Act 1: Dusk
In the Sunyshore Gym, An intense battle had raged on for several long minutes, with neither side giving in. The prize on the line was the right to the Beacon Badge, and this was the final challenge before the route to the Elite Four opened. Sitting on the wall at the far end of the gym was the leader, Volkner, an expert in Electrical combat. Around his gym, gears and platforms were all at work, grinding away as the battle raged on. The eight trainers he had hired to protect the path into his gym were standing on the sidelines, after all were defeated by the current challenger.
Who was that trainer? A helper sent from Professor Rowan, in Sandgem town. A girl, no less, some of the intern trainers scoffed, as if that was an offense to them. She had shown up and displayed all of the other seven gym badges of the region, and Volkner wasn't one to pass up the opportunity to battle someone who showed some skill. He had become bored of his title recently, when no one worthy of his time challenged him. He had lost the sense of thrill battles gave, and was unwilling to fight anyone. But this girl...
"Ambipom, double hit!" he called, and the monkey-like pokemon in the middle of the arena nodded, jumping at the opposing trainer's pokemon, a Luxray, which jumped back and avoided the two-handed slap.
"Luxia, Thunder!" Dawn ordered, but the Ambipom jumped out of the way, the lightning creating a crater in the floor, but leaving the monkey-like pokemon unharmed. It jumped into the air, and its tails quickly swung out in another double-hit, which made Luxia skid backwards and faint after the third strike.
Recalling the Luxray, Dawn drew another pokeball and a Rapidash appeared, stomping its hooves and giving a loud whiney, its flames shooting up around it. The Ambipom hopped around apprehensively, but Volkner was out of other pokemon to exchange it with.
"Here it comes! Get ready for my trump card!" He shouted, and then stood up; pushing off the wall he had been sitting against to give the battle his full attention. The chain at his waist jingled as he stepped forward, pointing at Ambipom.
"Ambipom, Agility!" He ordered, and the monkey seemed to phase out for a moment as it jumped around, getting faster and faster. The Rapidash watched Ambipom jump around, it's eyes able to match the speed.
"Sorry, Volkner, but trying to outrun a horse isn't going to work! Rapidash, Flare Blitz!" Dawn ordered, and the Rapidash reared up, sending a large burst of flames out from around it. It recoiled a bit from the intense heat, but Ambipom was hit hardest, sending it sprawling backwards, landing at its trainer's feet.
Volkner looked down at his pokemon, bending over it to check if it was alright. The Ambipom had fainted, but the gym leader let out a small smirk. The gym was silent, and then Volkner began to laugh, as the eight trainers against the wall stood in shock. They had rarely witnessed their leader smile after a battle, but laughter? It was unheard of from him.
"You've got me beat... Your desire and the noble way your Pokémon battled for you... I even felt thrilled during our match. That was a very good battle," He said, and his voice echoed around the Gym as he continued to laugh. He walked over to Dawn, who was watching him with a smile. He reached into his blue jacket and produced a small metallic object, as well as a disk.
"Dawn, I present to you the Beacon Badge!" He announced, and then started to laugh again. "...hehehe. Hahahah! That was the most fun I've had in a battle since... I don't know when! It's also made me excited to know you and your team will keep battling to greater heights! This is your eighth badge. You've earned this!"
He handed the badge to her, and she beamed. "Thanks, Volkner!" she said happily, taking out her trainer card and placing it inside, where the indentation was. He smiled as he watched her do this, after having not seen someone walk out of his gym happily in a while. She turned to leave, with her pokemon at her side as they laughed happily at her achievement, and he watched, still smiling. She got onto the lift down, and was out of the gym before he knew it.
As he sat inside his gym thinking, he remembered their battle. The intenseness of the fight had reinvigorated his soul, and instilled his fighting spirit again. He had given her the badge, but he felt as if he could have done more. She was worth it, he thought, pacing around his platform with a sigh. After a moment, he stopped pacing, and called to one of the eight interns.
"I'm going out for the night, so if any other challengers show up, tell them I'm out." He ordered. The intern nodded, and Volkner set out of his gym, to find the trainer who had helped him. It was his turn to give back a little, he figured as he stepped out into the mid-day sunlight.
Dawn had gone shopping after her gym battle, picking up some supplied for the harsh road ahead. She knew the elite four was up next, and wanted to be well prepared for Victory Road. She had all of her pokemon healed at the Sunyshore pokemon center, and decided to take a look around town. She had heard from locals that the HM Waterfall was needed to continue to the Elite four, but hadn't seen it yet.
"Guess it's around here, somewhere," she figured as she wandered around the upper levels of town, on the solar panels. Next to her, her Luxray, Luxia, stepped carefully over the panels, not knowing what they were. Dawn just giggled, looking up at the sky as she wandered. It was slowly becoming sunset, without her being aware of it. She always liked this time of day because strange and fun things usually happened around then.
"Dawn!" Someone shouted. The female trainer turned to look at who was calling her name. Volkner was running up behind her, his chain jingling as he ran and his blond hair blowing back as he raced to her.
"Volkner? Did you forget something?" She asked, blinking a little as she shifted her pack to her other shoulder.
