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"Anew" for Straightforwardly
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straightforwardly
Title: Anew
Author:temporaly
Rating: G
Verse: Games (Platinum)
Characters/Pairings: Dawn, Barry, Saturn, Dawn's team
Summary: Drabbles about Dawn's life after winning the Championship.
1.
“Dawn! What took you?”
Barry sprang up from the sofa across the villa's TV, where he was watching Crasher Wake grapple with a man in a Duskull mask.
“Your dad,” Dawn sighed, closing the door behind her.
Barry gave an exaggerated grimace as she set her bag down on the coffee table and unpacked her Poké Balls.
“But you beat him, right?” he asked.
Dawn turned Torterra's Poké Ball over in her hand pensively. “No,” she said.
“Uh...hey,” said Barry, “He won today, but I know it's not about if you can beat him.”
“Hm?”
He pumped his fist. “It's about when!”
Dawn couldn't help but smile. “The next time I challenge him,” she said.
Barry gave a thumbs-up.
“And until then, we train, of course.”
“Starting now?” Barry ventured.
In response, Dawn scooped up her Poké Balls and exited the villa. Barry ran after her.
It turned out that releasing a fully-healed but inevitably tired Torterra was no way to start a battle. It was, however, a good excuse to spend the afternoon watching TV in the villa (or in Torterra's case, through the villa's window).
2.
Dawn and her friends had succeeded.
But though the world she returned to was the same, it was hardly familiar.
At first, she insisted on watching contests with her mother instead of visiting her in Twinleaf Town, to avoid the looks she gave her when they were alone. Mixed with the pride in her eyes was more concern than she could handle.
Sometimes, Cynthia would drop by her villa. Dawn was thankful for her advice on adjusting to life as the Champion. More than that, she was the only other person around who knew what the other world was like.
Dawn released Giratina in front of her outside of battle once. But she sensed her discomfort, and a hint of fear.
“I'm sorry," Cynthia said, gently, "I studied the stories. But you're Giratina's trainer."
At first, Dawn and her team were on their toes. By extension, so was everyone else in the Battle Zone.
But it was a long wait between challengers reaching the League, and most trainers defeated by the Elite Four weren't so reckless as to return in a hurry.
Deep down, she thought it wasn't ordinary challengers she and her Pokémon wanted to be ready for.
Slowly, she started travelling again. She was flattered when people recognised her, and grateful when they didn't.
There was no shortage of trainers to challenge her out on the routes. Sometimes they were arrogant, only wanting to be able to say they had (unofficially) taken on the Champion. Other times, they just wanted to see her battle in person.
But she hoped their battles helped all of them learn something, just as she learnt from them. She saw in different trainers the child she once was, and the person she might yet become. She was pretty sure the only reason some trainers weren't after the Championship was lack of interest.
One day when Dawn was walking in the outskirts of Floaroma Town, she caught the eye of a Poké Kid.
The girl lost all interest in the wild Beautifly she had been watching and made a mad dash towards Dawn.
Dawn tensed. She'd had her run-ins with trainers and Pokémon who both looked like they were hatched yesterday, desperate for battle. She'd taken to having less-experienced Pokémon in her party when she was further from the League.
But not today. She had just withdrawn her main team from the town's Pokémon Center, so she could Fly with her Drifblim...
“Champion Dawn!” the girl screeched.
“Oh, hello,” Dawn fumbled, trying to come up with an excuse that would satisfy the girl before it was too late, “Yes, that's me. What's your na-”
Dawn grabbed her arm to keep her from falling when she came to a stop.
“Can I pet your Luxray?”
3.
By the time Dawn had struck a balance between maintaining a training regimen that made Maylene envious and continuing the likes of what happened when she spent weeks renovating her villa (Volkner's suggestion), she managed to defeat Palmer.
The next day, Torterra took a well-earned rest in the sunshine of Sunyshore's coast, while Dawn took hers in the shade of Torterra's shadow.
Noon grew closer. Torterra seemed content to bask in the sun the whole day, but the sunlight was getting was too harsh for Dawn.
Dawn's Buizel, who had been paddling near the shore, must have felt the same. She scampered back to Dawn and nudged the Poké Ball lying next to her deck chair.
She recalled Buizel to her Poké Ball, then turned to Torterra.
“Must be better when you have leaves,” she said, “Sorry. You can get out somewhere else on the way back.”
Torterra gave a reluctant hum and got into his Poké Ball.
4.
The Veilstone Galactic Building looked much the same as it did years ago, when it was Team Galactic HQ.
Standing in front of the building's entrance, Dawn remembered the maze of rooms within. As she raced through the corridors, her only thought was that she wouldn't be too late to stop Cyrus' plans.
In making her first journey across Sinnoh, then exploring it again, it seemed she'd visited every place she could at least twice. Except this building.
If any of the people she saw inside were former grunts, she couldn't recognise them outside of their uniforms. Whoever they were, they looked busy.
Just when she thought no one was going to give her a second look, a woman in office attire approached her.
“Are you looking for someone?” she asked.
“No...I'm just passing by.”
