything.

There was nothing except for her erratic breathing; she tried to control it, but her body had not yet recovered enough.

"Wh-where are you?" she called out. The silence, that surreal serenity of her surroundings tore at her nerves; the longer she sat there, the more agitated she became. Her voice sounded terribly shrill, even to her own ears. "I know you're there!"

She almost tossed the pokeball into the darkness, but a last bit of reasoning held her back. Although it was apparent that the bubble was unharmed, it wouldn't last in a battle.

So Dawn crouched, waiting for an attack that never came. Gradually, the burn in her throat ceased, yet a sting remained. It was with great reluctance that she moved from her tense position and brushed her palm over her neck. It came away bloodied.

Had that been her assaulter? Or had Dawn struggled so hard that she had hurt herself?

The thought sent chills scurrying down her spine. She hadn't even noticed those scratches. How easily she could have died.

That was J, Dawn realised, astonished at herself that she had almost forgotten. J just - she tried to-

She could taste bile on her tongue. After Dawn had risked her and her partners' life to safe the huntress - why had she attacked? Dawn squinted at the semi-darkness, searching for the form she knew had to be there.

She didn't even know what she had expected to see; maybe J standing there with a knife, just waiting for the perfect moment to finish off Dawn. J, however, seemed in no condition to even move. She lay face down, twitching, her arms slung firmly around her midsection. Though she was trying to bite it back, she couldn't stop the groan escaping her lips.

The moment Dawn laid her eyes on the huntress, she herself felt a stab in her stomach. Dawn flinched and clutched the sore spot. The pokeball slipped from her fingers, bounced of some pebbles and eventually came to a halt in the mud.

"Wh-what is going on?" Dawn pressed out in between heaves. J had barely reacted to the injury before - why was the pain so intense now?

The realisation struck Dawn in another chill. With that deadly grip around her neck she had paid no mind to her surroundings. Had she accidentally struck J? And right on her wound nonetheless!

An urge to rush to J's side and check on her surged up in Dawn. She made half a step in her direction, before she stopped herself.

What am I doing? She tried to murder me! Dawn scolded herself, digging her nails into her tights. But she's in so much pain. And it's my fault.

The agony in her stomach had weakened, yet Dawn felt the echo of that first shock. She knew that J suffered even worse. The desire to stop that pain burned in her heart - but how could she still approach J? How could she trust her?

Trust. The thing Dawn had tried to establish between them. She forced herself to look at J. Never, not even in the Bell Tower's dungeon, had she seen the huntress so vulnerable. Barely able to contain the whimpers that didn't match the woman.

It had been a small moment of weakness - it had to be. J wasn't going to harm herself or destroy all the efforts she had put into training Dawn. As for Dawn...

She was certain: even without Mesprit's empathy, she wouldn't be able to bear the sight of so much suffering.

So she tucked away Ninetales' pokeball that she had dropped earlier and slid forward. Her steps were small, still wary, yet determined. "J," she called out softly. There was no visible reaction, so Dawn tried again, that time with a firmer voice.

There - a brief pause in J's ragged breathing. Dawn had reached her, her knees just inches away from J's head. Her hands twitched. She felt like she should touch J, to assure her of Dawn's presence. At the same time, though, shivers crept up her spine at the mere thought of startling J again.

"Can you hear me?" she said. Gradually, J's heaves regained a more controlled rhythm. "If you do... please, say something."

Dawn watched how little jerks went through J's upper body. The noises she made at first were more groans than words, until she finally found her voice. "I hear you," she croaked out behind clenched teeth.

J began pushing herself up. Dawn watched her arms quake and feared that she would just collapse again.

"M-maybe you should stay down?" Dawn held her hands at J's side, unable to decide whether she should assist the huntress or ease her back into a lying position.

Yet J kept going, inching upwards through pain and exhaustion. Only once did she stop to hiss a "stay away" at the girl. She was still nowhere near a sitting position, when Dawn decided she couldn't watch any more.

"Okay," Dawn took a deep breath, "J, I'm going to help you now."

Ignoring her thumping heart, Dawn reached forward, grabbed J at her shoulders and gradually, but firmly pushed her upwards.

"What are you-" J tried to protest at first and wrapped her hands around Dawn's wrists. Her grip became so strong that Dawn could barely move her arms. But while she at first thought that it was because J resisted, the truth turned out to be quite the opposite.

J clawed at Dawn, so she wouldn't topple over again. Pain surged through her body; Dawn could see it in her creased eyebrows and the quivering teeth digging into her lip. Blood trickled down her chin.

A sudden spastic cough overcame J. It left her powerless to hold herself up and so she did collapse forward against Dawn's shoulder.

Dawn flinched as if J had punched her again. It took her a few moments to calm her nerves and use the new found freedom of her arms to support the huntress.

The fit seemed to go on forever. Dawn placed a trembling hand on J's spine and rubbed it carefully, desperate to help in some kind of way. Her wish to soothe the pain was unbearable.

I hope Piplup didn't go too far, Dawn thought. We have to get back to land. If we could make it to Silver Rock Isle...

It wasn't ideal. She didn't believe it possible for her to find help and keep J from getting arrested. Neither was Dawn safe from the police, she noticed with a pang. She gritted her teeth. No matter how she tried to reason with herself, the fear of dying at the hands of J had rooted deeply in her stomach. It seemed crazy to risk any more for the huntress. Yet what choice did she have?

Eventually, the coughing ceased. J, though, didn't break the awkward embrace. It made Dawn anxious; what if she had lost consciousness? The girl dreaded the thought of having to drag J around by herself.

But her worries turned out to be unnecessary, when J slowly propped herself up. Once it was clear that she could sit by herself, Dawn withdrew her hands and gripped the sea floor.

J's eyes were closed. She swayed a bit, as if she was dizzy, but at least she had recovered. Although recover was a bit of a strong word. J's limbs never stopped shaking, her features didn't relax. While her heaves became deeper and more controlled, they were still irregular.

Dawn sat on her hunches, not daring to speak. Despite J's weakened state, the girl felt incredibly vulnerable. It was J, who eventually broke the silence. "Dawn?" She pressed out. Her eyelids twitched, but she still wouldn't open them.

It stroke the coordinator as odd, yet she brushed it aside. The relief at hearing her name uttered was stronger. "Yeah, it's me..."

"What happened?"

Dawn blinked. "S-Salamence attacked you... don't you remember?"

J shuddered and covered the fresh blood, which seeped out of her vest, with her hands. "I... I wasn't sure."

"Pierce must have shot it with the drug," Dawn explained, still puzzled. She clutched helplessly at the gravel. "I'm sorry - I couldn't stop him-"

"Never mind!" J interrupted her. She dug her fingers into the armour, right over the injury. Dawn could feel pain flare up, but before she could stop J, the huntress moved on. "Salamence attacked me and I lost consciousness - and then you brought me somewhere safe, right?"