"I just... I wanted to ask you..." He stammered, and then blushed. Perhaps he was running a bit too much on impulse, but with the teenager looking up at him like she was, he couldn't stop now. He was committed the moment he left his gym. Dawn waited patiently, giving him a light smile as she listened for what he wanted to say.
"I... Well," he backtracked, "I was in a slump recently, figuring no one would be able to defeat me and my pokemon... but you're the first to challenge me and win in a long while. I wanted to... congratulate you." He said, turning red again.
Dawn giggled. "Are you asking me out, big gym leader man?"
"Uh... buh..." He tried to speak, but she was dead on.
"Alright then, I'll take that as a yes." She smiled, leaning closer to him. "I haven't had a date in a while," she grinned up to him, as he continued to blush, not sure what to say. "Dinner sounds nice. I'll meet you in an hour by the lighthouse." She said with a seductive tone. As she parted, Dawn leaned up and for two whole seconds, their lips connected, before Dawn pulled away with a smile, leaving Volkner to watch her go, in a state of near shock.
An hour later, Volkner was waiting outside of the lighthouse. He had changed into a better looking jacket. It still maintained his look, but his same old jacket didn't have the right feel to it. He had also brought a single white rose, for lack of any flower shops nearby. It would have to do, he figured, twirling it between his hands as he waited.
It wasn't long before Dawn approached. He had his head down at this point, but as she walked over to him, he raised his head. Dawn had changed into her dress, the one she commonly used for pokemon contests. She hadn't put on makeup or anything, but Volkner couldn't see any imperfections in the soft light of the lighthouse over them.
"You got all dressed up for me?" Volker asked with a smile.
"Well, it is a date, after all," she grinned back to him, twirling a finger around in her blue hair. "I suppose you put this on for me," she asked, motioning to his new jacket.
"It is a date, after all," he repeated, smirking. She just gave him a small smack on the arm, but then noticed the flower in his hands. "Volkner... is that for me?" she said quietly, her face turning red in a blush.
He smiled and presented the rose to her in a flourish, a small smirk still on his face. He noticed he was smiling a lot more than he had been earlier that day, and wondered if it was the fact he had found a worth opponent, or that he was about to go on a date with the very same worthy opponent who had defeated him earlier. Dawn put the rose behind her ear, smiling warmly.
"Not only does it look good... it matches my dress!" she said happily, clapping her hands. "You're a sweet guy, Volkner..." she said, then realized what she had said and blushed.
He laughed a little and grinned at her blushing. "You're a sweet girl, Dawn," He echoed, then put his hand out to her. "Shall we, then?" he whispered. She looked up at him a moment as her blushing faded, then smiled happily and took his hand. Interesting things always happen at dusk, she thought, smiling up to him.
Who was that trainer? A helper sent from Professor Rowan, in Sandgem town. A girl, no less, some of the intern trainers scoffed, as if that was an offense to them. She had shown up and displayed all of the other seven gym badges of the region, and Volkner wasn't one to pass up the opportunity to battle someone who showed some skill. He had become bored of his title recently, when no one worthy of his time challenged him. He had lost the sense of thrill battles gave, and was unwilling to fight anyone. But this girl...
"Ambipom, double hit!" he called, and the monkey-like pokemon in the middle of the arena nodded, jumping at the opposing trainer's pokemon, a Luxray, which jumped back and avoided the two-handed slap.
"Luxia, Thunder!" Dawn ordered, but the Ambipom jumped out of the way, the lightning creating a crater in the floor, but leaving the monkey-like pokemon unharmed. It jumped into the air, and its tails quickly swung out in another double-hit, which made Luxia skid backwards and faint after the third strike.
Recalling the Luxray, Dawn drew another pokeball and a Rapidash appeared, stomping its hooves and giving a loud whiney, its flames shooting up around it. The Ambipom hopped around apprehensively, but Volkner was out of other pokemon to exchange it with.
"Here it comes! Get ready for my trump card!" He shouted, and then stood up; pushing off the wall he had been sitting against to give the battle his full attention. The chain at his waist jingled as he stepped forward, pointing at Ambipom.
"Ambipom, Agility!" He ordered, and the monkey seemed to phase out for a moment as it jumped around, getting faster and faster. The Rapidash watched Ambipom jump around, it's eyes able to match the speed.
"Sorry, Volkner, but trying to outrun a horse isn't going to work! Rapidash, Flare Blitz!" Dawn ordered, and the Rapidash reared up, sending a large burst of flames out from around it. It recoiled a bit from the intense heat, but Ambipom was hit hardest, sending it sprawling backwards, landing at its trainer's feet.
Volkner looked down at his pokemon, bending over it to check if it was alright. The Ambipom had fainted, but the gym leader let out a small smirk. The gym was silent, and then Volkner began to laugh, as the eight trainers against the wall stood in shock. They had rarely witnessed their leader smile after a battle, but laughter? It was unheard of from him.
