Kenny sighed, his frustration evident as he stared at Dawn's curled-up figure under the blanket. Gently, he reached out, pulling the blanket down just enough to reveal her face. Her cheeks were red, her eyes puffy from tears.

"Dawn, look at me," Kenny repeated softly but firmly.

Dawn reluctantly turned her head, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Kenny, I don’t know… I just don’t know what to do anymore." Her voice cracked, and she looked away, ashamed.

Without hesitation, Kenny leaned forward and pulled her into a tight hug, his arms wrapping protectively around her. Dawn stiffened at first but then melted into the warmth of his embrace, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Listen to me, Dee Dee," Kenny said, his tone uncharacteristically serious. "Let's make one thing clear: there is no way I’m going to let you quit contests. Not until I beat you, understand?"

Dawn pulled back slightly, her eyes narrowing despite the tears. "Great. Then why don’t we battle right now? You can take all my ribbons, and I can stay here and knit. How does that sound?"

Kenny groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Dawn, no. You’re not going to quit. You hear me?"

She crossed her arms, her stubborn side surfacing. "Why not? What’s the point, Kenny? I gave it my all, and it wasn’t enough. If I’m not good enough, why should I keep trying?"

Kenny grabbed her shoulders, looking her directly in the eyes. "Because you are good enough, Dawn! Losing doesn’t mean you’re not talented or that you don’t belong in contests. It means you’ve got room to grow, and that’s what makes you amazing! You’re always pushing yourself to be better."

Dawn stared at him, her resolve faltering as his words began to sink in.

"And," Kenny continued, softening his tone, "if you give up now, what does that say to Amipom? To Piplup? They believe in you, Dawn. I believe in you."

Her lip quivered. "Kenny, I just… I don’t know if I have it in me anymore."

"Yes, you do," he insisted. "And I’ll be right here, cheering you on. You’re not in this alone, Dee Dee. You’ve got me, Ash, Brock, your Pokémon… all of us. And if I have to battle you every single day to remind you how incredible you are, then so be it."

Dawn sniffled, a small, hesitant smile creeping onto her face. "You really mean that?"

Kenny smirked. "Of course. Though, let’s be honest, you’re probably gonna lose to me anyway."

She laughed through her tears, lightly punching his shoulder. "Oh, please. You wish!"

"There’s the Dawn I know," Kenny said with a grin. He stood up, extending a hand to her. "Now, how about we head to the kitchen? Ash probably ate all the food by now, but we might get lucky."

Dawn hesitated before taking his hand. "Thanks, Kenny. For everything."

He gave her a wink. "Anytime, Dee Dee. Anytime."