Author's note: Eleven months without updating this story...this is terrible of me! I am so sorry about this guys, I really am! It was the loss of inspiration I guess, especially since I know what happens to Chespie which made me feel better in the main series.

Well, this and most of my other stories will probably get slow updates, but I don't want to abandon any of them. So, please be patient, and again, I am deeply sorry for the year delay.

I don't own Pokemon. It belongs to Nintendo/Pokemon Company.


Chapter seven: Meeting Ash's friends.

Later that morning, Mairin and Chespie ventured off from the Pokemon Center to explore Pewter City before they were to head to the theatre tonight for the premire of "The Giant Woman" movie. Needless to say, the young ten year old trainer was nervous to be featured there. So, she tried to calm her nerves by gazing around the town and what it has to offer.

Deep down, though, she still couldn't help but think about Alain or how he was doing back in Kalos. In fact, she missed her home region, but the nightmares kept her away in fear of everyone she cared about to get hurt because of her.

"Ches?" Chespie blinked all of the sudden, which got Mairin's attention.

"What is it, Chespie?" The ten year old asked. When her partner pointed in front of both of them, she followed his direction and saw...a Jigglypuff standing there in front of them, with a microphone in it's grasp.

"A Jigglypuff! How cute!" Mairin exclaimed at how adorable the pink-round Pokemon is. "Hi there, Jigglypuff."

"Chespin!" Chespie greeted the new Pokemon as well, waving.

"Jigglypuff!?" A familiar voice suddenly cried out behind the two. Mairin and Chespie turned to looke behind them and were surprised to see the same nice guy that directed them to Viridian City the other day; Brock who had a weirdly freaked out expression at the sight of the small Pokemon.

"Hey, you're the nice person at the Airport." Mairin muttered.

Before Brock could say anything, Jigglypuff brought up it's microphone close to it and began to sing into it, "~Jiggillypuff, Jigaleee-puff,~" and continued to sing.

"It can use sing!" Mairin said as she and Chespie turned back to how beautiful Jigglypuff was singing...only for them, Brock and almost everyone else in Pewter City to suddenly feel drowsy and sleepy, causing the young trainger to yawn, "I feel really sleepy..."

Before Mairin and the others knew it, they were quickly fast asleep and collasped to the ground, away in dreamland, briefly snoring occasionly. When Jigglypuff opened it's eyes, it stopped singing and noticed, to it's sheer annoyance, everyone was asleep and being a gullible Pokemon, it still didn't know that it's singing talents was an attack to put opponents to sleep. Pulling off the microphone part and revealing it's marker, the pink Pokemon got to work to punish everyone who fell asleep.


By the time everyone work up, Jigglypuff was gone, having stormed off. When Mairin and Chespie worked up and glanced each other, they both noticed, to their surprise and amusement, their faces were squibbled in marker ink with random pictures. The two friends bursted out laughing at each other hysterically. Brock in the meantime was wiping off the ink off his face with a cloth until he was certain that the ink was all gone.

"Sorry about Jigglypuff. It thinks it's a singer and if you fall asleep when it sings, it gets angry and draws on your face." Brock apologetically said to the two who stopped laughing when they heard this and looked up at him.

"Is that why it had a microphone?" Mairin asked, curiously.

"Yeah, pretty much." Brock replied, rubbing the back of his neck. He then said, "By the way, you're a new trainer, right?"

Mairin blinked in surprise and she couldn't help but ask, "How do you know?"

"Chespin?" Chespie echoed.

"Well, for starters, you came from the Kalos Region and Chespin here is one of the region's starter Pokemon." Brock explained kindly, "I also couldn't help but notice you're keeping it out of it's Pokeball. Reminds me of two friends I used to travel."

"Well, we both started out a couple of months ago and we sort of decided to explore the Kanto Region." Mairin replied, though she didn't reveal the part where she and Chespie were involved with Alain's quest looking for Mega Stones.

She then stood up and introduced herself and Chespie, "My name's Mairin, and this is the most awesome Pokemon in the world, Chespie!"

"Chespin!" Chespie waved.

Brock smiled, especially at the nick-name of Chespie. "Nice to meet you. My name's Brock." He responded. "Are you here to compete in the Pokemon League, or in the Pokemon Contests?"

"Well, I haven't figured it out yet. I guess Chespie and I are really here for an adventure." Mairin admitted, which brought up some sadness of her experiences in the Houen Region all over again and she tried really hard not to let that or her nightmares get the better of her. In truth, she was still fasinated in the workings of the Mega Stones and Mega Evolution, but she had to put that behind her and find a new interest.