"Well - yes." Dawn looked around, taking in the serenity of the bubble. She had not forgotten her earlier bout of panic, but more than that she believed in her pokemon. "I'd say its safe here."

"Somewhere on Ogi Isle?" Finally, J looked at her through one half opened eye.

Dawn couldn't put her finger on it, but a bad hunch crept up in her. "A-around Ogi Isle is more precise..."

"Quit joking around," J snapped.

Again, that suffocating sensation coiled inside Dawn. Just like before, she could feel cold sweat erupting all over her body. It reminded her of her own terror, when J had almost chocked her to death - but that sensation was different, somehow more intense, alien.

"We're in some cave, not around - that - that's impossible!"

"I told you, we can do it, Piplup and I." Dawn tried to comprehend what was going on. All the while, she pointed at the light blue membrane. "Look! Piplup's bubbles work like those giant fish tanks in an aquarium; the water is staying out and we're completely safe-"

"NO," J cried out, flinching. "No, we're not safe, we have to get out!"

The realisation hit Dawn like a blow to her belly. It had taken her so long to understand the origin of her fear, because it didn't fit the person radiating it.

J was afraid. Or rather, she was panicking.

"We can't," Dawn interjected. Now her mind was even more agitated, quickly overthrowing her previous plan. "Not now! Because - "

Because J might loose all control, if Dawn's burning neck was any indication. In that case, Dawn wouldn't be able to hold down the huntress. They would both drown.

But how could she say that to a person like J?

"I don't care what the reason is. Get me out now!" J growled and her body twitched with the desire to lunge at Dawn.

"We'll both be in danger." Dawn tried to talk in a calm voice, while the turmoil tore her apart. "Piplup and Mantine are scouting the area - as soon as they come back, I promise you, we'll figure something out! Please, just calm down-"

"Hell no! Call your pokemon here this instant!"

"J," Dawn tried to reason, "this place is safe; I've done this before-"

"Are you deaf, you stupid brat?" J's eyes burned with rage. She clenched her fists. "If you don't get them here, I'll-"

"Are you going to attack me? How are you going to resurface without me?" It became increasingly difficult for Dawn to put up with J's attitude.

"I'll use you as a hostage-"

"You are going to endanger both of us!"

"As if you haven't guaranteed our deaths already!"

"I told you, I can handle-"

"AND I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO ANYWHERE NEAR THIS DAMN LAKE!" J burst out, using breath she hadn't quite regained. Coughing, she slumped back into a crumpled position.

There was an odd silence. The words hung still in the air; their presence, though mute, had left such an impression that not even J's gasps overpowered them.

Something in Dawn's mind made click. She could feel her heart slow down; a heaviness settled around it. She dropped her hands into her lap, her gaze thoughtful. Then she faced J.

For what felt like the first time, Dawn looked at her clearly. The twitch in her chest and neck muscles, as if J tried to drown any more moans and whimpers. The bleeding teeth marks on her lips that shone brightly against her pale face. Each of her heaves quivered, yet J kept them more or less under control.

She was doing anything to keep her weakness a secret.

"You... you said... lake," Dawn whispered, barely able to keep the pity out of her voice.

"So?" J pressed out, directing her glare towards Dawn once more. It had lost a lot of its intensity though.

"But we're... in the ocean." Dawn watched J's features drop. "What you mean is... Lake Valor, isn't it?"

J's lip started to quiver. She straightened up, one hand searching for a hold in the rubble around her, while the other still clutched at her wound. Her gaze darted around, not meeting Dawn's eyes. "Wh-what?" she croaked.

"I had no idea," Dawn moved on. A thick lump blocked her throat, making her voice sound grave. She had seen recordings of the day J's ship had crashed into the lake. It had looked terrible on the screen; she didn't want to imagine a front seat view. "It happened so long ago and- and this is you we're talking about. I didn't think... I couldn't imagine you, afraid of anything."

"I'm not-!" J began, but found herself unable to say the words. She edged backwards, stones crunching with her movement.

"It's okay, J." Dawn tried to sound as soothing as possible. "I know, it must have been awful. Anyone would feel-"

"Stop it." J spoke in a raspy voice. The bubble was just inches away from her, putting Dawn on edge again. "You're wrong. I'm not - I can't-"

"Look out-" Dawn warned J and reached forward to halt her, but it was too late. Startled by the approach, J practically jumped backwards. Her shoulders bumped into the bubble. She froze; the whole structure started to quake. There was a thundering noise that sounded as if a thin metal sheet was being wobbled around.

J spun around and scrambled away at the same time. Terror was etched in her face. The pebbles rolled and rasped over each other, until J lost her balance and toppled backwards.

Though Dawn's body was bruised and stiff from exhaustion and cold, she hastened behind J. Armour and heavy muscles slapped against her front, driving a grunt out of the girl. Yet somehow she cushioned J's fall and wrapped her arms around her middle section.

"Let go!" J cried. She threw a punch over her shoulder, missing Dawn's ear by inches.

As a reply, Dawn pressed her forehead against J's sodden silver hair and prayed inwardly for the quake to end. "It's just me," she reassured J. "Just me. You can trust me. It'll stop in a minute and then I'll let go, I promise. Please don't fight me!"

But J did not stop to struggle. A blinding pain erupted in Dawn's nose, when J headbutted her. Tears shot into her eyes and the urge to back away was overwhelming. At the same time strong fingers coiled around her hands. Dawn wrestled and tugged, unable to overpower J, but also afraid to let go.

When J started to bent her fingers, Dawn released her grip and skittered to the side. The sudden lack of support from behind caught J by surprise. Some drops of water sprayed, when she fell on her back. The impact jolted right through her wound and she yelped.

For a moment, Dawn was too confused to understand what was happening. Her only goal was to calm J down in any way possible.

So she leant forward and pressed her bloodied palms into J's shoulders, trying to lock onto her frantic glare. "Look at me!" Dawn shouted. J only replied with a snarl and a badly aimed punch that grazed her ribs.

"Damnit, J! You have to calm down!" Dawn kept pushing the huntress back to the ground, unable to care if she left bruises. "You're going to hurt yourself! Just stop it! Stop it -

"STOP IT!"

Without meaning to, Dawn's hand had darted forward. The resounding slap cut through the noise like a blade, leaving only silence in its wake.

Dawn just knelt there, one palm still pressing against J, the other hovering in the air, tingling. Her eyes were wide open with shock, disbelief. They took in the smear of blood on J's cheek and an expression that mirrored her own. J's head lay on its side; whether that had happened because of the force behind the blow or sheer surprise, Dawn couldn't tell.

After a minute of staring though, it finally sunk in.

Dawn had just slapped J. Pokemon Hunter J.

Her stomach churned. The desire to scramble away and hide was unbearable. Yet all Dawn did was clench her hand into a fist and bring it to a rest on the other shoulder. Her grip was gentle now, cautious.

