Paul and Dawn: First Light

Chapter 3: Compromise

Chapter 3: Compromise

Today was the strangest day I'd ever had. A girl that I hated was trailing a little behind me, attempting with her very small brain to obey every rule that I had set for her. 

Yet again, I wondered why I'd been so lenient with her. Perhaps because she had finally accepted that she could be stronger and that I could teach her something worthwhile, unlike everyone else she'd ever traveled with. Perhaps I just wanted to get on Kenny's nerves for the sake of being annoying. It was fun, after all.

It felt like compensation to know that wherever Kenny was right now, he was miserable.

"Paul?" Her voice interrupted my happy thoughts, reminding me that I was also pretty miserable.

Lose-lose situations suck.

"What was rule number one again?" I asked her, my voice strained.

"I know, but I'm hungry. Can we stop to eat?" Dawn held up Piplup. "Piplup is hungry too, aren't you?"

Truthfully I was famished myself, but wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of hearing me request a break. "Fine, we'll stop."

Piplup and Dawn shared gleeful smiles until they caught me glaring at them. The smiles disappeared. 

I silently began taking out Pokemon food and unwrapping it while Dawn hummed and got hers ready as well. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. When I finished, I still heard Dawn humming and asked, "Do you really have to make that infernal sound?"

"Oh. I didn't even realize I was doing it." She laughed, and then stopped, giving me a cautious glance. I sighed.

"Alright, come on out guys! It's time to eat!" Dawn threw all her Poke Balls into the air and they popped open, releasing a bunch of little scrawny Pokemon. Her Mamoswine was the only exception. He could easily flatten me if he wished. The others- a Buneary, Togekiss, Quilava, and Pachirisu looked easily beatable. Figures.

After my analysis, I threw my Poke Balls into the air. My Pokemon appeared, staring at me expectantly.

"Time to eat," I ordered. They went to it and I sat down and opened a banana.

"I haven't seen your Pokemon in a long time, Paul," Dawn commented.

"I haven't seen you be quiet in a long time, Dawn," I returned.

She made a face at me and sat down, opening up a box with a sandwich in it and began looking at my Pokemon eating in turn. "Why do you only have five Pokemon with you?" 

I glanced over my shoulder at Torterra, Electivire, Gastrodon, Honchkrow, and Weavile. "Why does anyone only have five Pokemon with them when they have more than five total?"

"You're going to catch another?" Dawn guessed.

I nodded.

"Where?"

I sighed. "I'm going to catch a Bagon at Meteor Falls. Happy?"

"That sounds exciting!" Dawn grinned at me. "Wow, maybe I can catch one too."

"You're kidding, right?" I shook my head. "Bagon are extremely hard Pokemon to raise. Once fully evolved Salamence is one of the most feared Pokemon to battle and train. Does a Salamence, one of the toughest Pokemon in existence, sound like it'd want to compete in a silly Contest for an adolescent girl who's never even obtained a badge before?"

"But-"

"No, Dawn. It wouldn't. And I honestly don't even understand why your Pokemon even stay with you, but whatever." I finished my banana and took out some other snack bags, turning away from Dawn.

"My Pokemon are amazing. We got to the Sinnoh Grand Festival together. That's not an everyday feat."

I raised an eyebrow. "Did you win?"

"...No."

I leaned back against a tree trunk stiffly. "See? You're not even a good Coordinator."

"You've never even seen what I can do!" She stood up and called, "Guys, let's show him what Pokemon Contests are all about."

I crossed my arms as her Pokemon got up, leaving their unfinished food sadly behind. My Pokemon walked over to me, all smirking. 

"This should be good." I matched their expressions and added, "Dinner and a show."

Of course, the show was probably going to suck, but at least it was free.

"Togekiss, Piplup, use Whirlpool and Aura Sphere." Dawn's eyes were scrunched in concentration.

Piplup jumped forward and created a huge Whirlpool, which he threw carefully into the air. Togekiss then formed an Aura Sphere that glowed powerfully and tossed it into the middle of the Whirlpool, which then began to grow and sparkle yellow. It turned an eerie green before exploding. Water cascaded everywhere, drops landing on my hair. I brushed them away in annoyance before turning to watch Dawn's next command.

"Buneary and Pachirisu, use Ice Beam and Discharge!" She pointed to the two of them.

Buneary began bouncing up and down gracefully, using Ice Beam. I watched, stunned, as Buneary spun and shot the attack straight at Pachirisu.

"What the..." My eyes narrowed in concentration as a huge icy fortress in the shape of a ball was formed around Pachirisu, who began running frantically inside, using Discharge. The blue electricity lit the ice up. In seconds, the ice began to glimmer like a disco ball for a full minute before shattering, releasing Pachirisu who dismounted with a front flip.

I heard my Pokemon murmur with approval and excitement. We'd never witnessed a Coordinator training before. I crossed my arms, refusing to show any more astonishment.

"Now, Mamoswine, Quilava, Quadruple Combination!"

Mamoswine used Ice Shard, but before it could grow very large he swallowed it.

"Hmph." I smirked. Her Mamoswine couldn't even use a simple Ice type move. Some training. The other Pokemon's attacks must have been a fluke.

A second later, however, I noticed large spikes appear on the top of Mamoswine. I stood up slowly to get a better view- ice was now covering his entire back, sticking feet above his actual fur like a lethal armor. Quilava then jumped on top of Mamoswine's back and used Swift, encircling the two with large floating stars that spun rapidly around like a halo. 

Quilava roared, its head and backside's fiery quills erupted ten feet in the air as Mamoswine charged toward us, using Take Down.

"Move!' I ordered my Pokemon. We all dodged out of the way as he ran, coming to screeching halt right where we had just been standing, a cloud of dirt enveloping us all.

Panting, I got off the ground.

"Impressed?" Dawn walked over and leaned against Mamoswine. She sure was cocky.

I brushed off my pants. "It wasn't what I expected."

"Is that good or bad?" 

"Neither."

My Pokemon, on the other hand, were now talking animatedly to Dawn's. I scowled, wondering for the millionth time if being kinder to them was turning them into a bunch of wimps who enjoyed watching circus shows.

Dawn put a hand over her heart and said sarcastically, "Really!? You didn't hate it? Wow, Paul, you're so kind."

"Let's just finish lunch so we can leave," I said, then barked, "Guys, finish lunch. We're leaving soon."

Piplup strolled over to me after a pat on the back from Weavile and looked up with the same air of cockiness Dawn had shown me. I glared at him. "Just because I didn't hate your stupid little show doesn't mean you can talk to me."

"Hey! Be nice to Piplup." Dawn reached for Piplup, pulling him off the ground as if I was going to strangle him. Piplup waved a flipper angrily at me.

"Like I said, let's just finish lunch and get this over with." I sat down and bit angrily into an apple.