So, she instead asked, "What about you, Brock?"

"Well, I used to be out travelling to become a Pokemon Breeder, but now I'm studying to become a Pokemon Doctor, after my last adventure with my friends in the Sinnoh Region." Brock explained.

"You went to Sinnoh?" Mairin asked, excitedly amazed. "That means he travelled other parts of the world, Chespie!" She said to her Chespin who nodded in echoing excitement.

"Brock? Is that you?" Another familiar voice called out, causing all three of them to see a familiar girl with a Piplup running up towards them. Mairin and Chespie were stunned to see that it was the same girl who saved them back in Viridian City.

"Hey there, Dawn." Brock greeted as Dawn and Piplup reached him, Mairin and Chespie.

Before Dawn could say something else to her old friend, she noticed another familiar person and Pokemon, blinking in surprise, "Huh? You're the same guys we met in Viridian City."

"Piplup!" Piplup added.

Mairin flinched, remembering how she ran off from these two in tears, and cringed, muttering, "Y-yeah. I'm really sorry for running off like that. I guess I was kinda depressed."

"Huh?" Dawn and Brock asked in confusion, though this confirmed on what they both were thinking differently days earlier.


Venturing near the Pewter City Gym, having realised that she wasn't getting out of explaining why she was a bit upset, Mairin revealled her depression of nightmares that caused her and Chespie to run away in order to avoid having everyone she cared about in getting hurt.

She didn't tell Dawn or Brock about what happened in the Houen Region or about the Mega Stones or even about Alain, so she let them come to their own conclusions. The three trainers sat on the bench while Chespie and Piplup, quickly becoming friends, played together.

"...No wonder you looked so sad." Dawn said finally after a moment or two of silence.

"I just don't get why I keep having them." Mairin muttered, trying very hard not to cry again. "I thought coming here would make things better, so I could make a fresh start. Last night wasn't so bad, but...I have no idea what to do."

"Something scary that traumatized a person can make them do things differently." Brock wisely told the young trainer, continuing, "But you shouldn't let it get to you or pay much attention to what the nightmares are saying, because they're not real."

Mairin sighed, "I've been trying, but I always end up thinking about...about my friends and family and feel like a burden to them. Especially since I'm clumsy."

"I get what you mean. But maybe running away isn't the answer." Dawn told her kindly. The other girl looked at her quizzly, allowing the young Coordinator to continue, "Not every trainer starts out great on their journey. The first day of my journey, Piplup and I were attacked by a horde of Ariados. For a while there, I thought I was done for, but then Piplup saved me in using Bane. Neither of us will forget that moment."

She gazed at Piplup fondingly while the said Pokemon was playing patty-cake with Chespie.

"Truth is, the two of us didn't start out so great. But when that happened, I chose him as my partner and my best friend. Before I left home, I couldn't figure out if I should choose Piplup, Chimchar or Turtwig." Dawn added.

"Wow...really?" Mairin asked, surprised. Who would've thought that other starting trainers went through crazy beginnings? Hers didn't start out like Dawn's did, and from the beginning, Mairin herself had always loved Chespins and knew that she wanted to have one as her partner. Her adventure really began when she first discovered Alain and Charizard in their Mega-Evolved battle.

"That's actually very similiar to how Ash and Pikachu started out before I met them a long time ago." Brock chuckled.

"I guess not everyone start out normally-wait! You mean you know Ash Ketchum!?" Mairin exclaimed, shocked as she glanced at Brock.

"Yeah, we both do." Dawn replied, surprised to her what Mairin had said.

"You met him?" Brock asked.

Mairin stood up and said quickly, "No, I never met him, but I saw him and his Pikachu on TV just before I started out as a trainer! He was trying to save a Grachomp in Lumoise City, before saving Pikachu from falling off the Lumoise Gym's tower and they were saved by this mysterious Pokemon. It was so cool!"

"Yeah, that's Ash alright. He never changes." Dawn giggled, not surprised at all.

"He always leaps into action before thinking, but he certainly has strong love for Pokemon, especially Pikachu." Brock agreed with a knowing smile, which looked slightly embarrassed.