"I'm sorry," she choked out, once J faced her, light blue eyes full with confusion and reawakening anger. "I- I had to. You weren't listening and you had to stop. You- you're losing so much blood-"

Dawn looked down. The black vest had been shining with sea water before, but now the glistening was different. It was a lot darker and spread all over her front. Dawn's palms, too, were covered in that bright red. She blinked some tears away, that had nothing to do with her pulsating nose.

That the bubble had stopped quaking went by unnoticed.

"Get off me," J hissed. In a feeble attempt, she tried to lift her upper-body. Dawn had little trouble keeping her on her back.

"I can't," said Dawn. "You need to rest and if I let go, you'll just stress yourself out."

J growled. "I will stress out? That's your fault! I swear, as soon as we get out I'll make you wish you were never-"

"There was no other way to safe us," Dawn pleaded. "Salamence was so close to knock us out of the sky anyway. I panicked!"

J grabbed hold of Dawn's wrist and dug her nails into the skin. A cold crept inside her voice. The animosity she regarded Dawn with was unmatched by anything J had thrown at her so far. "This is your excuse? I put my life on the line, over and over again, for some weak little idiot?"

Dawn hated, how the insult shot right into her heart. Her eyes prickled. "I wasn't the one paralysed with fear at the sight of Lugia's whirlpool! I still fought Pierce and rescued you! I could've died, too!"

J clenched her teeth. "Why you -!" But as she tried to move, it only seemed to aggravate her wound. J had barely enough strength left to bite back another scream. Her grip reinforced around Dawn's wrist, so far that the skin tore. Dawn winced, but didn't fight back.

It took J a little longer to regain her breath. "I get it now." J wheezed, her glare reduced to one opened eye. "You're enjoying the show. Got a taste for watching others suffer, have you?"

"What?" Dawn stared at the huntress in utter bewilderment. "N-no, how did you even get that-"

"Or," J carried on, "is it because you finally have a chance to feel superior to me? Well done. I didn't expect you to have the guts to resort to such dirty tactics to get your way."

It began to dawn to the girl. "You think I did this on purpose..?"

J snorted - an action that made her wince. "What else can it be? You and your damn empathy... you knew about my condition and you made sure to use it well. Is it that your revenge? Or some perverse streak of yours you've kept bottled up?"

Dawn felt her emotions overpower her. Exhaustion and cold, the pain flaring from her tendons and bruises, her sense of guilt, it all became too much for her. She let the tears glide down her cheeks, shaking her head.

"How can I make you understand?" she whispered. "I hate to see you suffer. And scared like that. You have no idea how it looked, when Salamence struck you. I know, the guardians saved us before, but this time I really... I really thought you'd... I was so terrified... What if I had been too late to safe you?"

Her vision was blurry and Dawn couldn't make out J's expression, however she could sense her irritation all the more. "You pathetic liar! You were happy, weren't you? When my ship exploded, when you heard I wouldn't haunt your miserable life any longer. When I died."

"I never did," confessed Dawn. "I was relieved that pokemon would be a little safer, but I didn't want you to end like this. That whole Team Galactic plan was a horrible event for all of us."

"Really?" J spat, her rage now burning white hot. "What could you have possibly lost?"

A wry smile spread Dawn's lips. J's intense emotions drained her more than any exercise she had put the girl through. An answer from Dawn was of no interest to the huntress, she knew that. It was J, who her pain inside. "And what did you loose?"

"Everything!" J burst out in a thoughtless moment. "They destroyed my whole life!"

Dawn hadn't expected a reply and it was apparent that J hadn't planned on giving it. There was the grinding sound of rocks being crushed together, where J clenched and unclenched her free hand into a fist. She kept glaring at the girl, but there was something else flickering past her eyes.

They had stopped struggling, Dawn noticed. J's nails were still digging into her wrist, but the huntress didn't try to sit up any more. Despite the pain, Dawn left her that grip; it might have started out as a means to punish her - now it was an anchor to keep J from drowning in her uncovered emotions.

Frustration.

Fear.

Sorrow.

Something Dawn could only dub as despair. And really, how desperate did he huntress have to be to confide in Dawn, however unwilling?

There was something, though, she didn't understand. "But you're alive now," she said in low voice. "This is your second chance. You said so yourself."

"You call this life?" J rasped back. "Almost dying every other week? Being tossed at overwhelmingly powerful enemies like nothing more than cannon fodder? Haven't you realised yet, what this really is about?"

With a little frown, Dawn shook her head.

J laid back her head and let out a small laugh. "They said I wouldn't break," she elaborated. "The guardians. No matter what they threw at me, I wouldn't bow to them. So they've changed their game; they brought me back under false pretences. Stripped of all my power. My reputation, my workers, my money, everything. Crippled with... with this!" She glared daggers at the bubble's dome, but quickly had to avert her eyes. Each word crawled past her lips with so much difficulty, one could wonder how she didn't choke on them.

Once again, her scowl rested on Dawn's face. "To top it all, they threw you into the mix! And you still want to make me believe you have no idea? How can this be anything, but a creative take on torture?"

Despite J's accusations, Dawn still couldn't believe the guardians to be so cruel. "But what if they actually mean to give you another opportunity to better yourself? You said, you're the person to go to, when taking down an organisation like Team Rocket."

"I thought you could tell lies. Tell me, how is a single person supposed to succeed, where the entire police force, dozens of pokemon rangers and trainers failed? They've had the numbers, even some power to some degree. And what do I have?" J gritted her teeth. A stab akin to physical pain shot through her. "Now... all I have left are my skills."

"You have your partners," Dawn reminded her. "Your pokemon!"

At that, J let go of Dawn's wrist - but instead of covering her wound, she gripped her own left shoulder. Dawn remembered the burn scar she had seen the night they had escaped the Bell Tower's remains. J squeezed her eyes shut in unseen agony. "Like Salamence?"

"You still have Joy!" Dawn blurted out, afraid to dig up any more agonising memories. Her freed hand tingled as the blood could finally circulate through it again, yet she kept it in place. "I know she seems like she doesn't care for you, but that's not what she truly feels."

"That woman?" J snapped out of her trance. "Do you know what she did, when I came back? She unleashed that damned Ursaring against me and threw me out of her house! I don't recall how many times she told me to disappear and never return. She doesn't care." J's voice became little more than a whisper. "And I don't need her."

Dawn wanted to correct her, fearing that the one human contact J ever showed to have would be lost, but the huntress wasn't finished.

"I'll make it out of this mess. And once I do, once I have the power again, I will crush the guardians."

"What then?" Dawn retorted. "Do you plan to go back to pokemon hunting? Is that all you want to do for the rest of your life?"

"Exactly! I get to do what I please, with whom I choose. Your selfless kind wouldn't even dare come close to me."

"Until the next time someone has an edge over you - and who knows, maybe they won't be as forgiving as the guardians. Honestly, it's like you won't learn." Dawn huffed.

"I wasn't bested! None of this would have happened, if the morons on board had watched out for those future sights. Those treacherous, looting bastards..." J appeared to have a few more choice words about her henchmen, but when she saw Dawn's piercing stare, she continued. "If I've learned anything, it's that I will never rely on anyone."

