Paul and Dawn: First Light

Chapter 66: Sunset

As we got outside and Dawn guessed we were going to Mars, I stopped walking and put my hands on her shoulders firmly. "Dawn, I know I asked you to be yourself, but I changed my mind. Be someone who is a lot quieter." 

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," Dawn scoffed, brushing my hands away. 

"Hey! Trainer!" 

I turned my head to see the little boy whose name I still didn't know start running towards me, Salamence right behind him. 

"What do you want?" I asked, softening my voice more than I would if I was alone with the little brat. I wanted to avoid a lecture from Dawn. 

He stopped short. "Whoa, you're all dressed up still. What'd you do to deserve that?" 

"We're going on a date," I said, annoyed at both him and the word "date". 

"Oh." The boy looked at Dawn. "Hi! I'm Sam." 

"Nice to meet you, Sam." Dawn waved. "Have you been taking care of Salamence?" 

"Yep!" Sam patted Salamence's side. "I'm his Trainer for the day." 

"I never said that." 

"You kind of did." Sam blinked at me in surprise as if I was being stupid and he was far more intelligent than I was. 

I really didn't like kids. 

"How sweet," Dawn said. "Well, we need to get going." 

I looked down at her feet. She was wearing some pretty detailed sandals that I had no idea what words to use to describe besides "foot mangling". How women wore those things was a mystery to me. "Would you like to fly there? I imagine walking wouldn't be fun." 

"I don't know where somewhere is to know if it'd be fun or not," Dawn commented lightly. 

"It won't be fun." 

"Fine, we'll fly." 

"Awe, no fair! You said I could play with Salamence all day!" Sam whined. 

"He can come back as soon as he's done." I motioned for Salamence to lower his head and whispered something into his ear. He nodded and I turned back towards Sam, frowning. "Don't you have parents to check in with so they know you haven't been murdered?" 

"Paul!" Dawn exclaimed. 

"Yeah." Sam didn't seem bothered by my manslaughter comment, so I ignored Dawn. 

"Then go tell them where you'll be so they don't worry and meet Salamence back here." 

"Fine," Sam agreed. "See you, buddy!" 

Salamence whipped his tail around and poked Sam in the back, causing him to almost fall over. 

"I'm going, I'm going!" Sam laughed. "Bye!" 

"He's sweet," Dawn said as he ran away. "But you need to not mention his death around him." 

"It's called a verbal warning." I paused. "I suppose he's not the most annoying child I've ever met."  

Dawn shook her head and smiled. 

"Flying won't be easy to manage in that dress of yours," I stated, studying her. 

"Fashion always has its price." Dawn sighed. 

"I must say I think it's worth it." I climbed onto Salamence and held my arm out. "Use his leg to help you." 

She grabbed onto my hand, hoisting herself up carefully, planting her body in front of mine. 

"I know most girls sit sidesaddle or whatever in a dress, but that seems really ridiculous to try thousands of feet in the air. I think I'll bear the shame of being unlady-like and sit normally," Dawn announced, adjusting her dress. "Um... I forgot how windy it was up there."