Pokémon Daycare

A sigh of relaxation rung out into the air as Dawn stretched and smiled. "What a beautiful day!"

"Well you're sure in a good mood today Dawn." Said Ash; arms behind his head as they continued to walk into the next town.

"Yup! I just can't wait for my next Pokémon contest & I'm really excited about getting down to our new training!"

"That's the spirit Dawn!" Brock added as he smiled at his coordinating companion. "What about you Ash?"

"Yeah! Seein' Dawn all fired up's got me all fired up too. In fact I'm so ready to train I'm gonna challenge the next trainer I see!" fire in his eyes, Ash shot a fist in the air and Pikachu joined in with his own determined shouts. "Pi-Pikachuuu!"

"Good luck on that Ash I hope it works out for you. Now come on Piplup lets find somewhere to train!" running off ahead, Brock had to shout after her to slow her down. "Dawn wait up! We're heading to the Pokémon center anyway you can just use the training grounds there!"

Skipping to a stop and nearly falling forward onto her face especially when Piplup ran into the back of her legs, she regains her balance before spinning around quickly and scratching the back of her head in embarrassment. "O-oh yeah, eheheh."

The others caught up to her and they headed on toward the Pokémon center. All the while Ash was looking in every direction for a trainer to battle. But by the time they reached the center his head & shoulders slumped at not finding another trainer.

Brock sweat-dropped at the sporadic mood change and couldn't help but try to cheer up his friend. "Come on Ash don't be so down, I'm sure all the trainers are just in the Pokémon center."

"Yeah Ash no need to worry! I'm sure there are plenty of them inside." As they approached the center the doors opened and someone stepped out.

"See Ash! Look there's- oh um…it's Paul." picking his head up he looked over to his friend before looking back ahead of him.

"Hey it is Paul! Hey Paul!" The purple haired boy had just turned right & down the opposite street not even seeing them.

Running up to the boy Ash yelled out his challenge. "Hey Paul let's have a battle!"

Glancing back at Ash, Paul merely sneered before turning to continue on his way. "I don't have time to play with you losers. Let alone battle you, I've got better things to do."

Pissed, Dawn clenched her fist before yelling after him. "Rude much! Didn't your mother ever teach you any manners!"

Completely unfazed by the girl's loud hollering Paul continued on down the street.

"Hey Paul! Come on I really want to battle you! Wait up!" looking back at the so-proclaimed loser he only rolled his eyes while thinking of how much of an idiot Ash was, and now he was being stalked by said idiot.

A block or two passed by, Paul still being followed by the persistent trainer and his friends. The concrete was now disappearing to give way to more grass. A little ways ahead was what looked like a house and barn surrounded by wide open fields and bordered by fencing.

Coming closer and closer to the house's entrance Paul stopped as a girl exited.

"Hey Paul come on it's just one battle!" stopping beside him Ash bent over panting at having to run after Paul the whole way after his head start.

"Paul?" the girl from the house looked over at them before shouting and pointing. "Paul! I thought so. I challenge you to a battle."

"Bring it on." He smirked as she out right grinned.

"W-what!? But you just said you wouldn't battle anyone!" Ash shouted in dismay

"Wrong. I said I wouldn't battle you losers."

"Ok… I don't get it, but whatever! Let's get this started, the usual terms? Or should we mix it up?" the stranger cut in.

"I was thinking more like a three-on-three match."

"Cool. Double or single?"

"Single."

"Awesome! Now all we need is a ref. hey you over there!" pointing at Brock she shouted. "Mind bein' the ref. for us?"

The unknown girl nodded as Brock pointed at himself while looking to either side of him. "Yep you, you mind?"

Shaking his head violently Brock ran over before grabbing her hand, kneeling and proclaiming "For you, I'd do anything! Climb the highest mountain, swim the deepest sea, tame the wildest pokemo-gwfwfff…or referee the match that.. sounds good." "Cro-cro-cro-cro-cro." Croagunk snickered as she dragged Brock away after a well deserved poison jab.

Paul just glared after him before turning back to his opponent and pulling out a pokéball. "You first? Or me?"

"Since you haven't been around in so long I'll give you the honor of going first." She smiled wider after having gotten over the strange actions of the other boy.

"How generous of you. Now Gliscor stand by for battle!" throwing out his pokéball Gliscor appears. "Gliscor."

"D-did Paul just make a joke!?" Dawn & Ash stuttered in disbelief.

"Ooooo a Gliscor and he looks pretty strong too." Her smile is an all out grin. "But no worries I came prepared! Abomasnow appear!" "Abomasnow!" her Pokémon bellows, flexing his massive arms.