"So now you're just going to push your failure onto other people?" The girl brushed over her face. Her hand was numb from the cold. "It's no wonder people throw you out of their house. Did you ever have a friend? Anyone close to you?"

J's face hardened; Dawn could tell, only by looking at her, that she was lying, yet with so much forced conviction that she didn't dare to disagree. "Never. My whole life was about achieving mastery in my line of work. There is no room for your self-inflicted weak spots."

"How can you live like that?" Dawn asked, eyebrows furrowed. She noticed her muscles shaking. If that was just the cold, her weariness or the whole conversation, she couldn't tell anymore. Neither did she really care. "All you seem to have is enemies. Then the one time, one of those enemies decides to give you an opportunity to redeem yourself, you go and slap it back into their face. Why would you ever consider pokemon hunting a solution to the guardians task? It's just crazy! How can anyone be so, so... obsessed with-"

"Why is it that your mind is filled with no rational thoughts, but your contests?"

Dawn found herself startled, when she recalled those words, spoken in J's voice. Back in Morty's gym, when things still seemed a lot easier. That... that has nothing to do with this, Dawn denied inwardly. That's a completely different thing!

For a moment, she was so absorbed in those unwelcome thoughts, she barely heard J.

"... a necessity! Just because you're too afraid to resort to drastic measures, doesn't make them wrong - or evil, if any fool with a pokeball can do the same. The guardians must see that; that they prevent it means they want me to fail!"

It can't be... "J, you stole those pokemon away from their home, just like Team Rocket would have done. What if the only reason, the guardians want to stop them, is so they won't harm any more pokemon?"

"So they would rather have Team Rocket continue to harm them?" J retorted. "I am the best hunter there is; I've spent so much time perfecting my skills. Why shouldn't I use them?"

Dawn remembered, how she had staggered through Ilex Forest. It had been deep in the night, aggressive pokemon lurking all over the place. Even without Team Rocket and J, she had endangered herself and her partners. But it had been worth it, hadn't it?

After all, she had practiced for her contest.

"Give me enough time and I could undermine their operations," J kept going. "I would cut of their access to new pokemon, sabotage their connections to other organizations and once I have the resources, I would rebuilt my own operations. I could crush them, if only I was given free way!"

The desperation in J's voice made Dawn remember her own words, when she had pleaded with her mother to let her go to Johto to try one final time. The nudge may have come from Mesprit, but Dawn was all too aware of her own desire to push all the blame on the guardian of Lake Verity.

"So you really only meant to gain the upper hand over Team Rocket?" Dawn asked, her tone no longer reproachful.

"What else could I have wanted?" J bellowed back at her as well as her battered body allowed.

Dawn had a long look into J's eyes and involuntarily, a sad smile formed on her lips. "I think, all you wanted was to return everything to the way it used to be."She watched a muscle in J's cheek twitch. "You miss being a pokemon hunter, don't you?"

J made the impression, as if she was about to choke. "I- I don't miss it -"

"Because that would be too human?" Dawn cut her short. "Because you hate emotions so much that, even if its about something so important to you, you can't admit to have them?"

"Emotional attachment only riddles you with weak spots! I am above that!" J snapped back at Dawn. It was no longer the cold that made her shiver.

I wonder how many times she was hurt that way... Dawn's heart ached in compassion. "I guess you are right in some way..."

"Of course I am!" J made a strangled growling noise. "Besides, even if it was true, this... emotion wouldn't change anything."

"It does. For me."

Light blue eyes pierced right through Dawn's dark ones. "How could I forget; you hate the very idea of harming anything and here I am, wishing to do just that. Tell me, do you regret saving me, yet?"

Although J spoke those words in spite, a hurt welled up in her that pressed on her chest, drowning out even her breath. It seemed to weight more than the whole world.

Dawn sucked in air at the sensation. A shudder went through her body and to her dismay, new tears formed in her eyes. She rubbed along her collarbone as if it would soothe the inner turmoil.

The corner of J's mouth began to twitch and when it wouldn't stop, the huntress bit down on her lip until the teeth sank into the sensitive skin. For a moment, Dawn wondered if her tears were really just J's, who could never allow herself to show such weakness.

Gently, Dawn reached forward and rested the tips of her fingers on the only patch of reddish skin on J's otherwise pale face. She remembered the tingling heat her slap had caused. "J, please look at me," she softly asked ofthe woman. After a few moments, J shifted her focus from a distant spot to Dawn's eyes. She tried, but J could not hide all of her agony behind her scowl.

"I do not regret it," Dawn said in a firm voice, trying to convey all of her resolve in one look, "I will never, ever regret saving your life." She sighed. "What I do feel bad about are all the mistakes I made today... this whole last week."

Among all her bickering and fighting, Dawn had never considered J's feelings towards their task. She had eased up their hostility, but she had never stepped past that line, where their cooperation was just a necessity. She hadn't felt the need to inquire about anything, but what had piqued her immediate curiosity.

"You don't seem to understand," J hissed at Dawn with a quivering voice, while she tried to squirm away from her touch. "I am still alive. That means, I can go after my goals - and believe me, once I get the opportunity, I will become a hunter once again. You can't stop me, so shut up with your-"

"I know."

Maybe it had been the casual tone, with which Dawn had uttered those words, but the effect was quite satisfying to watch. J gaped at her, unable to continue with her rant.

Look at that. I shut her up instead, Dawn mused and any other time, she would have chuckled at it, if only she hadn't been so damn weary.

"I know all that," Dawn explained, "and I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared of it, but... I can understand your feelings."

"So all of sudden, you can?" J snapped. "Then why were you bothering me with your ideals, this whole time?"

J's impatience irritated Dawn and some of it slipped into her tone. "My opinion on pokemon hunting hasn't changed. It's my view of you that did."

Now the huntress just seemed confused. Dawn could almost see gears rattling underneath her skull, trying to process a situation, she clearly hadn't dealt with before. The coordinator sighed. "When you said, you worked your whole life for your goal... you meant that, didn't you? It must be so hard to give up on something you have been doing for so many years."

J's face contorted into a snarl. Dawn could tell, she was starting to get under her skin. "It isn't hard! It- it's merely inconvenient, so safe your empathetic nonsense for someone else! Stop wasting time!"

"But it made you feel good, didn't it?" Dawn continued, ignoring J's demand. She knew, in the back of her head that J had a point. There were more urgent matters to take care of. However, now that it was out there, she wanted it of her chest, no matter what. She felt selfish, guilty - but if she didn't push further, there would never be any progress. "Maybe not always happy, but without it, something just seems... missing, doesn't it? And no matter what you do, you can't stay away from it, because it just drives you crazy."

J ground her teeth. What she showed was mostly boiling anger; underneath, however, a familiar kind of ache eased its way out of its confines made of self-discipline and denial. "Are- are you deaf? I told you to shut up!"