"Wow...no wonder he's so brave." Mairin muttered, stunned. Even Chespie, who along with Piplup heard this, was amazed at what Dawn and Brock both said. Hearing that Ash would do that almost everytime, or possibly everytime, it reminded her of how Alain saved her and Chespie from Rayquaza's attack, and then saving Charizard when it was defeated by Groudon. Come to think of it, Mairin didn't think twice when she and Chespie went to save him when he was knocked unconscious.

But it also brought back to her nightmares. No, Brock was right. Mairin had to forget about the nightmares, because they are not real. They're just based on her scary experiences. Still...what if those dreams actually come true?

Maybe running away wasn't the right answer, as Dawn said. Mairin is a Pokemon Trainer, and yet she was running away like a scared five year old, not going into Pokemon battles like she should as a trainer. But she was rookie trainer, so she needed some practice first in order to become a good trainer at least, especially here in Kanto to survive and have fun.

Well...maybe a practice run with one of Ash's friends might help.

"Hey, Dawn. Will you battle me?" Mairin asked after making up her mind.

"Excuse me?" Dawn replied, slightly surprised, as were Brock and the two Pokemon.

"The truth is, I wanna practice in Pokemon battles against other trainers, and I can't do that if I'm running away like this. Will you please battle me?" Mairin requested.

Dawn and Brock both glanced at each other, surprised by this request until they realised what Mairin actually meant. Even though Dawn was an experienced trainer herself by now, even she still had a lot to learn and plus, maybe she can give the girl from Kalos a few tips.

Finally, the trainer from Sinnoh stood up and nodded, "Sure. Why not."

"Really?" Mairin exclaimed, "Thank you!"

"How 'bout a one-on-one?"

"Sounds good to me: I choose Chespie!" Mairin declared excitedly.

"Okay. Then I choose Piplup!" Dawn agreed.

The two said Pokemon glanced at each other, before Chespie and Piplup nodded. This might actually be fun.

"Well then, if that's the case, I'll be the judge of this battle. I know a place where we can have the battle." Brock decided as he stood up as well. It's been a while since he was coaching a Pokemon battle in ages.


The three trainers soon found themselves in the park near the Pokemon Center, with Mairin and Chespie facing Dawn and Piplup on the opposite sides of the battle field, with Brock acting as the coach of the battle.

"This Pokemon battle between Dawn and Piplup and Mairin and Chespie will now get underway." Brock announced. Once both trainers and their Pokemon were ready, he called out the signal, "And begin!"

"Chespie, use Pin Missile!" Mairin commanded.

Chespie's horns glowed green as the said Pokemon let out it's attack towards Piplup.

"Piplup, use Bubblebeam to counter it!" Dawn quickly commanded.

Piplup let out it's attack which met halfway against Chespie's Pin Missile, resulting both attacks to explode into dust after colliding. The dust quickly cleared as both trainers were stunned by this but continued to try and stay firm.

"Now Piplup, use Drill-Peck Attack!" Dawn commanded.

The Pengiun Pokemon's beak glowed white and extended, charging towards Chespie who waited for the next order but was quickly pecked on by the powerful attack, much to Mairin's shock.

"Try using Vine Whip!" Mairin quickly ordered.

Chespie, despite being pecked on, attempted to use it's said attack and sucessfully tied up Piplup in it's grip. The former then pulled hard which resulted in Piplup spinning around a couple of times before making it dazed while seeing miniture Torchics circle around it's head.

Piplup then snapped out of it's daze quickly back shaking it's head, as Dawn gave out her next command, "Ice Beam Attack!"

The said Pokemon let out it's freezing attack.

"Dodge, Chespie!" Mairin hurriedly commanded, and Chespie hurried jumped, leaped and ran out of the way to avoid in getting frozen, before his trainer quickly ordered, "Try using Pin Missile again!"

Chespie jumped and then fired it's attack once more.

"Hydro Pump!" Dawn commanded.

Piplup stopped it's Blizzard attack and instead switched to Hydro Pump which again collided with Chespie's attack, but this time this powerful attack pushed it back and hit the grass-type Pokemon, sending him flying and falling onto the battle field below, much to Mairin's worry. As she cried out his name, Chespie stubbornly pushed himself back up, shaking away the daze despite it's energy running pretty low.

Even though Mairin was aware that Dawn was already a strong trainer, she didn't want the battle to end quickly. Then an idea came to her and mentally nodded to herself.

"Chespie, use Toxic!" Mairin commanded.

Chespie did so as the poison attack hit Piplup who tried to dodge it but was hit and was now poisoned, feeling it's health getting weaker, much to Dawn's worry.