Raising an eyebrow he just had to ask "An Abomasnow? Where'd you get one of those?"

She quirked her eyebrow right back before holding her finger to her lips and winking while saying "It's-a-sec-ret!" lowering her hand she smiles at Paul's attempt to hide his own.

"Now let's get things started! Hey ref. you up or what!"

Jumping up from the ground Brock coughs into his hand murmuring "Right." Swinging his arm strait down he calls "Let the battle begin!"

And so it does.

"Gliscor use x-scissor." Taking to the skies before swooping down, its two clamp-like claws crossing, uncrossing, then re-crossing to perform the desired move.

Smirking, Paul's opponent does nothing. At the last moment Abomasnow lifts it's arms and blocks the attack. "Abom-ma-Snow!" throwing Gliscor back into the air Abomasnow stands waiting for orders.

"Wow! Did you see that? There's not even a scratch on him!" Dawn exclaimed staring at the towering 7ft Pokémon.

"Ok then Abomasnow let's put on a show shall we!" a curt nod from her Pokémon and a chilling ice shard was sent at Gliscor, who dodged. Abomasnow kept up the barrage & Gliscor kept up his dodging before Abomasnow nailed one of Gliscor's wings and sent him to the ground.

"Get up quickly! And use sandstorm." Paul clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.

The behemoth of a Pokémon stepped closer and stood over Gliscor. Suddenly the grass around the, slowly standing, bat-like Pokémon grew out and knotted around him, tying him to the ground.

"Gli-Gliscor!" "What the-" "Aboma-SNOOOOOOW!"

"Gliscor is unable to battle. Abomasnow is the winner!"

"Yay Abomasnow! You did it, we won! Great job." Jumping up she hugged the over-sized Pokémon and it caught her in its arms with a practiced gentleness.

"What was that!" letting go of her snow-man of a Pokémon she turned to her questioner.

"Well Paul, it's called sheer cold. It's a one hit K.O. move. But of course no move can be perfect so even if the attack does 100% damage it has sucky accuracy. So I used grass knot to keep Gliscor in place."

"Fine then let's just get on with this."

"Sheesh Paul you're the one who wanted to know. Whatever just throw out your next Pokémon."

"Alright. Magmar stand by." His Pokémon spewed fire into the air yelling out "Mag-Magmar!"

The purpled haired teen smirked. "That should take care of your Abomasnow."

Shaking her finger in disapproval she tsked at him. "Ah-ah-ah Paul you should know better than that. Abomasnow return! Croconaw appear!"

"What do you think you're doing, swapping Pokémon? That's against the rules." Paul glared at her.

"No it's not! It WOULD break the rules if we were going by our normal set but because we aren't this is perfectly fine cuz we never specified past a 3-part Pokémon single battle."

"Whatever. Tch, just because you have the upper hand element wise doesn't mean you'll win."

"Ok then let's see if that's true. Croconaw use water gun then hold for retaliation!"

The water gun made a direct hit, spraying over Magmar's crossed arms and part of his face that he couldn't cover with his arms.

"Magmar, use firespin!" the flames circled and engulfed Croconaw, trapping him in a vortex of fire.

Glaring at the spiral of flames she looked over Croconaw, standing perfectly unmoved. Smirking as an idea came to mind. "Croconaw!"

"Croc?" the blue and yellow croc Pokémon glanced over its shoulder to look at her.

"Use aqua tail & put a spin on it!"A firm nod and a confirming "Croc!" answered her before his tail became enclosed in a sparkling coat of water. "cro-Co-NAW!" turning quickly in a circle and whipping his tail strait through the blazing layer of fire, time seemed to slow for a moment.

Everyone watched in awe as the spiral of flames was cut in half and the two halves began to recede back into opposite directions of itself, turning into ash and sprinkling down around Croconaw like light grey snow. Disbanding his aqua tail, the remaining water burst out into a whirl of glittering water.

And all through the show Croconaw floated midair from his spin, his body half turned in a swift elegance that should be unknown to the bulky looking Pokémon.

Then as time began to move normally again orders were given, and after a smooth landing on Croconaw's part, he performed a powerful hydro pump that closed in on Magmar, not giving the fire type any way out.

Shooting forward at unusual speeds, Croconaw clamped down onto Magmar and held on with the strength & determination that Croconaws' were know for.

"Great job Croconaw! That was awesome; now finish it with water gun!" A muffled "Croc!" was her answer before a close range water gun hit Magmar.

"M-m-m-mag-Mar!" struggling to get the water Pokémon off Magmar began to panic. Paul sneered at the sight and finally got back into things as he yelled out his orders. "We can take advantage of close spaces too. Magmar burn him with flame body, then use fire punch!"

