Pokemon High School

Chapter 18: Leaving a Mark

Graduation Day

The teens slowly funneled into the auditorium and stood at their seats. After everyone had entered, the seniors sat down and patiently waited for their names to be called. They had been told this was going to be a long night, and it seemed like it.

(I am not about to write the ceremony. I've sat through one before and it is extremely boring, especially from someone who is not graduating that year. Plus, all they're going to do is puck up an award, you are not going to miss much here. A.N)

At the end of the ceremony, which took a few hours, the closing speech gave the seniors their cue to throw their hats in the air. Cheers erupted as they were all either excited to graduate or to leave the ceremony. Regardless, they were happy.

The after-party took place soon after. Only then did the group finally get together. May and Misty jumped into their boyfriends' arms. Ash and Dawn smiled and laughed at each other, while everyone else chatted on as normal. Leaf was sobbing some, so the others attempted to comfort her, particularly Gary, which seemed to help somewhat.

"This is all so sad..." Leaf managed to say, tears welling up in her eyes.

Gary looked over at Drew. "Go get her something to drink. Maybe then she can grow up a bit."

Leaf's emotions took a complete 180. "Hey bro, don't tell me you aren't a little sad." She growled.

Gary shrugged. "Then what do I tell you? C'mon Leaf, we're officially adults now!"

Ash and Dawn were staying seperate from the others. Privacy was a good thing.

"So how do you feel?" Dawn asked.

"Great!" Ash replied. "We get to go to college now!"

"Have you decided where you're going to go?" Dawn asked.

Ash shook his head sincerely.

Dawn started to worry. "You... you have applied, right?!"

Ash smirked. "Of course. The question is, do I stay here or go back to Kanto?"

Dawn didn't have an answer. Nor did she have time to give one. A certain trainer stood in their way.

"Paul." Ash grunted.

"Ketchum." Paul scoffed. The purple-haired trainer slipped a letter to Ash before walking off silently.

Ash stared at Paul as he walked toward the door. Once out of sight, Ash tore open the envelope and skimmed through the letter.

"What is it?" Dawn asked, trying to glance over the words.

Ash folded the letter back up and slipped it into his shirt pocket. "Paul is gonna be going to Sinnoh for college, so he wanted one last battle."

"That's sweet," Dawn said, "but does that means he won't go to college here then, huh?"

"Yeah..." Ash sighed. He didn't want to admit it, but he hated to see Paul go.

"Cheer up!" Dawn cried, hitting the boy on the shoulder. "We've graduated, be happy!"

Ash smiled a little bit. "Yeah, true."

The others walked over to join them.

"Did we ruin something, Ashy-Boy?" Gary asked, a smirk on his face. Ash rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Hey, how about we go to our place after this?" Leaf asked, no longer crying.

Gary seemed against the idea. "My room is a complete mess!"

"But who's fault is that?" Leaf snapped at her brother. "Besides, we simply don't have to go in there."

"Not that we would anyway." May joked.

A few hours later...

Everyone was just beginning to leave the house. They had a long day, and everyone felt exhausted. Each person said their goodbyes, even if they were all practically neighbors.

"Bye, Dawn!" Leaf said, embracing her friend in a large hug.

"Goodnight, Leaf..." Dawn managed to say out of a yawn. Dawn grabbed Piplup, who was already asleep on the couch, and held the little Water-type in her arms.

Ash and Gary gave each other a handshake before Ash left. The raven-haired trainer closed the door behind Dawn and their Pokemon, as Pikachu was still awake, even if barely.

"So, decided yet?" Dawn asked.

Ash slowly nodded. "I think so."

"Well, where?" Dawn asked semi-loudly, not wanting to wake the neighbors.

Ash smiled at her. "Elora."

Dawn squealed as she wrapped her arm around Ash to give him a hug. She blushed once she realized what she was doing, so she retracted her arm quickly.

Ash replied to this by wrapping his arm around Dawn. She tensed up when this happened, not quite sure how to react.

Ash kept his arm there for the remainder of the walk. Dawn surprisingly made no mention of it. Then again, she said nothing.

When they reached Dawn's house, the duo stopped on the porch. Ash kept his eyes to the ground, which Dawn took notice of.

"What is it?" Dawn asked.

Ash bit his lip nervously. He then leaned forward...

And hit Dawn in the head with the visor of his cap.

"Ow!" Dawn cried.

Ash snickered a little bit as he took his hat off. "Let me try to make it feel better..."

Ash leaned in this time, and with no visor, placed his lips on her forehead. Dawn blushed madly once this happened, as did Ash.

The two stood silently for a moment, staring into each other's eyes.

"Um... Goodnight..." Ash said, beginning to turn around.

"Ash, wait..."

The boy stopped mid-step and began to turn back around. While doing so, he felt Dawn's lips on his cheek.

Ash looked at Dawn again, who was even redder than she had been, if that was even possible.

Ash smiled and placed his hat atop the blunette's head and pushed it down some. By the time she lifted the visor, he was gone.

Dawn removed the hat and looked at it for a minute. She held it to her chest and looked up at the moon, her eyes sparkling like comets.

"Oh, Ash..."