Playing Dress-Up!
"Was this…was this really necessary?" Clemont asked looking from left to right as he sat with Princess Allie in what he could only guess was the main dining hall of the Parfum Palace. On either side of him a Bisharp stood guard, sending shivers down Clemont's spine every time they glanced his way.
Allie laughed, smiling mischievously at the blonde. "But my dear Clemont, it sure is necessary! How else am I gonna prevent you from getting away from me?"
"But don't you think the guards were enough…? Why did you have to tie me down too?" he asked, struggling to stand up only to stop as a Bisharp glared at him.
"Can't take any chances, my dear," the princess went on, smiling with a small blush on her face. "You do owe me after all." Allie glared at him. "You were just the worst! Did you actually think that metal look alike was going to trick me?" Her glare intensified causing Clemont to gulp in fear. "That thing blew up in my face, Clemont! My face!"
"I didn't know that was going to happen!" Clemont told her, truthfully, feeling rather guilty. "Look, princess I am really sorry—"
"You better be!" Allie remarked, pointing her closed fan at him. Suddenly, she smiled and shrugged. "But I forgive you, Clemont, but just so you know you still owe me."
"Owe you?"
"Yes! I kept my end of the bargain with your terrible friends by giving them the Poké Flute and you repay me back by breaking my heart…you are just the worst…" She took out a handkerchief and sniffed. "You were horrible, but now," Allie slammed her hand on the table, glaring at the young inventor. "You will make it up to me! Like it or not!"
"Ma-make it up to you?" Clemont asked, sweating. For some reason he didn't like were this was going.
"Oh, yes! With a—"
"Allie, darling! Where are you?"
Both Clemont and the princess turned towards the voice, the Bisharp standing at attention.
An older man with pale brown hair and extravagant clothes walked into the room, his eyes fixed upon a golden pocket watch that he shook up and down. He sighed in frustration, before looking up, finally noticing Allie and Clemont. "Oh, we have a visitor?"
"Ah, father, how are you?" Allie asked sweetly. Clemont gave her a confused look at her change in attitude, before turning to the older man. "Yes, father. This is Clemont," she gave Clemont a look, before one of the Bisharp tapped him lightly in the arm.
"Ah! Nic-nice to meet you, sir!" he cried, giving Allie a look.
"Hello, hello," the princess's father replied, distracted by his watch. "Ah, this confounded thing…it was working fine this morning…" he muttered, looking at the princess. "How are the preparations for the ball?"
"The servants are mostly done," Allie informed him, glancing at the golden watch. "They should be done before the night ends."
"Good, good…ah, by the way my dear, Lord Shabboneau's butler came to inform me the lord's nephew is visiting along with his fiancée, and asked if I could provide him a pair of invitations for the young lad and his lovely lady companion."
"Really? I didn't know the Lord of Shabboneau Castle had a nephew…" Allie remarked, looking confused.
"Neither did I. The butler explained that Lord Shabboneau's nephew is rather shy and rarely goes out to see his uncle."
"Sounds like an ungrateful man," Allie remarked, while Clemont frowned at her.
Look who's talking…
"Oh, he doesn't sound so bad," her father went on, taking a seat. He continued shaking the pocket watch, before he sighed in frustration.
"Did your watch break, father?"
"I don't know. It was working fine this morning…"
"Maybe the battery has run dry…" Clemont put in, causing the two of them to look at him. He noticed Allie smile mischievously at him before she turned to her father.
"Oh father, maybe my dear Clemont could fix your treasured pocket watch. He is an inventor after all."
"Really?" the older man asked, eyeing Clemont curiously.
"Umm…yeah," he said. Allie's father gave him a strange look, and passed the clock to one of the Bisharp, who in turned gave it to Clemont. He examined the pocket watch, tapping it and moving it closer to his ear trying to hear anything unusual inside. After a few seconds, Clemont nodded and opened the small clock's back with little difficulty, and after tinkering with the gears and such returned the pocket watch, a small smile on his face. "One of the gears got stuck, causing the clock to stop working. It must have hit something while it was in your pocket, sir," he explained. "It should be fine now."
"And indeed it is! But it has the wrong hour, though," the man told him, smiling at his fixed watch. He looked at Clemont and then at his daughter. "He is absolutely marvelous, my dear."
"Isn't he, father?" Allie asked, with a dreamy look on her face.
"I'm assuming he would be your companion for the ball, yes?"
"Yes, he did promise," Allie turned to look at Clemont. "Did you not, Clemont?"
"Well…well, I…I…" the inventor was at loss for words. He hadn't promise anything!