Calming down at finally receiving orders Magmar's ability finally kicked in and Croconaw was burned.

Croconaw narrowed his eyes and bit down harder while still keeping up the so far unended water gun.

A roaring fire punch came down on Croconaw's head nearly causing him to loosen his jaws.

"Keep up the fire punches it's only a matter of time before he faints."

"Turn up the pressure Croconaw! We've got the tactical advantage and we're bringing twice the damage! He'll give, we've so got this!"

The two Pokémon kept at it, pouring on the power of opposing elements.

Both trainers and their Pokémon where becoming annoyed with this quickly so someone had to end it.

A slow smirk crossed her lips to replace the annoyed stretch of a line that preceded it. "Hydro pump."

Sparing a quick glance back at his trainer at her near whispered order, Croconaw refocused on his opponent before letting rip a full power hydro pump on the unsuspecting fire type.

"Mag-Mar!" falling backwards and dragging the still attached water Pokémon with it, Magmar passed out.

"Magmar is unable to battle! Croconaw is the winner! That's 2 for 2."

"I know that already." Paul growled out obviously not enjoying losing.

Trotting over to the two Pokémon the girl petted her Croconaw's head. "Come on, battle's over time to let go."

"Croconaw." The croc Pokémon detached himself and smiled up at his trainer.

"You did great. Now how's about I check those pointy things we call teeth?"

"Croc!" opening its mouth wide it stayed perfectly still as its trainer inspected the perfectly white fangs.

"Return." Was all Paul said before taking out another pokéball and expanding it to its full size.

"Umm..what…are you doing?" Brock couldn't help but ask at seeing the strange interruption of the battle.

The two opponents seemed unfazed by it though. And the girl just waved her hand at him, dismissing his question before sticking her hand into the Pokémon's mouth and wiggling a lose tooth.

"Looks like your losin' one this time too. Oh well!" smiling she pulled back and tapped Croconaw's nose gently. Closing his mouth he once again smiled up at his trainer. "Croco."

"Can we get on with this." Paul grumbled.

"Sheesh Paul, you know it's like mandatory. Besides we're waiting on your Pokémon." She answered. "Croc!" nodding, her Pokémon agreed wholeheartedly with her.

Rolling his eyes Paul gripped his chosen pokéball tighter. "Why don't you go first?"

"Nope. It was your Pokémon who fainted so you have that privilege."

"Whatever, Torterra stand by!" the large continent Pokémon bellowed it's name and stomped it's foot.

"Trying to get the tactical advantage again huh? Well too bad! Croconaw return! And Blaziken appear!"

"Blaze!" flexing its arms the tall fighter prepared for battle.

Glaring at the fire type, Paul was starting to get really annoyed with the Pokémon she was picking. "Tch, Torterra use frenzy plant!"

Whistling at the large Pokémon's girth and obvious strength, she had to admit she was impressed with what used to be a little ol' Turtwig. "Wow Paul, and starting off with such a powerful move too." Grinning, "Now you're just trying to show off! You know what to do Blaziken!"

Blaziken gave a curt nod but nothing else. The large spiked vines coming down fast, why wasn't Blaziken doing anything!

Paul smirked thinking he'd finally gotten an upper hand when the 6ft Pokémon disappeared. Frowning "What-?" his Pokémon's reaction was no different from his. "Tor?" vines stopping right before the impact with the ground, Torterra looked in every direction. "Terra?"

"What's the matter Paul lost your target?" teasing, she just had to start teasing.

Glaring at her, Paul growled in frustration, he couldn't attack if he couldn't see it.

"Alright Blaziken hit 'em and hit 'em hard!" shooting her fist in to the air she yelled "Fire Punch!"

A twinkle in the sky above them gave way to an inferno of blistering heat as Blaziken descended on the large grass type led by a scorching fire encased fist. "Blaze!"

The attack hit head on, literally. Blaziken's fist came down on the top of Torterra's head, making its legs buckle and sending the oversized Pokémon crashing to the ground. "Tor-terra!"

Using the remaining momentum from the impact Blaziken bent it's arm before sending itself rocketing backward to land a distance away.

"Torterra use leaf storm!" Paul yelled. Struggling to stand Torterra shook his head. "Terra!" A barrage of leaves flew toward Blaziken hitting their target.

"Blaz-!" Being pushed back by the onslaught of foliage Blaziken had to dig its feet into the ground so she wouldn't fly back into her trainer.