"It worked!" Mairin exclaimed, amazed herself.

"Wow...I never thought of that." Dawn admitted, stunned herself. She then smiled, feeling familiar excitement despite the worry that Piplup would eventually lose it's health, "Better finish this up. Piplup, use Hydro-Pump!"

"Counter with Pin Missile, Chespie!" Mairin quickly commanded, feeling the same excitement in her first actual battle.

Both Pokemon did so despite the limited energy. Piplup's Hydro Pump and Chespie's Pin Missle collided once more, but this time both attacks broke free of each other and continued onward towards their targets. Directly at the same time, both of them cried out in agony as each other's attacks hit their mark despite that grass type Pokemon had better advantage to water type Pokemon. At the exact same time, Chespie and Piplup collasped to the ground, their eyes spinning(anime-style) and the two layed there, moaning.

Seeing this, Brock declared, "Piplup and Chespie are unable to battle. This match is a draw!"

Mairn and Dawn both approached their fallen Pokemon and cradled their partners in their arms to comfort them.

"You were great there, Chespie." Mairin said softly.

"Ches..." Chespie said, smiling weakly.

"I'm so proud of you, Piplup. We'll get you to the Pokemon Center to cure the poison, okay?" Dawn said comfortingly to Piplup who mumured weakly to his trainer.

Both trainers recalled their Pokemon as Brock approached the two girls, saying, "It'll be a good idea to head over to the Pokemon Center to get both Chespie and Piplup cured up."

"Right." Dawn and Mairin both said in agreement.

But as Mairin and her two new friends raced away from the park to head back to the Pokemon Center just as the sun was starting to set, neither of them had been aware that Alain and Zinnia, who were still searching for Mairin herself had just arrived in the area three minutes later.

"Why is finding her and even losing her so difficult?" Alain sighed, pausing in the middle of the battle field.

"Kids just have a way in doing that, but they have no trouble in finding anything or anyone else." Zinnia shook her head with a knowing smirk.

The young man facepalmed himself, "You're telling me. When I first met her, Mairin always managed to find me everytime I tried to lose her since I didn't want her involved with my journey. In the end, I gave up and just let her travel with me."

Zinnia giggled at this response, "Might as well call yourself a kid magnet." which caused Alain to whirl around to face her, his face starting to the shade of pink at this comment. Asur seemed to be laughing because it was smiling exictedly. "See? Even Asur agrees."

"You're not helping out, Asur." Alain grumbled, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"Oh, we're only teasing. Don't take it to heart." Zinnia smirked.

"Somehow, that just makes it a little worse."

Unaware of the two of them, and even to Asur, AZ had been scanning the skies for Lysandre and had been scanning Petwer City since Cerulean City had nothing on who he was looking for.

'There is nowhere to run. You can't hide from me.' AZ thought to himself, eyes narrowing dangerously.


45 minutes later at the Pokemon Center, both Chespie and Piplup were handed back to their respected trainers by Nurse Joy who said, "Your Pokemon are good as new and fighting fit."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Both Mairin and Dawn thanked, hugging their respected Pokemon Partners.

"I'm surprised they get on so well." The Nurse continued.

"I guess Chespie and Piplup became good friends already." Mairin said in agreement.

Before Dawn could say anything, she, Mairin and their Pokemon were startled when Brock quickly moved up to the front counter and held the startled Nurse Joy's hands, his eyes comically shaped like love hearts.

"Perhaps with effortless teamwork, you and I can get on well ourselves, Nurse Joy." Brock said charmingly, "Maybe we'll evolve into something much more-"

JAB!

Crogunk suddenly popped out of it's Pokeball and used it's Poison Jab right into Brock's back, causing it's trainer to cringe and moan due to this attack before collasping to the floor(anime style) face first, while his Pokemon grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him away from the others to avoid anymore embarrassment.

Dawn and Piplup both sighed with embarrassed but knowing smiles, while Mairin and Chespie watched Brock and Crogunk go with dumbfounded looks on their expressions and huge sweatdrops on their heads.

"...That was weird." Mairin muttered, wide-eyed.

"He does that all the time when it comes to pretty girls, especially Nurse Joys and Officer Jennys." Dawn explained in both an embarrassed and apologetic tone.

"Is he trying to find a girlfriend?" The Kalos Trainer guessed.

"Obviously." The Sinnoh Trainer nodded in agreement.

"Which reminds me." