Third Person's POV

It took only a second for Dawn to leave her seat.

She sprints across the grass, charging head first towards rushing flames and spinning leaves. Her whole focus is on a little bundle of green.

Ash and Gardenia yell at their Pokémon to stop as Dawn dives towards the attack zone. Her arms scrape through the grass until her hands wrap around the Budew.

The commotion stops as everyone catches their breath.

The little bundle of joy smiles at the laying Dawn. Its simple face stares into Dawn's eyes as its green spout uncurls happily.

Dawn picks up the bud-like Pokémon and carries it safely to the log she was sitting on.

"You good?" Ash calls out.

Dawn looks at the grass stains evident on her pale arms, "Yea but you should try winning."

The boy shakes his head and looks at Gardenia who nods for the battle to continue.

An ember attack from Magby resumes the battle... for a few seconds anyways.

The tired Cherubi gets hit by the flaming balls of fire before fainting from the super effective attack. An expected outcome of the matchup.

As Gardenia prepares her final Pokémon, Dawn pulls out her Pokedex,

She scans the Budew who's now sleeping in her arms. "Budew, the bud Pokémon, female. Sensitive to changing temperature, the bud is said to bloom when it feels the sun's warm touch."

"Hmm," Dawn examines the grass and poison type. "The greenhouse lets its sprout stay uncurled I guess."

"Woah!" Ash's shock knocks Dawn out of her thoughts.

A new Pokémon shows up on the battlefield.

Gardenia's Roserade.

There's no Pokémon that radiates more confidence than Roserade. With its sleek stem body and sharp red eyes, it immediately declares superiority. Its red and blue flowered hands add an elegance factor, along with its white flowered "hair".

"Budew's final evolution," Gardenia says towards Dawn.

Dawn studies the bouquet Pokémon. It looks more fit for a contest stage than a battlefield, except for the look in its eyes. It's a winner.

"Careful Magby," Ash warns.

"Petal dance," Gardenia says with crossed arms and a smug look.

The grass type spins around until a cloud of pink blossoms form. They spin through the air and with a sudden gust shoot towards Magby who is too mesmerized to dodge.

The petals don't look dangerous but their edges spinning at such a fast rate are not good for your body. The pink swarm crashes into the poor fire type who collapses immediately.

Magby tries to get up but the petals swing around for round two and he's left in a heap on the grassy battlefield.

"Magby is unable to battle!" The referee calls.

Ash frowns and says his thanks to Magby as he returns him.

He stares down the opposing Pokémon, wondering how they could possibly beat such a strong attack. But then he notices the grass type's footing stumble a bit despite its confident stance.

It gets confused by its own attack.

The more Roserade is forced to swing its petals around, the higher dance for it to hurt itself with confusion.

Ash thinks for a bit and comes up with a brilliant idea.

"Drifloon I choose you!"

The purple balloon Pokémon comes floating out, hovering a few feet above the ground.

"Interesting choice Ash," The gym leader tries to figure out the boy's brain. "What are you up to?"

"You'll have to wait and find out," Ash smirks and waits for Roserade to move first.

"Mega drain Roserade," Gardenia tries to get a head start.

The Pokémon spreads its flowered arms out and begins trying to suck the life energy out of Drifloon.

"Astonish!" Ash yells.

The ghost balloon disappears into thin air before instantly reappearing directly in front of Roserade. Mega drain stops as Roserade is hit back by Drifloon's fright.

Neither Pokémon is very damaged but at least Gardenia's momentum is gone.

But not for long.

"Poison jab!"

Before Drifloon can fly away Roserade takes a wild swing at the Pokémon. Purple energy flares around the grass type's arm as it collides into Drifloon, sending poison through the Pokémon.

Drifloon gives a ghostly howl in pain as it rolls upwards through the air and Ash notices the poison taking over his Pokemon's body. Not good.

"Facade!" Ash says desperately.

Maybe good.

Drifloon orientates itself in the air before coming straight back down on Roserade who wasn't expecting such a quick turn around.

The power boosted attack crumbles Roserade, its thin legs shaking as it tries to recover.

Ash's Pokémon learns from last time and gets away quickly before Roserade can attack again.

Both Pokémon are near their limits.

One shakily standing and the other barely able to stay still in the air.

The trainers don't need time to catch their breath though.

"Finish this with petal dance!" Gardenia points out her hand.

Roserade begins the spinning process, the petals elegantly blowing around it.

"Well at least if Ash is going to lose it'll look pretty," Dawn jokes to herself.

The petals start to shoot forward.

Drifloon doesn't move.

They cut through the air, the sound of their speed filling the air.

Ash doesn't say anything.

But Drifloon doesn't get hit.

The petals rely on wind to carry them. But Drifloon is as light as the petals and gets pushed just like them. Meaning it can't be hit.

Gardenia's jaw drops as Roserade tries as hard as it can to hit Drifloon.

The cloud of petals chases the balloon Pokémon all over but to no success. They go left, right, up, and down, sharp turns, slow turns, but nothing works.

And then Roserade falls over.

Ash smirks.

"Gust."

Drifloon avoids the petals as they disperse before using her tethers to send a gust of wind into the defenceless Roserade.

And while petals fall through the air...

Ash celebrates getting his second gym badge.

