Switching Lives

MDM: Sorry for the long hold-up. We've both been pretty busy.

PokemonFreak90: It's been a busy summer, but we're ready to continue. So...roll it!

Chapter 3

Their First Day

Dawn watched Salvia leave the room with Piplup. She petted Togekiss on the head before looking outside the room. Seeing that Salvia had left, she turned back to the Jubilant Pokémon.

"Come on, Togekiss." she said. "Can you show me some parts of the castle?"

Togekiss chirped in agreement and began leading her down a hall, since Dawn didn't know her way around. Dawn admired the architecture that was around her. But then, she bumped into someone. It was Zoey.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Your Highness." Zoey apologized, curtsying deeply.

Dawn was a little confused at first, but then remembered that she thought she was Salvia. "Uh, it's all right, Zoey." She then picked up a basket of white drapes that Zoey had dropped and handed it to her. "Here you go."

Zoey was a little confused because royalty would never give a second thought as to helping a meek servant like her. But she eventually took the basket, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness."

She then noticed the dress that "Salvia" was wearing. "If you don't mind my asking, Your Highness, why are you wearing a different dress?"

Dawn looked down at her own clothes for a split second. "Well... I just thought that it would be nice to wear something new for a change."

Zoey shrugged. "If Your Highness says so." She then curtsied again, saying, "Please excuse me." She then left down the hall.

Dawn breathed a sigh of relief. "That was close." she said to Togekiss. "Now, what was it that you were going to show me?"

Togekiss trilled with excitement and started to lead Dawn again. Dawn giggled before quickening her pace to catch up.

Soon, Togekiss pushed open two doors. As she and Dawn entered, the doppelganger princess was amazed at the many bookshelves towering against the spacious walls. There were so many, that there were a couple of ladders to get up to the higher shelves.

Dawn twirled in amazement, looking up. "Wow! I have never seen so many books!"

Togekiss chirped happily at Dawn's enthusiasm. The young "princess" immediately went looking through the many bookshelves.


Meanwhile, Salvia had just left the servants' entrance with Piplup on her shoulder. She was amazed at the sight of the village just in front of her. She had always admired the quaint town from high up on her bedroom balcony.

Over in the distance to the west, she could see Cyrus' manor. She remembered the dark exterior and imagining that it was a haunted house when she was a little girl. Salvia took a deep breath and began to walk over to the brooding manor.

As she did, she would steal a glance at her right ring finger. It had a gold ring with a small ruby in the middle and the royal family crest of a Cresselia engraved around the red gemstone. It was her royal ring, the one thing that she would never leave behind, for it signified her status as a princess.

As she entered into the manor through the servants' entrance, Salvia was met with a girl a couple of years older than her. She had pale skin, gray eyes, and black hair tied into twin ponytails. She wore a worn brown work dress with light aqua trim. If Salvia remembered correctly from what Dawn told her, this was Candice, the head servant of the household.

"Oh, you're back, Dawn." Candice said. "Great." She reached into an apron pocket and pulled out a small list. "The master just handed me your chores for the day."

Salvia took the list and quickly read through it. "Where is the master now?" she asked, hoping that it didn't seem suspicious.

"He left a few minutes after you left for the castle." Candice explained, not noticing the uneasiness in Salvia's voice. "Oh, I'd better see what is going on in the kitchen. I'll see you at curfew." With that, she left down the hall.

Salvia looked back at the list. The first thing was to go to the market and get some meat. It seemed simple enough. "Well, let us get started, Piplup." she said to the Penguin Pokémon on her shoulder.

"Piplup!" the little Water type agreed.


Salvia wiped some sweat off of her forehead. She certainly had a busy day. After she got back from the market with the meat (and after some exploration thanks to her newfound freedom), she got to the other chores that she was assigned. She dusted the furniture, weeded the gardens, and now she was polishing the floors. It was still not as hard as she expected, but it wasn't easy, either. And it was tiring.

She looked down at her bucket and saw that the water was running low. "A little more water please, Piplup?" she asked.

Piplup chirped an affirmative and fired a Bubble Beam into the bucket, refilling it. Without Piplup, the chores would have been much harder.

Salvia dipped her washcloth into the refilled bucket and then began cleaning the floor again. After a few more minutes, she was done.

"Well, I believe that is everything." Salvia took the bucket, tossed the soapy water out the window, and placed it and the cloth back in the supply room.

Suddenly, she heard a rumbling sound. She turned around and saw Piplup rubbing his rumbly tummy. Salvia giggled.

"Okay, you." She picked up the little penguin. "How about we both have some supper?"

Piplup cheered with happiness, making the disguised princess giggle again. Then, they both headed over to the kitchen.


Back at the castle, Dawn was enjoying a good book in the library with Togekiss napping in the setting sun when a knock was heard. Dawn closed her book and saw that her feet were on the reading table. She immediately put them back on the floor and checked her dress for wrinkles. She had to keep up appearances if she wanted people to think that she was the princess.

"Come in." she said. The doors opened and Zoey came in.

"Your Highness, dinner is served." she said.

"Oh, thank you." Dawn said.

"Would you like it if you ate with the Queen tonight?" she asked. "Or you would have it in your room again?"

For a split second, Dawn was confused. But then she remembered that Salvia told her that she and her mother were not on the same page right now. Besides, if anyone would notice that Dawn was not Salvia with just a glance, it was Queen Johanna.

"Um... I would like it in my room, please." Dawn eventually replied.

"As you wish, Your Highness." Zoey turned to leave, but then remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot. Prince Ash of the Kanto Kingdom will be arriving tomorrow."

A prince? Dawn thought. A real prince is coming here? Salvia forgot to mention that to her.

"All right." she said, trying to not sound excited. She stood up and began to leave the library with Togekiss behind her.

"Would you like me to escort you to your room, Your Highness?" Zoey asked.

"No, it's fine, Zoey." Dawn assured her and continued down the hall. But then, she saw a door that began to peak her curiosity. She opened it and was met with an amazing sight.

It was a magnificent ballroom with polished marble floors and the taupe beige walls were rounded and circled the room. There was a beautiful crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling and the sun's rays were hitting the crystals just right, making specks of light dance across the room.

Togekiss gently nudged Dawn to snap her out of her reverie. She looked over at the Jubilant Pokémon. "You're right, Togekiss. We can stop by here another time." With that, Dawn closed the door and continued her walk to Salvia's bedroom.

Once they arrived and shut the door, the doppelganger princess was bursting at the seams. "I can't believe it, Togekiss!" she squealed. "A real prince! Coming here!"

"Toge, Togekiss." Togekiss tried to remind her in her own dialect.

Dawn's excitement then faded. "Oh, yeah. I forgot. Salvia told me that the other princes who came to court her were rude and conceited. Well, maybe this one's different."

"Toge." Togekiss shrugged, unsure.

Dawn then saw her dinner on Salvia's desk. There was a small bowl of creamy potato soup, a plate with a fried chicken breast with a side of steamed vegetables, and her drink was a sparkling apple cider in a silver goblet. She had never seen this much food for her in her life. She sat down and immediately began to eat.


Meanwhile, Salvia and Piplup were on the floor, exhausted. Their attempt to make some dinner ended with flying hot grease, burnt poffins, and dodging flying frying pans. They also had to clean everything up. Now she knew why Dawn looked half-starved when she had met her. The poor girl worked so hard and long that she probably didn't have time for some food.

"I guess cooking isn't so simple after all." she said to the Penguin Pokémon, who chirped an exasperated agreement.

Salvia heard her own stomach growl for the third time and Piplup's for probably the eighth. She stood up and noticed a basket of bread and apples. Well, it was better than nothing. She took a loaf and a couple of apples. She handed the fruits to Piplup, who eagerly began to eat them. She then started to eat the warm loaf, down to the last crumb.

Then the disguised princess saw the sun almost disappearing behind the horizon. It was time to head to bed. Salvia stood up and took Piplup in her arms. She then found her way to the sleeping quarters. Already, most of the other servants were retiring for the night. Piplup pointed to Dawn's mattress in the corner with his flipper.

Hmm. At least it is decent enough. Salvia thought as she positioned herself on the worn mattress. As she waited for sleep to overtake her, which didn't take very long, she wondered on how Dawn was faring with royal life.

What Dawn was wondering right then back at the castle was how things could be any better. It was the life that she had always dreamed of and she never wanted to go back to being a servant. She wore a silken nightgown and was lying on a bed that was as soft as a cloud.

Both girls then thought the same thing before sleep overtook them: It had been a great first day, for this was freedom. Little did they know that the problems that came with their new lives would soon catch up with them!


MDM: Well, I think this longer chapter was enough for you guys. Hopefully.

PokemonFreak90: And you won't have to wait much longer before Ash arrives! Will he be just like all of the other rude, conceited princes that Salvia rejected?

MDM: We'll find out soon. Whenever that might be. Until next time!