“You're Champion Dawn, aren't you? You were there when Cyrus...” the woman said, sheepishly.
Dawn nodded.
“But I know Team Galactic went in another direction after that,” Dawn said.
“We only develop energy technology now.” A pause. “I think there's someone else who would like to talk to you.”
“...took a while for the legal issues, and they still won't go away just yet, but we have to pull through. Everyone here is in the loop now. We all believe we can put our research to better use.”
Saturn started talking to her as if he was delivering a business pitch from the moment she was ushered into his office. The only suggestion of the gravity of events past was the scuffed Galactic logo on the floor.
While Dawn was still taking it all in, she saw his face betray traces of trepidation.
“I believe, too,” she blurted out, “This time, everyone knows what they want to achieve. Now you can work together for this world.”
His eyes darted away from hers.
“It took someone like you to take us down,” he said, returning her gaze, “I'm glad for that. If you hadn't been around..."
She managed a smile. “I'm glad you're starting over."
He gave a weak nod. Now they sat in heavy silence.
"You mentioned the Kanto Power Plant?" she ventured.
"Yes, we haven't contacted them yet, but we heard they're looking to upgrade their equipment."
She thought for a moment. "I'm planning on travelling south. If you're not sending anyone, I could help..."
"Even if they are interested, we shouldn't have to trouble you with this,” Saturn interjected.
She shook her head. "It's no trouble. I've always wanted to go to Kanto someday. But I understand if you prefer one of your own."
"It might..." he hesitated, "It might be good if they saw someone else. When Galactic made the news outside of Sinnoh, it wasn't for our energy research."
"Then I'm happy to help,” she said, firmly.
"Dawn, we'll never stop owing you at this rate."
"No, it's...as much for me as it is for you. I really want to travel. And I really believe you can succeed this time."
Saturn looked at her impassively. "You're too much."
She sighed and crossed her arms.
"I mean it. I want to leave before the end of the year. Tell me how I can help before then, or else I'm just going."
In the absence of a response, Dawn stood to take her leave.
"I'll be in touch," he finally said, with the barest hint of a smile.
straightforwardlyTitle: Anew
Author:
temporalyRating: G
Verse: Games (Platinum)
Characters/Pairings: Dawn, Barry, Saturn, Dawn's team
Summary: Drabbles about Dawn's life after winning the Championship.
1.
“Dawn! What took you?”
Barry sprang up from the sofa across the villa's TV, where he was watching Crasher Wake grapple with a man in a Duskull mask.
“Your dad,” Dawn sighed, closing the door behind her.
Barry gave an exaggerated grimace as she set her bag down on the coffee table and unpacked her Poké Balls.
“But you beat him, right?” he asked.
Dawn turned Torterra's Poké Ball over in her hand pensively. “No,” she said.
“Uh...hey,” said Barry, “He won today, but I know it's not about if you can beat him.”
“Hm?”
He pumped his fist. “It's about when!”
Dawn couldn't help but smile. “The next time I challenge him,” she said.
Barry gave a thumbs-up.
“And until then, we train, of course.”
“Starting now?” Barry ventured.
In response, Dawn scooped up her Poké Balls and exited the villa. Barry ran after her.
It turned out that releasing a fully-healed but inevitably tired Torterra was no way to start a battle. It was, however, a good excuse to spend the afternoon watching TV in the villa (or in Torterra's case, through the villa's window).
2.
Dawn and her friends had succeeded.
But though the world she returned to was the same, it was hardly familiar.
At first, she insisted on watching contests with her mother instead of visiting her in Twinleaf Town, to avoid the looks she gave her when they were alone. Mixed with the pride in her eyes was more concern than she could handle.
Sometimes, Cynthia would drop by her villa. Dawn was thankful for her advice on adjusting to life as the Champion. More than that, she was the only other person around who knew what the other world was like.
Dawn released Giratina in front of her outside of battle once. But she sensed her discomfort, and a hint of fear.
“I'm sorry," Cynthia said, gently, "I studied the stories. But you're Giratina's trainer."
At first, Dawn and her team were on their toes. By extension, so was everyone else in the Battle Zone.
But it was a long wait between challengers reaching the League, and most trainers defeated by the Elite Four weren't so reckless as to return in a hurry.
Deep down, she thought it wasn't ordinary challengers she and her Pokémon wanted to be ready for.
Slowly, she started travelling again. She was flattered when people recognised her, and grateful when they didn't.
There was no shortage of trainers to challenge her out on the routes. Sometimes they were arrogant, only wanting to be able to say they had (unofficially) taken on the Champion. Other times, they just wanted to see her battle in person.
But she hoped their battles helped all of them learn something, just as she learnt from them. She saw in different trainers the child she once was, and the person she might yet become. She was pretty sure the only reason some trainers weren't after the Championship was lack of interest.
One day when Dawn was walking in the outskirts of Floaroma Town, she caught the eye of a Poké Kid.
The girl lost all interest in the wild Beautifly she had been watching and made a mad dash towards Dawn.