"Ah, such a gentleman!" Allie's father replied, not taking notice of the young inventor's situation. "Oh darling, I never thought I would see the day you will meet a man of your fancy! I approve!"
"Ah…ah what?" Clemont asked, looking confused, while Allie blushed.
"To marry my daughter of course! You seem like a fine young man, after all! And it seems my daughter thinks very highly of you."
"Ah, father, you really mean it?" Allie cried, smiling. She turned to Clemont, her face becoming a darker shade of red. "Did you hear that, dear? My father approves! He absolutely adores you! Isn't that great?"
"Great!? Marry!?" Clemont cried, completely losing it, as he began to sweat nervously.
"Ah, look at the boy, so excited to be your husband…but you mustn't be too hasty now," the older man chuckled. "You are both still too young."
"Hasty!?" What is happening!? Me? Marrying Princess Allie!? When did that even—
"Oh, Clemont, you are so sweet!" Allie cried, going to his side and holding his arm tightly towards her.
No, I'm not! I think I'm in shock! I'm not ready for this kind of relationship, especially tied to a chair! Oh, what am I going to do, now!? Ash, Bonnie, Serena, I really need you guys here!
"Father, father," Allie went on. "Would it be too hasty to announce our wedding plans during your party?"
"What!?"
"Not at all, my dear. I did approve, didn't I?"
"Approval!? Wedding!?"
The princess just cried out in joy and continued to hug Clemont's arm, while the inventor began having an internal nervous breakdown. Why is this happening to me!?
The local boutique was a rather small place, but it didn't hold back in style, nor did its young owner, Madame Gigi. She was a young woman in her early thirties, with long brown hair tied in a ponytail, with a black blouse and short grey skirt.
Gigi gave the group an amused smile, as the butler detailed their plans to sneak into the Parfum Palace to get their friend out. Her smile grew wider when the old man explained that since the princess could easily recognize them, the two youngsters had decided to switch roles for the ball.
"And…that is about it, and now that we have a clear passage to Parfum Palace, we just need to fool the princess and her staff," the butler finished. Gigi clapped her hands and laughed.
"Oh, that is rich! Poor kids," she turned to look at Ash and his female companions. "That girl is giving you more trouble than its worth, huh?" Ash shrugged.
"We assumed she was going to leave as alone the next time we passed by, guess we were wrong."
"That girl never gives up," Gigi commented, grinning. "But, enough about the spoiled lass and more about your plan…" The older woman eyed Ash up and down, before she turned to Serena. "Now, this will probably be simple to pull…hopefully," Gigi turned to the young man. "A convincing wig, along with makeup and a perfect dress would make a perfect disguise for you, Ash; of course with a few extra touches, you will look absolutely fabulous!" The woman then turned to Serena, and frowned. "You on the other hand, Serena, will be a little harder…I sincerely do not want to ruin your beautiful blonde locks with scissors nor color them black or brown…nope." Serena gulped.
The young girl figured that even without the skirt and hat, Allie or one of her maids would do a double take and instantly recognize her if they took a closer look and felt…well, the point was rather obvious.
"Now, now, don't look so disappointed," Gigi replied, noticing Serena's concern. "With these hands of mine, I can make the most beautiful girl into the most handsome gentleman! Don't you fear, my precious girl!"
"Ah…thanks, I guess…"
"Now," Gigi turned her eyes on Ash. "We have precious time. The ball starts at 11 o' clock in the morning tomorrow…we need to find the appropriate clothing for such occasion!" She grabbed Ash by the hand and dragged him by the hand, while Pikachu jumped on Bonnie's hand to avoid falling by the sudden movement.
"Ah!"
"Alright! Let's make you fabulous, my boy!"
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An hour later, and many nervous shouting from Ash, Serena and Bonnie were greeted by an ecstatic Gigi. "My dears, he is done! Let me present to you, my masterpiece!" She rushed behind the curtain that had hidden Ash for the past hour and dragged him out.
Serena, Bonnie and the two rodents let out a small gasp in unison of what they saw, while the butler nodded in approval.
Ash was dressed in a turquoise dress, with a pink ribbon on the chest area, accompanied by white pantyhose and blue Mary Jane shoes with a ribbon each. The young man also wore a long red haired wig that Gigi had decorated with a small ribbon on top of her head like a headband, with makeup applied neatly in his cheeks to give him a blushing face.
"So, what do you think?" Gigi asked, as Ash gave his friends a shy smile.
"You look so cute, Ash!" Bonnie remarked, smiling.