"To top it all, you've got people, just about everyone telling you to stop." Dawn thought of Joy, of the guardians, of herself. Then her memories shifted and it was her mother chiding her, Piplup arguing with that annoyed look on its face, even Zoey's frown. She swallowed. "You know its what you want to do. Yet sometimes... their words just get to you, no matter how strong your resolve is."

"Fine!" J burst out, livid that her inner turmoil had been put in words. "I admit, I miss my job! I want to have the most powerful pokemon lined up as trophies in front of me and for heaven's sake get a proper reward for all the crap I'm going through!"

J was breathing heavily after that revelation. She definitely didn't seem afraid anymore, so if anything, then Dawn had succeeded in taking her mind of their surroundings. "Are you finally satisfied with that?

"I just want you to understand one more thing."

The death stare J shot at her bordered on physical pain, but Dawn endured it without averting her eyes. "While I don't think that what you want is right, I can't blame you for your wish to return to it. You've made mistakes... I mean, before you targeted all those pokemon Team Rocket wanted, you must have tried to justify your actions. It's obvious that Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf wouldn't tolerate your decision, yet you still went through with it. Stupid, really..."

J's anger spiked up and she opened her mouth for a viciousretort.

"Kind of like storming head first into the hell fire on top of the Bell Tower, isn't it?" the girl intervened quickly. "Completely unprepared, with no idea what to expect, just because you hope to save something that you shouldn't be able to save."

"I was prepared! If it hadn't been for your ignorance -" J cut herself short. Her eyes widened as a suspicion occurred to her.

Dawn moved on. "Guess that's... still not as bad as crossing Mount Coronet in two days, while people had actually been evacuated from there, because a Tyranitar was out of control. You know they were afraid it would cleave the whole mountain in half?"

J frowned at the girl. "I never did that." Her voice was much calmer now.

Meanwhile, Dawn brushed over her eyes to prevent any more moisture gathering there. "Know why I did it? Because the Grand Festival was on the other side. There was no more time to waste, so I had to go. I don't even remember how many times I almost... y'know." She wrung her fingers in her lap, unable to meet J's eyes. "My friends tried to stop me, but I didn't listen. I knew, together with my pokemon I could make it. And I did... Only to fail in the very first round.

"It's something I live for. I wanted to be just like my mum. Now I can't even see my friends in the eyes, without feeling angry and hurt and just... ashamed."

Finally, she meet the light blue stare, waiting patiently for her to finish. How surreal the situation had gotten... Dawn wasn't even surprised to feel dizzy in her head.

"I can understand what you're going through and I'm sorry I only realised it now. I could've spared quite a lot of anger between us." The inside of Dawn's chest felt a little numb. She wasn't happy about how things had turned out and the actions she had to take.

But anything else just felt wrong.

"So what?" J asked not in her usual bite, but rather hesitant. "What does either of us get out of this?"

"Well, for starters... you get three ribbons." Even Dawn felt equally amused and ridiculous for the wording her mind had come up with. She was so tired. "I'll give you the ribbons I won in Johto. You said you liked contracts... Well, you can look at them like physical proof."

J looked at her in utter bewilderment and - obviously fed up with her position, J sat up. Dawn flinched, about to scream in protest, but the huntress silenced her with a wave of her hand. The gash that had been on her palm was covered by dark brown scab.

"Proof for what?" J brought out from behind clenched teeth. She was still in pain, but must have recovered enough for movement. Or, more likely, she was disgusted at the notion to speak up to Dawn any longer.

It couldn't be out of a secret desire to actually know, what Dawn was getting to.

"I will quit coordinating," she said. Her anger at herself for letting J move around subsided quickly. Instead, she was anxious. Already missing the feeling of performing in front of a big, applauding crowd with her pokemon by her side.

But more than that, she was full of resolve and she made sure to let it sound in her voice. "Then I will help you stop Team Rocket, no matter what it takes. I won't run away, anymore. Whether either of us wants it or not: We're in this together. And this time, I'll make sure to do my part."

J shook her head. Again, she had an arm wrapped around her midsection. "There is no part. You shouldn't even be here."

It was probably just Dawn's imagination, but she could almost hear a low humming over J's breathing. She ignored it.

"Don't you realise what would have happened if I hadn't been here? If I had stayed at the contest?" Dawn asked and at that her voice did falter. "You really could have died. I know, what I did only hurt you more, but..."

Dawn shuddered at the image of J's body, tossed around by those monstrous waves. How much energy would it take out of the guardians to keep her alive from that?

Or even worse. How often would J have to experience drowning, over and over again?

"This is my place," Dawn insisted.

"You're supposed to go home, not -" J pinched the bridge of her nose. "You misunderstood. I get dragged back to hell should something happen to you, not vice versa. Your life isn't depending on my survival. So, you can leave this whole mess behind you and just..."

J stopped, when she caught sight of the warm, encouraging smile Dawn offered her. "I told you. I don't need this kind of bond. I don't want it. I trust you my back, because I know I can. All I hope for, is that you allow me to prove the same."

They were surrounded by darkness. Only a flash light allowed them to see at all. It was cold, it was damp. Their whole bodies ached from too many injuries. Up on the surface, the battle surely still raged on. Yet for some odd reason, Dawn felt a sense of peace.

"I want you to have a second chance," she concluded, "because I would simply hate anything else to happen to you."

"No."

Both Morty and Whitney appeared thunderstruck. "What?"

"No." Joy repeated firmly. Her Rotom paled. "I will not help you rescue some pokemon hunter and her pet."

"B-but..." the pink haired girl stuttered, "y-you do have information, don't you?" She blinked rapidly. "I don't get it, what's your problem? You don't have to do anything, just tell us what we need to know! It's so easy, why won't you help us?!"

"BECAUSE." That time Joy slammed her hand on the table and leant forward, her most toxic glare fixed on Whitney. For a moment, the gym leader flinched as had so many other great hunters and trainers alike. "That imbecile got herself killed once already and returned. If she is so intent on trying it again, I won't stop her!"

Then, for the first time in Joy's life, somebody stood up to her. "That's it? You're gonna hold a grudge that might take two people's lives?" Whitney's arms were strained, her hands clenched to fists at her sides. Neither of them even blinked.

In the end, the girl was the first to relent. "Fine! If you're gonna act like a sour Gloomabout it, then don't complain, when I read the emergency message Morty said you've got!"

With that said, Whitney grabbed the display of her computer and turned it towards her. Morty tried to shout after her, but by then it was to late.

A pokeball snapped open, Ursaring roared and seized the girl by her waist. Whitney of course thrashed about, scratching at the bear's arms, but Ursaring barely even felt her. Still, the resistance wound it up and it bared its fangs at her.

"Enough!" Joy bellowed. "Out with her! Both of them!"