"Blaziken relax. And use fire punch, but this time lets double things up!" "Blaze!" both fists erupting into flame, Blaziken set all the leaves on fire completely dissipating them.

Rushing at Torterra, Blaziken made a double impact hit and once again propelled herself backwards to land a few yards in front of her trainer.

Both trainer and Pokémon smirk at the grass type just before it flinches as searing flames broke out over him. "Torterraaaa!" whipping its head from side to side in pain and panic.

"What the-! What is this-?!"

"It's called burn Paul. Really'd a thought you knew, having a fire type that knew fire punch, and all." Grinning at her opponent she nearly laughed when he glared at her and growled.

"Torterra cut it out, and use frenzy plant again!"

Just barley being able to peak its eyes open through the flames Torterra attacked. "Terra!"

Blaziken dodged by jumping up into the air once again and avoiding the side swiping spiked roots.

"Come on Paul you really didn't think that would work did you? Ha!" hands on her hips she let out another laugh.

"Actually that's what I was counting on. Torterra use hyperbeam!"

"W-what!?" eyes wide in surprise she stared as the powerful attack cut through the air and hit its target.

Yelling as she watched helplessly as her Pokémon hit the ground and bounced slightly. "Blaziken!" almost running over she stopped remembering that the battle was still going on.

"Blaziken are you alright?!" clenching her fists, she held herself back and watched as Blaziken struggled to push itself up.

"Torterra use giga drain now!" giving one more firm shake of its head the flames subsided as green bands of light shot out to encase the fighting fire type.

"Blaze!" crying out in pain Blaziken redoubled her struggles as the health continued to be sucked out of her.

"Blaziken! It's ok just calm down!" listening and reacting immediately the sleek fighting type went still, waiting for any further instruction.

"We'll just have to finish this quickly." Her opponent sneered at that.

"You think it's that easy? You were wrong in thinking that you had the advantage in the first place. Torterra is part ground type as well as grass so fire isn't enough."

Scowling at him she watched him smirk before smirking herself. "Yeah well don't underestimate us."

"Blaziken let's show them how it's really done-Solarbeam!" quickly forming her attack with the help of the brightly shining sun, the luminous beam hitting right on the mark and causing the giga drain to disperse.

Falling into a kneeling position Blaziken panted before standing up a bit shakily.

"Double kick!" now running at the continent Pokémon she landed a kick directly behind its head before slamming down the other as well.

"Poison jab!" staring eyes widened as the 6ft fire Pokémon knelt on the other's back and delivered a toxic blow.

"Tort-!" the last move hit Torterra hard and made him a little weak in the knees.

"Torterra use leaf storm and finish this."

A swirl of cutting leaves launched themselves at Blaziken and knocked her off of the grass type and a yard or two away from him.

"Blaziken is unable to battle! Torterra wins!"

"Not so tough now are you, now that you've lost-"

"Lost what Paul? One Pokémon? Please I still have the other two! Blaziken return." The swirly eyed Pokémon was absorbed in a flash of red light before disappearing.

"Abomasnow Appear!" the towering Pokémon once again graced the battle field with its signature arm-flexing.

"Come on Abomasnow teach 'em what happens when you mess with one of us! You mess with all of us!"

"Boma-SNOWWWW!" moving into a fighting stance he waits for instructions.

"Wow an ice type vs. a grass type. So she's got the advantage again right?" holding Piplup in her arms a little tighter, Dawn can hardly stand the suspense.

"Right, but Abomasnow's a grass type too right? And Torterra's part ground type, so…"looking a little perplexed Ash can't seem to wrap his mind around it and pay attention to the match as well.

"Since their both part grass type it comes down to ice vs. ground, so she's still got the advantage." Brows frowned in concentration Brock can't even spare a glance to his friends while he explains.

Growling as the facts he already knew continued to be restated, Paul glared harder at the over-sized snow Pokémon as he yelled out his order. "Frenzy plant! And keep it up 'till I say otherwise!"

Watching a tidal wave of roots come down on her Pokémon over and over she knew better than to try and move him out of his, now defensive pose, arms crossed over himself to try and avert the blows.

"Now! Use giga drain. This should be easy after weakening it with Gliscor." Watching as one last wave of spiked roots crashed down on his opponent before several large green rings encircled it.

"Please Paul, Gliscor went down without getting a hit in! Abomasnow's at full strength and we're about to show you just how strong that is! Abomasnow counter that giga drain!" thrusting a fist into the air she cheered on her Pokémon with a smirk.

"There's no way to counter giga drain, Torterra keep it up and drain Abomasnow 'till he can't stand anymore." Just then Abomasnow sprouted roots the dug into the ground.

