A New Dream

Would You Stop Crying Already?: Paul's POV

"What is she doing!" Lana cried in shock as Dawn and her mantine jumped from the top of the wave and Dawn launched herself away from Matine, spinning rapidly as Mantine seemed to float through the air. I watched as a little blue head popped up and a shimmering mist formed underneath Mantine and Dawn, making it look like they were floating on clouds. 

As Mantine began to sink back towards the wave Dawn stopped spinning and did a front flip. Reaching out she seemed to effortlessly glide back to Mantine's platform as they dropped back down onto the wave.

"Woah, that's gonna score huge points with the judges!" Traavi said excitedly. 

Torterra stomped his feet in the sand in excitement, startling Torracat who had laid down on the sand next to him. The crowd cheered wildly as the Kailani girl jumped off the wave, holding onto the platform but kicking her feet out and both she and her Mantine spun in a full circle before landing back on the wave. I watched as Dawn and her mantine began to make their way towards the top of the wave and I squinted as a small yellow orb briefly broke the wave's surface before dipping down again.

What is that girl's lanturn doing? I wondered suspiciously. 

Just as Dawn's mantine was about to leave the wave behind it jerked, tossing Dawn off its back. My heart stopped when Dawn fell over the back side of the wave, disappearing from sight. A roar of concern and disappointment rang from the crowd but my eyes followed the mantine which was falling backwards down the front of the wave and crashed into the ocean as if it had fainted.

"Where's Dawn? Is she okay?" Lana asked jumping up and down to try and see where she had gone. 

Kailani completed two more tricks, earning cheers from the crowd but my eyes were desperately scanning the area where I had last seen Dawn falling past the wave. Agonizing seconds turned into a minute and I still couldn't see any sign of Dawn, but then as the ocean calmed a dark blue head burst from the depths. 

A shaky sigh of relief escaped me but then I frowned as I watched Kailani glide over to her on the back of her mantine. She only stayed by Dawn for a moment before turning and making her way back to the beach, waving regally as the crowd cheered for her.

"Look, she's swimming over. She must be alright," Traavi pointed out as Dawn began making her way slowly back to shore. 

I was about to ask Lana to send a pokemon to go help her but then the mantine she had been riding found her and brought her the rest of the way. I watched, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of my stomach as I saw that Dawn was clutching her Piplup to her and wouldn't raise her eyes as she stepped off the mantine and bowed to the crowd. Traavi instantly began pushing his way through the crowd towards Dawn and I put a hand in my jacket pocket so that no one would see me clench my hands into fists.

"I'm glad she's okay," Lana breathed out and then glanced up at me. "I'm going to go say hi to the judges. Tell Dawn that I thought she did awesome and don't feel bad for falling off." 

She didn't fall, that brat sabotaged her, I wanted to spit back but Lana had already moved off, weaving expertly through the crowds.

Torterra stepped to the side and I looked over at where Traavi had just caught up to Dawn. To my surprise, her Piplup blasted him with a Hydro Pump and suddenly my opinion of the little wimp improved slightly. The uneasy feeling strengthened as I watched Dawn stop momentarily to say something to Traavi before she took off at a run towards the tent set up by the performance stage. She was pretty far from me, but her back seemed really red and I hoped that it was a sunburn and not an injury from when she had fallen.

"Terra torterra," Torterra rumbled sadly. I looked down at him and realized that all of my pokemon were looking at the tent Dawn had disappeared into with a look of concern.