"You've got me beat... Your desire and the noble way your Pokémon battled for you... I even felt thrilled during our match. That was a very good battle," He said, and his voice echoed around the Gym as he continued to laugh. He walked over to Dawn, who was watching him with a smile. He reached into his blue jacket and produced a small metallic object, as well as a disk.
"Dawn, I present to you the Beacon Badge!" He announced, and then started to laugh again. "...hehehe. Hahahah! That was the most fun I've had in a battle since... I don't know when! It's also made me excited to know you and your team will keep battling to greater heights! This is your eighth badge. You've earned this!"
He handed the badge to her, and she beamed. "Thanks, Volkner!" she said happily, taking out her trainer card and placing it inside, where the indentation was. He smiled as he watched her do this, after having not seen someone walk out of his gym happily in a while. She turned to leave, with her pokemon at her side as they laughed happily at her achievement, and he watched, still smiling. She got onto the lift down, and was out of the gym before he knew it.
As he sat inside his gym thinking, he remembered their battle. The intenseness of the fight had reinvigorated his soul, and instilled his fighting spirit again. He had given her the badge, but he felt as if he could have done more. She was worth it, he thought, pacing around his platform with a sigh. After a moment, he stopped pacing, and called to one of the eight interns.
"I'm going out for the night, so if any other challengers show up, tell them I'm out." He ordered. The intern nodded, and Volkner set out of his gym, to find the trainer who had helped him. It was his turn to give back a little, he figured as he stepped out into the mid-day sunlight.
Dawn had gone shopping after her gym battle, picking up some supplied for the harsh road ahead. She knew the elite four was up next, and wanted to be well prepared for Victory Road. She had all of her pokemon healed at the Sunyshore pokemon center, and decided to take a look around town. She had heard from locals that the HM Waterfall was needed to continue to the Elite four, but hadn't seen it yet.
"Guess it's around here, somewhere," she figured as she wandered around the upper levels of town, on the solar panels. Next to her, her Luxray, Luxia, stepped carefully over the panels, not knowing what they were. Dawn just giggled, looking up at the sky as she wandered. It was slowly becoming sunset, without her being aware of it. She always liked this time of day because strange and fun things usually happened around then.
"Dawn!" Someone shouted. The female trainer turned to look at who was calling her name. Volkner was running up behind her, his chain jingling as he ran and his blond hair blowing back as he raced to her.
"Volkner? Did you forget something?" She asked, blinking a little as she shifted her pack to her other shoulder.
"I just... I wanted to ask you..." He stammered, and then blushed. Perhaps he was running a bit too much on impulse, but with the teenager looking up at him like she was, he couldn't stop now. He was committed the moment he left his gym. Dawn waited patiently, giving him a light smile as she listened for what he wanted to say.
"I... Well," he backtracked, "I was in a slump recently, figuring no one would be able to defeat me and my pokemon... but you're the first to challenge me and win in a long while. I wanted to... congratulate you." He said, turning red again.
Dawn giggled. "Are you asking me out, big gym leader man?"
"Uh... buh..." He tried to speak, but she was dead on.
"Alright then, I'll take that as a yes." She smiled, leaning closer to him. "I haven't had a date in a while," she grinned up to him, as he continued to blush, not sure what to say. "Dinner sounds nice. I'll meet you in an hour by the lighthouse." She said with a seductive tone. As she parted, Dawn leaned up and for two whole seconds, their lips connected, before Dawn pulled away with a smile, leaving Volkner to watch her go, in a state of near shock.
An hour later, Volkner was waiting outside of the lighthouse. He had changed into a better looking jacket. It still maintained his look, but his same old jacket didn't have the right feel to it. He had also brought a single white rose, for lack of any flower shops nearby. It would have to do, he figured, twirling it between his hands as he waited.
It wasn't long before Dawn approached. He had his head down at this point, but as she walked over to him, he raised his head. Dawn had changed into her dress, the one she commonly used for pokemon contests. She hadn't put on makeup or anything, but Volkner couldn't see any imperfections in the soft light of the lighthouse over them.
"You got all dressed up for me?" Volker asked with a smile.
"Well, it is a date, after all," she grinned back to him, twirling a finger around in her blue hair. "I suppose you put this on for me," she asked, motioning to his new jacket.
"It is a date, after all," he repeated, smirking. She just gave him a small smack on the arm, but then noticed the flower in his hands. "Volkner... is that for me?" she said quietly, her face turning red in a blush.
He smiled and presented the rose to her in a flourish, a small smirk still on his face. He noticed he was smiling a lot more than he had been earlier that day, and wondered if it was the fact he had found a worth opponent, or that he was about to go on a date with the very same worthy opponent who had defeated him earlier. Dawn put the rose behind her ear, smiling warmly.
"Not only does it look good... it matches my dress!" she said happily, clapping her hands. "You're a sweet guy, Volkner..." she said, then realized what she had said and blushed.
He laughed a little and grinned at her blushing. "You're a sweet girl, Dawn," He echoed, then put his hand out to her. "Shall we, then?" he whispered. She looked up at him a moment as her blushing faded, then smiled happily and took his hand. Interesting things always happen at dusk, she thought, smiling up to him.
Chapter End Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended, and is applicable for all consecutive chapters that follow.