"You see Paul, there is a way to counter giga drain. And it's called ingrain! With this move, no matter how much you drain, we still have health to spare!" grinning proudly at her opponent, her words screamed "boasting" just as well as her stance did, with her hands again on her hips and her feet set a foot apart.

"We'll see about that. Torterra use hyper beam!" the powerful beam soared across the field and engulfed Abomasnow in a flash of light.

"Abomasnoooooow!" the Pokémon yelled in pain. Fists clenching at the sight of her Pokémon in pain, she called out his name, "Abomasnow!"

Slowly turning his head to look at his worried trainer, Abomasnow gives her a nod to signal that he's ok before turning back to the battle as the light from the last attack fades.

Torterra and its trainer glare at the frosted tree Pokémon from across the field as the large grass-type recuperates from his last move.

"Get him while he can't retaliate!" that being all he needed, the ice-type sent an ice shard at his opponent and continued to attack in succession not willing to give the other the chance to recover.

At being pelted repeatedly by the sharpened chunks of ice, the overgrown continent Pokémon couldn't get a move in edgewise and was even beginning to be pushed back, his giga drain dispersing.

Seeing its opponent's weakening state, Abomasnow shot one more ice shard before quickly setting loose sheer cold.

Torterra looked up after the last ice shard shattered against his back, just in time to see, ice, rapidly spread across the battlefield and towards him. Having only a split-second to make a decision, the 684 lb Pokémon made to dodge the attack only to find his feet bound to the ground by grass. Eyes quickly shooting from his feet back to his opponent, Torterra came face-to-face with the devastating attack.

"Torterra is unable to battle! Abomasnow is the winner!"

"Yay! You did it! You did it!" running over to her oversized snow Pokémon she once again leapt into its arms. The large Pokémon could only chuckle as he held her to him and smile at their victory.

"Wow! That was amazing!" shouted Dawn as she jumped excitedly at the sidelines.

"Yeah, it was." Answered Ash, his eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

As soon as the lumbering ice-type set her down Brock was at her side, her hand in his once again. "That was truly amazing! Your battling skills are matched only by your beauty. I feel truly blessed to have been able to witness this match."

"Uh, thanks…?" the mystery trainer spoke slipping her hand from between his, "I guess." She then ran over to Paul completely blowing him off. Brock stood paralyzed in his place at her blatant rejection as Croagunk powered down a Poison Jab she hadn't had to use and laughed at her trainer's bad luck with women.

What happened next surprised everyone it seemed but Paul as the girl flung her arms around him in a slack hug.

"After all this time, I still beat you Paul!" her arms hung snuggly but loosely around his neck as his looped lightly around her waist.

"Still? If I remember correctly I beat you last time we had a battle."

"Yeah, well that was a long time ago, and plus who's counting!" she grinned widely before pressing her lips lightly to his smirking ones.

This sent the other three and their Pokémon into a near uproar.

"WHAAAAT!?" "PIPLUP?!" "PIKAAAA!?"

Turning their heads to look at the questioning traveling companions, the two of them asked the same themselves. "What?"

"You just- I mean- and he- but you… Why!?" Dawn stuttered in total disbelief at the other girl before her that was still in the arms of the biggest jerk she'd ever met.

"You mean why'd I kiss him?" the trainer in question looked on at them perplexed, one eyebrow raised at their odd behavior.

At their dumbfounded nods, she grinned once more and the purple haired boy holding her frowned and they answered together.

"She's my… "

"I'm his… "

"… girlfriend."

At having not expected that answer, for some odd reason, the three all stood with their chins on the floor in baffled astonishment.

"G-g-g-g-girlfriend!" Brock stuttered looking completely devastated, he just never had any luck when it came to women!

Snapping out of their daze thanks to Brock's disappointed murmur, Ash and Dawn one again questioned in unison, "Paul has a girlfriend!?"

"Yeah, what's it to you losers."

"Losers?! Why I otta-!" grabbing onto the pissed coordinator, Ash tried to hold her back.

Moving out of the arms of her rude boyfriend the girl stepped towards the others, scratching the back of her head with a blush on her cheeks, as if she was the one that should be embarrassed. "Sorry 'bout him, he's always been that way, and no matter what Reggie or I do it doesn't seem to make a difference."

Calming down at having received an apology, although it wasn't from whom it should have been, Dawn accepted it for the girl's sake at the least. She seemed way too nice to be caught up in a fight like this.

"It's ok, I guess. Anyway, I'm Dawn!" walking right up to the other girl she held out her hand in greeting.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Willow." Taking the other girls hand in hers, Willow grinned and gave it a quick shake.