Dawn tensed. She'd had her run-ins with trainers and Pokémon who both looked like they were hatched yesterday, desperate for battle. She'd taken to having less-experienced Pokémon in her party when she was further from the League.
But not today. She had just withdrawn her main team from the town's Pokémon Center, so she could Fly with her Drifblim...
“Champion Dawn!” the girl screeched.
“Oh, hello,” Dawn fumbled, trying to come up with an excuse that would satisfy the girl before it was too late, “Yes, that's me. What's your na-”
Dawn grabbed her arm to keep her from falling when she came to a stop.
“Can I pet your Luxray?”
3.
By the time Dawn had struck a balance between maintaining a training regimen that made Maylene envious and continuing the likes of what happened when she spent weeks renovating her villa (Volkner's suggestion), she managed to defeat Palmer.
The next day, Torterra took a well-earned rest in the sunshine of Sunyshore's coast, while Dawn took hers in the shade of Torterra's shadow.
Noon grew closer. Torterra seemed content to bask in the sun the whole day, but the sunlight was getting was too harsh for Dawn.
Dawn's Buizel, who had been paddling near the shore, must have felt the same. She scampered back to Dawn and nudged the Poké Ball lying next to her deck chair.
She recalled Buizel to her Poké Ball, then turned to Torterra.
“Must be better when you have leaves,” she said, “Sorry. You can get out somewhere else on the way back.”
Torterra gave a reluctant hum and got into his Poké Ball.
4.
The Veilstone Galactic Building looked much the same as it did years ago, when it was Team Galactic HQ.
Standing in front of the building's entrance, Dawn remembered the maze of rooms within. As she raced through the corridors, her only thought was that she wouldn't be too late to stop Cyrus' plans.
In making her first journey across Sinnoh, then exploring it again, it seemed she'd visited every place she could at least twice. Except this building.
If any of the people she saw inside were former grunts, she couldn't recognise them outside of their uniforms. Whoever they were, they looked busy.
Just when she thought no one was going to give her a second look, a woman in office attire approached her.
“Are you looking for someone?” she asked.
“No...I'm just passing by.”
“You're Champion Dawn, aren't you? You were there when Cyrus...” the woman said, sheepishly.
Dawn nodded.
“But I know Team Galactic went in another direction after that,” Dawn said.
“We only develop energy technology now.” A pause. “I think there's someone else who would like to talk to you.”
“...took a while for the legal issues, and they still won't go away just yet, but we have to pull through. Everyone here is in the loop now. We all believe we can put our research to better use.”
Saturn started talking to her as if he was delivering a business pitch from the moment she was ushered into his office. The only suggestion of the gravity of events past was the scuffed Galactic logo on the floor.
While Dawn was still taking it all in, she saw his face betray traces of trepidation.
“I believe, too,” she blurted out, “This time, everyone knows what they want to achieve. Now you can work together for this world.”
His eyes darted away from hers.
“It took someone like you to take us down,” he said, returning her gaze, “I'm glad for that. If you hadn't been around..."
She managed a smile. “I'm glad you're starting over."
He gave a weak nod. Now they sat in heavy silence.
"You mentioned the Kanto Power Plant?" she ventured.
"Yes, we haven't contacted them yet, but we heard they're looking to upgrade their equipment."
She thought for a moment. "I'm planning on travelling south. If you're not sending anyone, I could help..."
"Even if they are interested, we shouldn't have to trouble you with this,” Saturn interjected.
She shook her head. "It's no trouble. I've always wanted to go to Kanto someday. But I understand if you prefer one of your own."
"It might..." he hesitated, "It might be good if they saw someone else. When Galactic made the news outside of Sinnoh, it wasn't for our energy research."
"Then I'm happy to help,” she said, firmly.
"Dawn, we'll never stop owing you at this rate."
"No, it's...as much for me as it is for you. I really want to travel. And I really believe you can succeed this time."
Saturn looked at her impassively. "You're too much."
She sighed and crossed her arms.
"I mean it. I want to leave before the end of the year. Tell me how I can help before then, or else I'm just going."
In the absence of a response, Dawn stood to take her leave.
"I'll be in touch," he finally said, with the barest hint of a smile.
no subject
I loved this line: Slowly, she started travelling again. She was flattered when people recognised her, and grateful when they didn't.
And, while I'm talking about lines that stood out to me, I have to say that I adored this bit: Saturn started talking to her as if he was delivering a business pitch from the moment she was ushered into his office. The only suggestion of the gravity of events past was the scuffed Galactic logo on the floor.
It really hammered in Saturn's nerves, even before Dawn notes it on her own. And then how Dawn decides to put her faith in him, and believe that he's really changed! That was heartwarming. ♥ Again, thank you so much for writing this for me! I definitely enjoyed it.
no subject
I was really nervous after joining this exchange because only then did it sink in that it's been a long time since I'd written any fic. My ideas came out clunkier than I would have liked.
Your prompts were all interesting, but I felt I couldn't do them justice at the time. And I never shipped Dawn with anyone in particular, but your prompts gave me some pairings to consider. Anyway, thanks for all your ideas and encouragement :)