Ursaring obeyed and either pushed or carried the two gym leaders outside. "Nurse Joy, wait!" Morty called out behind the fury mass of her partner. "I'm sorry for this, but it's in your interest that we safe them!" Desperately, he held on to the door frame. "Rotom wouldn't have come to me, if you didn't care about either of them-"

But by then, Ursaring had plucked him of the ground, too and continued its way through the crowded lobby.

Finally, once Morty's Gengar had vanished in thin air, peace and quiet returned to Joy's office. Though peace was farther from her than ever. She brushed a hand through her locks; one of her uniform hair loops had loosened. A scowl was etched in her face and Joy directed it at her ghostly partner.

"I am exceptionally disappointed with you. Trying to rival J one last time?"

The corners of Rotom's toothy mouth lowered even further. It hovered over to her computer and nudged the sprite of Porygon-Z. Nothing happened, though Joy knew that if it wanted, Rotom could open the message and find out exactly what had happened to the huntress. Joy couldn't bring herself to look at it, nor could she stand one of her partners sulking like a child.

"Don't you dare undermine all the work we've been through," Joy told it. She took one last, lingering look at the screen. Then she shut the computer down, cutting of the quirky stunts Z performed. "I threw my career away once, only to spent years getting it back. Not this time."

Rotom sagged. Being a ghost type, it could very well emanate its grief. Joy turned her back on it, resuming her work on the medicine. A tiny breeze of electricity wafted by; Rotom, too, had left, leaving Joy to her thoughts.

J had not realised that the day she had appeared at Joy's door sill had been an anniversary, the occasion for many celebrations all over the regions. People, whose pokemon had been stolen, could finally breathe in relieve, when one of the worst hunters had left their world.

Not so for Joy. For her, it had been a day of mourning.

And she would never forgive J for that.

Dawn didn't find out, how her words had affected J.

The low rumble she had so quickly brushed aside earlier now grew in intensity. It alerted both women, though J was the most anxious at the sound.

Suddenly, it turned into a thunderous uproar, strong enough to shake the bubble. J almost jumped out of her skin, crashing into Dawn. To make matters worse, Piplup appeared. It squeezed itself through the membrane of its bubble and chirped frantically.

"What's going on?" Dawn asked her partner, while she did her best to hold the trembling form of J.

Her heart missed a beat, when she noticed the bruises covering Piplup's skin. A purple swelling coiled around its right leg as if it had been squeezed there by a tentacle. Proud as ever, the penguin suppressed its pain and pointed left with its flipper.

Then, a horrible crack sounded and the ground quaked. Something ripped at the sea floor, until the chunk Dawn and the others sat on was jerked to the side. Dawn fell; colours flashed before her eyes, when her temple hit a seaweed covered rock.

Icy water splashed around them. The bubble had burst and that time it was not just part of her imagination. Dawn's vision spun as she propped herself up. She wasn't drowning - the water only pooled around her legs.

"What the-" Dawn spluttered. She turned to evaluate their situation, but it only brought a wave of nausea over her.

They had been caught in what appeared to be a giant glass case. A light shone through the dark ocean; it illuminated a flaring red 'R' painted on the nose of a huge submarine. The monstrosity glided towards them, the blaring of the rotors deafening from up close.

A hatch opened in the front and quickly, much faster then Dawn imagined possible, the glass capsule was hurtled inside. The three involuntary passengers tumbled around with dirt and rocks and their bodies hitting each other.

For a moment, Dawn felt as though she had blacked out. She groaned and rubbed her head. The pulsating underneath her temples made her sick; she barely registered the red hue of the fluids, which clung to her palm.

With a sound not unlike a pokeball, the glass case popped open and more water flooded around them.

"J - Piplup!" Dawn tried to shout, but all she managed was a cough. She rolled to the side, still doubled over. Rough stones pricked her freezing palms, the water now reaching her elbows. Where are they?

"Interesting that you would choose a place as perilous as the ocean as your retreating point," said a male voice. Dawn rose her head, her vision blurry.

There were Rocket grunts standing behind rails on an elevated platform. Elecrobuzz and Magneton crouched or hovered next to their trainers. In their midst was an elderly man, with bushy white hair and a monocle covering his eye. In contrary to the rest of the black clad men, he wore a white lab coat.

Dawn's mind crawled as she took in her opponents. Electric... types...

"I appreciate your rather unconventional choice," continued the professor. "In any other place, we might have had to kill you."

He turned his attention to the thugs. Suddenly, Dawn grew aware of the water's meaning around her. She tried to grab one of her pokeballs - but it was too late.

The guy in the lab coat nodded, the grunts shouted and the electric types unleashed yellow blazing attacks. The energy surged through Dawn's body; her teeth snapped together, grazing the tip of her tongue.

She couldn't even cry out in pain, before blackness enclosed her.

Captured

Vielen Dank an Renaki! Für deinen Kommentar und die Geduld :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn had fuzzy dreams of fire, when the gentle thud of a closing door intruded her sleep. There was the buzz of machines all around her, as well as a whispered conversation. Her nose twitched, when she breathed in the sting of disinfectant. It almost coerced her to fully wake up, but a dull throb in her temple robbed her of any drive to stand up. The bed was simply too warm, the mattress too soft...

But as she lay there, the situation grew more and more strange. Dawn had no memory of getting to that kind of place. In fact, once she pushed through the haze of her slumber, she remembered an incredible fear. Her heart sped up, only thinking about the memory. Water... she had been at the bottom of the ocean, freezing and despairing at the thought of dying there with J. And then, out of nowhere...

Finally, Dawn's eyes flung open. She stared at a bare, white ceiling. The lights were dimmed, for which she was grateful. Her initial instinct almost made her sit up. Her heart throbbed, and for a moment, she held her breath. Were the people still talking? She strained her ears and surely enough, she could hear murmurs. Even a giddy laugh. It almost sounded too innocent for her suspicion to be true.

With shaking breaths, Dawn shifted her head ever so slightly. The opposite wall had monitors embedded into it. Most of them showed a black screen and only one shone brightly in the semi-dark. Two people in white coats sat in front of it, a woman and a man. "Have you seen the defence stat?" The woman pointed at something Dawn couldn't see and her voice rose in excitement. She could barely sit still with her locks bobbing up and down. The man's quickly nodded his head, scribbling on a clipboard.

They hadn't noticed Dawn, yet. As carefully as possible, she let her eyes sweep over the room. There was a door nearby; she could probably reach it before they would. She wished to have her pokemon at her side, but neither Piplup nor her pokeballs seemed to be in that room.

As she looked out for something that might help her to escape, she noticed another bed next to her. The blanket had been flung to the side and there were even the imprints of a body in its pillow and mattress.

Dawn's breath shuddered. Had that been J? She hoped she was alright, but even if so, it was up to Dawn to find her.

As quietly as possible, she wiggled out from beneath her blanket. The floor was freezing cold under her bare feet. For a second she tried to look for her shoes, only to find out that her clothes had been changed into some beige shirt and pants. Dawn winced and, in disgust, turned her head towards the two doctors.