"Pikapi! Pikachu!" Pikachu cried out, with a smile of approval. Dedenne chirped in agreement as well.
Serena for her part only nodded in agreement unable to form words as her face got a little red around the cheeks. He…he can really pull off being a girl…for some reason I really want to give him a kiss…is that so wrong? she thought, blushing.
"This look is radiant! Perfect! Fantastic!" Gigi exclaimed. "And now," he turned to Serena. "It is your turn my dear, let us make you the finest gentleman this side of the Kalos region!" Serena only nodded her eyes still on Ash. She didn't even react as Gigi pulled her behind the curtain and began to work on her disguise.
An hour later, Ash and the others were greeted by Gigi, who shined in excitement. "And ta-da! Finally, my second masterpiece, would you look at this wonderful gentleman!" Gigi dragged a hand from behind the screen, and dragged Serena out in the open. The gasps that followed were a little louder than when Ash had been presented before them.
Serena stood there, her face as red as a tomato; she was dressed in a black suit, the jacket opened to show a gray vest and white shirt underneath and matching black pants, with brown oxford shoes to go. Her hair had been picked up in a low ponytail, Gigi fixing it up so that it looked less wavy and straighter, tied with a blue colored band.
"Look at her, isn't she just grand?"
"Whoa! You look very pretty, Serena!" Bonnie remarked clapping.
"Indeed," the butler agreed. Ash nodded, smiling with a small red tint on his cheeks.
"Yeah, Serena you really look great!"
And I want to kiss you…the girl thought, blushing even harder as she smiled nervously, trying to remove the naughty thoughts from her head. "Th-thank you…" Gigi clapped her hands.
"Isn't my work fabulous!?" she asked, before turning to the group.
"Wonderful, as always, Madame," the butler complimented, smiling. He turned to the group. "I fear that in order to keep up the charade I must ask that you keep your disguises in place; I noticed a few of the princess's maids around the area. If they see you without your disguises they might inform her and the plan will drop like a brick." Ash nodded, he looked back at Serena, who was still blushing.
"Okay, come on, Serena! We can do this!" He extended his hand towards the girl, who immediately took it, her blush becoming brighter than ever. He turned towards Bonnie and Gigi. "You think you can watch Bonnie for us, Miss? If any of Allie's maids see her with us they might put two and two together." Gigi nodded.
"Let your minds at ease, I will guard the little dear," she told them, while the little girl nodded.
"Don't worry; I'll be fine, just don't get caught!"
"Pikachu, look after Bonnie for me, okay?"
"Pikapi!" his Pokémon replied, with a smile as it watched Ash and Serena leave the boutique along with the butler.
Once outside, Ash stopped grabbing Serena's hand, before linking his arm in hers. Serena sincerely tried not to panic when he did this. "Sorry," he muttered, noticing her discomfort. "We must look like a couple after all."
"It's…its fine…" Can I kiss you? I want to kiss you…even with a dress on I want to kiss you…am I going insane? "W-we gotta keep up with appearances after all…" The butler patted their shoulders.
"You will be fine, just deep breathes and remember," he turned towards Ash. "You are wearing the dress now, my bo—dear," the butler turned towards Serena and winked. "And you are not, my boy. So, let this be a practice for the ball tomorrow."
"Yeah, I mean, yes!" Ash replied, correcting himself and giving his voice a feminine tone. He smiled towards Serena. "Ready?"
"Ye-yeah," the girl replied, giving her voice a masculine tone or at least trying to. And while she tried to look calm, her head was a series of thoughts and imaginary situations.
Will it be asking too much for a peck on the cheek?
Am I in heaven? I'm dying, aren't I?
This is like a dream come true…or…or a nightmare…but, he just looks so…so…
…somebody just push me towards those lips already!
Hahaha, I had fun writing this chapter! Took me longer than expected, but I hope you're not disappointed. I might also extend this story beyond the 3 chapters I mentioned before, after all, why not?
Poor Clemont, that situation escalated quickly, but oh well, he'll be fine. Allie will provide for him, she's a princess after all.
And poor Serena; while I didn't give her major changes for her cross dressing, I figured that for Serena it was easier to pretend to be the other gender, after all, if there is something i have noticed through the years is that men and women in animation, comics or manga can be good at pretending to be the opposite gender (take Haku, for example). Her disguise is simple, just like Ash's, which is a small combination of the Ashley costume he wore on the BW arc of the anime and the single ribbon on top of her head calls back to the first time he disguised himself as Ashley.
A big thanks to all those that reviewed and favorite the story (also the followers!) you don't know how happy that makes me.
See you next time!