Dawn jumps up and cheers for her Pokémon and Ash. Budew, probably not fully understanding the situation, cheers too.

"Quite the plan Ash," Gardenia hands over the forest badge. "Most fun I've had in a long time."

"Thanks," Ash smiles and high-fives one of Drifloon's tethers. "Drifloon was great in her first battle."

"Wow first," Gardenia looks at the Pokémon impressed. Then she looks at her trainer.

A special boy.

"I guess fighting crime is a good way to train," Dawn laughs.

Aka the mainline games.

"Apparently," Gardenia laughs along while looking at the Budew. "Seems that you two have a new Pokémon."

The blunette glances down.

Budew slides back in her hands to look up with its cute face.

"I think so," Dawn giggles and brings out a pokeball. "You coming with us Budew?"

It nods and becomes captured instantly.

Another one down.

"I think it's time for a celebratory meal," Ash suggests and gets no complaints.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The group of three sits in the middle of the greenhouse with food provided by Gardenia as thanks for their help with Team Galactic. Their Pokémon run around burning off the energy from their meals.

Budew however sits on Dawn's lap content with life.

A Poketch buzz interrupts their conversation.

Dawn's eyes widen at the message on her wrist.

"What is it?" Ash asks.

"We're going to Canalave," Dawn states.

"Okay," Ash shrugs and gets back to his food.

"You're not going to ask why?" Dawn questions.

"Is there a gym?" Ash mumbles through food.

Dawn looks at Gardenia.

"There is," The gym leader nods. "Tough one too."

"Awesome!" Ash stands up triumphantly with food still on his fork.

Dawn rolls her eyes. "There's also a big contest event with a special guest. I loved watching it on tv with my mom."

"When she wasn't in it," Gardenia smiles. "She was amazing."

"Yea," Dawn sighs a little.

"So how do we get there?" Ash asks now that he's finished with his food and in curious mode.

"You have to back through Eterna Forest," Gardenia tries to help.

The two frown.

"I guess we can catch any grass types we missed," Dawn says, trying to make the trip seem a little more fun.

"I do know a shortcut," Gardenia catches their attention. "And somewhere to stop along the way."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Some shortcut," Dawn looks around worriedly.

The girl was hoping the shortcut would be an actual path, not some very poor directions written down on a piece of paper. And by directions, it means pictures... pictures of trees.

"Does that look right?" She holds the paper up to a lopsided oak tree.

Both of them could see no difference from every other oak tree.

They're knee deep into the brush, no signs of humanity around them.

"We're lost," Dawn crumples up the paper.

"Um don't we need that?" Ash asks.

"Do you think we could trace our steps?"

"No those pictures were confusing," He agrees.

"We're gonna waste away out here, left alone for the creatures of the dark to come eat us up," Dawn huffs and sits in a bush.

Because there's literally no open area around them.

A chilly breeze blows through the area and both of them notice less sunlight poking through the trees.

"Nice thought," Ash laughs but the girl is not in a laughing mood.

They sit in silence.

"Gardenia said there's a pit stop right?" Ash asks, mostly to just get something out of Dawn. Which was a nod. "So let's find it, can't be that far."

"And what way should we go?" Dawn holds her arms out to show nothing but the same trees and bushes around them.

"Anywhere," Ash gets up and holds out a hand. "We'll get somewhere eventually."

She sighs and lets him pull her up.

"Or the creatures of the dark will come eat us," He jokes.

Earning him a punch in the shoulder.

"Oww-wait!" Ash stops. "I got an idea."

"Hmm?"

"You sent Zubat and Cherubi back for Burmy and Budew right?"

"Yea Professor said we needed to check him out."

"Well now seems like a good time," Ash says.

Dawn releases Burmy but no adorable grass ball comes out.

Instead a brown winged moth appears.

"Umm that's not a Burmy," Dawn says as the Pokémon lands on Ash's hat.

"Are you sure?" Ash chuckles while examining the bit of its wings he can see.

"Mothim," Dawn's Poketch starts. "While it loves floral honey, it won't gather any itself. Instead, it plots to steal some from Combee."

"Wow Mothim," Ash laughs and the Pokémon buzzes in protest.

Mothim flies around the pair, glowing dust sprinkling off its brown and orange wings. His eyes glow in the darkening forest.

Back to the situation.

They could barely see where they were going in the day, now the sun is down and it's pitch black.

One Pokemon can see though.

"Moooooth," The trainers watch their Pokémon hover in a particular direction.

"Do you know where to go?" Dawn asks and receives a nod. "Thank Arceus."

"I'm a genius," Ash remarks.

His partner goes to protest but she's actually a little thankful.

Instead, "Shinx."

The electric type, who's always out of his pokeball now, shocks his trainer.

"Thanks for lighting the way Ash," Dawn winks as she walks by his paralyzed figure.

He coughs and runs to catch up.

They charge through the dark, somewhat smoothly.

The two try their best to climb through the bushes and over tree roots but they trip more than a couple of times. Their legs start to ache since they've been walking pretty much all day but they continue to follow Mothim.

Then the trees thin out.

Moonlight catches their eyes as soon as the tree cover leaves them. The full moon illuminates their destination...

A big abandoned and definitely haunted mansion.

How fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just keep running

_______________________

Finally back.

Hopefully for a bit.

And things are starting to come together.

Cya soon