She almost wished she hadn't. On the screen was a flash of silver. It was a close-up shot to Lugia's face, so Dawn could see its eyes squeezed shut and every muscle in its face twitch. Fangs were bared, and although the broadcast was silent, Dawn could hear its anguished cry.

"No way," she gasped - and clapped a hand over her mouth. But it was too late.

The two doctors jumped and yelped in their surprise. They set their sights on Dawn, gaping at her. She took that opportunity and bolted towards the exit. The man reacted first, but before he could get past his colleague, Dawn flung herself against the door and made it swing open.

Once outside, however, the door crashed against something that gave a pained grunt.

"Sorry!" Dawn cried.

"Oi! What the hell do those four-eyed idiots-" shouted the Rocket henchman, whom Dawn had hit square in the back.

"Never mind."

Turning in the opposite direction, Dawn bolted down the hallway. The lights were a lot brighter and made her squint. Behind her, she heard the stomp of boots and a lot of cursing from her pursuers. Up ahead came a turn. She sprinted around it, almost crashing into the wall and tumbling towards the ground.

Casting a glance over her shoulder, Dawn felt like she saw shadows of the men creep along the walls. The adrenaline made her completely forget about her wobbly knees and she rushed on - right into the arms of three particular individuals.

"J!" She wanted to be relieved to have found her partner that quickly - but the two men flanking her just reinforced the panic bubbling in her stomach. There was Pierce, his sharp, olive eyes boring into Dawn. The other one, she recognised from pictures J had shown her back at the temple, what felt like ages ago.

"You're Giovanni," Dawn said in a shaking voice. Only meters away from the three, she skidded to a halt. Her head was spinning slightly and although Dawn tried to blame the sudden physical strain, she knew better.

Standing face to face with the leader of Team Rocket, in his neat black suit, the trace of a grin on his lips and an air of absolute self-assurance around him, caused a cold shudder running down her spine. She breathed heavily, her hands shaking at her sides. Clenching them to fists didn't settle the quaking.

"Correct." Giovanni nodded in appreciation. Loud steps echoed behind her, but he raised a hand and the ruckus died down. "I suppose J informed you sufficiently about my person?"

Dawn gritted her teeth. "Like I even care about someone, who harms and exploits pokemon," she retorted, but not as loudly and as strongly as she would have liked. First that image of Lugia, now Giovanni himself. Dawn felt a rush of despair claw at her, but she braved through it.

She made a step towards the three, her eyes now set on J. Something was strange about her, too. Not only hadn't she fully turned to face the commotion - J didn't even look at Dawn. Instead, she was solely focused on Giovanni.

She's probably getting ready to attack him, Dawn decided. "What are you plotting?" she shot at Giovanni, hoping to distract him for a little longer.

He smirked. "What has been the goal since the day this organisation was founded. I plan to better this world."

Dawn flinched slightly, appalled at his words. "You mean world domination! You're worsening everything!" She had heard of people never realising that they were evil, but how ignorant can one be?

"Of course, a morally educated little girl can hardly understand the benefits of my actions." Giovanni simply shrugged her of. "Although I am surprised. I thought, you would have more pressing matters to care about. Like where your pokemon are?" The grin was back, but now with dark shadows playing around his features, as he lent towards her slightly. "What I plan to do with them?"

Dawn's stomach churned. She took half a step back. What are you waiting for? she asked with a quick glance towards J. "I- I was getting to that!" Fear gnawed at her insides. It was hard, pushing back those emotions, when all she needed that moment was a clear head.

"Well?" she whispered, then gulped and forced her voice to be stronger. "Are you going to tell me?"

"They are in a laboratory," said Giovanni, "where my professors will administer the drug, which you have seen not too long ago yourself. Aren't you excited at the powers your pokemon will unleash?"

"Are you crazy?" Dawn exclaimed, all reason gone. "Y-you can't... you'll only..."

Why isn't she doing anything?! Dawn thought, irritated.

"J won't help you."

Dawn flinched as if she had been slapped. Dumbfounded, she stared at Giovanni.

"Did you think, I wouldn't notice you looking at J?" Giovanni shook his head, with a quiet, disbelieving chuckle. "You believe you still have an ally."

For a moment, Dawn couldn't breathe. Her eyes hushed from Giovanni to J and back again. Still, the woman wasn't looking at her. Dawn could barely control the shaking of her hands.

"Boss, can we take her away now?" A gruff voice from behind Dawn suddenly spoke up. She winced, glancing back at the henchmen, who loomed behind her. One of them scowled at her and she realised that he was the one she had hit with the door. He already had his meaty hand outstretched to grasp Dawn. It made her neck prickle.

"Not yet," said Giovanni. He slid a hand in his pocket and gestured with the other towards her. "There are a few things I want you to understand, Dawn."

"You- how do you know-"

"Yes, we know your name, as well as your home address, the storage system you use, just about anything you can think of." His lips curved into a little smirk. "You might not realise it, but through the people you know, you have quite the influence on the world. Therefore, you will serve me as a hostage. So as long as you don't make a fuss, nothing will happen to you or your pokemon."

Dawn felt her knees turn into butter. It took so much from her only to stay on her feet. She opened her mouth to retort something, but there was nothing she could think of. It wasn't possible. It simply wasn't. She had jumped into that battle, only to safe J and Lugia. There was no way things had gone so terribly wrong!

In an act of defiance, Dawn took half a step in Giovanni's direction. "You... you..." You liar? Dawn didn't even know, what she should call him. None of this was true, it couldn't be.

That time, Dawn looked directly at the woman. Her only hope. Please, she begged silently. Please, just... just blink or something, anything!

But J never met her eyes. And no matter, how hard Dawn concentrated, she couldn't sense her emotions.

"Whatever you might try to do, it doesn't work in here, girl," Pierce chimed in. Then he faced J, glaring coldly at her. "Although I don't recall you saying anything about telepathy, J."

Finally, J reacted. She also turned in Pierce's direction. Dawn's heart sank. There. on the upper part of her black coat, glared a red 'R'.

"Don't be absurd." Her voice was chilled, even menacing. "I told you everything about those pests. Telepathy might actually have been useful and that's precisely the reason they didn't give me that power. The sooner you get rid of them, the better."

"You're rarely that eager," Pierce observed with suspicion.

"Wh-what the hell are you talking about?" Dawn finally burst out. She was dizzy, sick to her stomach. Her body felt too hot and too cold at the same time. A nightmare - that was it, nothing more but a bad dream. All of her senses screamed the opposite, but Dawn couldn't accept what was unfolding before her eyes.

"You of all people should know," Pierce answered. "After all, you're Mesprit's chosen human."

Ice. It felt, as if ice crept through her whole body, chilling it to her very bones. She couldn't even deny the claim. "How... How do you..." Even her tongue was too numb.

All Pierce did was squinting at J. Dawn followed his eyes with disbelief - until, for the briefest of moments, it occurred to her how absurd it was to feel surprised any more.

"It is in your interest to know, that their healing powers won't reach you anymore," Giovanni added. He didn't sound as if he was too happy to have been left out. "All our bases are protected against the entry through psychic powers. We did that to prevent Celebi from entering our bases through time-travel, but it works equally well against the Lake Guardians. So, I would like to ask you to be more careful with your life, than you were at the Whirl Isles. Your premature death would only be a nuisance."

Dawn couldn't avert her gaze from Giovanni's smug face. It gave her the urge to wipe his smirk into oblivion. "Do you really think you can keep them out?" Her voice was shaking. "You have no idea how strong they are!"

Her perplexity melted to something hotter. A burning desire to fight back. Dawn took a decisive step forward. "Ask Team Galactic. They just wait for you to sit in jail with them!" Now she jabbed a finger towards the huntress. "Or ask her! You guys love chatting, don't you? Then let her tell you, how miserable her life is now!"

Finally, J's head snapped in Dawn's direction. But their eye contact was so fleeting, she almost felt as if she had imagined it. Dawn had to bite her tongue, when a pang of guilt arose. She's not really on their side. She is not really on their side! She kept repeating that mantra in her head, hoping it would calm her pounding heart.

She can't be!

Giovanni's black eyes observed her. Then he nodded at the grunts behind Dawn and suddenly, hands strong as an arbok wrapped around her wrists. Before she could compose herself, they yanked her arms behind her back. The shock, more than the pain, made her gasp.

"I see you still haven't understood the position you're in," Giovanni said. "Without your pokemon, you are defenceless. You have no allies, who could rescue you and all the powers the guardians granted you are gone. I could silence you this instant, if I wanted to."

The pop of a pokeball echoed in the bare hallway and in a flash of light, Persian appeared, crouching before her. Underneath its short, beige fur, Dawn could see muscles strained in anticipation. It's red eyes glinted with glee. The sight of Persian's shiny fangs drove more of the icy terror into her bones.

"Consider this, when you're in your room." Again, Giovanni nodded at the grunts. "Take her away."

"Yes sir!" the men bellowed. Dawn watched, as Giovanni strode down the hallway in the opposite direction. J followed suit without even glance back. Pierce's eyes lingered for a second, but he, too, turned to leave.

Dawn could feel the tug on her arms, as the grunts readied themselves to drag her to her cell. Her eyes were fixed on the back of J's head, watching, as the person she had decided to trust just left.

A little, tiny part of Dawn still screamed at J to spin around and knock the men out. Hoping, that she hadn't acted before, to minimise risk. Hoping, that Dawn's efforts hadn't been in vain.

But then she remembered the life the huntress had dedicated herself to. So many opportunities had gone by, in which she hadn't even given Dawn the smallest hint of support. And now that she saw J stepping further and further away from her - it finally, truly sunk in.

A searing strength seemed to explode in the girl. With more force than she thought she had in her, Dawn planted her feet on the ground and pushed against the grip on her arms. "You're just going to walk away, then?" Her whole body was quaking - that time, not with fear, but rage, just bursting through the last of her restraint. "You've just thrown away everything you've worked for? Run over to the next best group of criminals?"

She could see the hesitation in Pierce's next step, but J kept going, The fingers around Dawn's arms began to drill into her flesh, but that pain only fuelled the inferno inside her. "You're a monster, you know that?" She burst out.

Abruptly, J stopped in her tracks. Even from afar, Dawn could make out the slight change in her posture. Her shoulders stiffened and she straightened out her spine. The huntress turned her head, icy blue eyes piercing right into Dawn's sapphire coloured ones. "My obligation to keep you safe is over." Although it was barely noticeable, J strained herself to speak in a neutral tone. "You knew perfectly well how this would end. Don't expect me to please your fantasy of a heroic rescue."

"I know you're not capable of protecting anything!" Dawn shouted back. "Your men, your ship - all of them lost because you don't care about anything!"

The twitch of J's brow filled Dawn with a kind of joy. It left her feeling hollow, yearning to hurt the huntress more.

"Watch your mouth or -"

"Does it bother you? Well, you deserve nothing better!" The henchmen seemed unsure. They tugged at her, but Dawn just yanked her arms back. "How many times did these people try to kill you? Did that just slip your mind?"

"You have no idea -"

"What are you even planning to do with Team Rocket? Keep hunting pokemon? Until one of them actually does kill you? You're the one, who's pathetic!"

J winced slightly. "Don't make me shut you up, girl," she whispered and stepped closer.

"The guardians even gave you a chance to better yourself." Dawn's eyes began to sting. It drove her mad, but keeping her emotions bottled up was impossible. "Yet you just keep fantasising about your glorious life as a hunter. D'you think you'll feel better, hurting others?" Dawn's chest felt so tight as if it was about to erupt. "I changed my mind; you deserved all the pain the guardians caused you. You still do."

J was now in striking distance. The fist at her side shook in agitation, ready to snap forward. Then suddenly, a ball of fire ignited in Dawn's body. In an insane burst of strength, she ripped her arms free. She heard the henchmen grunt their astonishment, their huge bodies tumbling behind her.

Surprise was etched in J's face. She could barely step back, before Dawn swung forward. Her muscles burned with a thirst for pain, for revenge. Inwardly, she rejoiced at how J had put herself into her reach. So close, so close.

But in an instant, the moment was lost. A beige shadow pounced at Dawn. It slammed her backwards, over the backs of the henchmen. With a thud, the girl landed on the floor, gasping as all air was knocked out of her chest. Four clawed paws dug into her body. They seemed to crush her bones.

A coughing fit overcame Dawn. Her limbs just numbed, as if all of that sudden energy has been drained from her. The monstrous feline growled and Dawn screamed, when it pierced the skin at her shoulders and thighs.

"That's enough, Persian."

Immediately, though obviously grudgingly, Persian let go of its prey. It stalked back to its master, red eyes glinting.

Under lots of cursing, the grunts hauled Dawn onto her feet. The back of her head was throbbing from her fall. For a moment, she couldn't even stand. Her knees just kept giving out beneath her. Small, bloody spots dotted her pants, but the burning was almost unbearable.

Finally, Dawn looked up to see that face once again. J was breathing hard, yet she didn't show any sign of pain. It was insanely difficult to focus on her, as the whole hallway was spinning around her.

"I've warned you." J exhaled those words, rather than pronounce them with her usual forcefulness. She blinked and Dawn noticed that, still, her eyes were averted. J's hand tremored and she stuffed it into the pocket of her coat. Her voice stayed so quiet. "I am not going to die saving you, just so you might feel better."

Dawn swallowed hard, as another emotion bubbled up. "You can die alone instead."

J's eyes snapped over to her. Her lips parted slightly, but no word came out. It almost seemed, as if fear flashed through her gaze.

By then, however, Dawn's eyes were clouded with impending tears. With all her heart she tried to tell herself that it was only anger that made her chest feel so heavy. That the churning in her stomach wasn't real.

She couldn't give J the satisfaction of hurting her anymore.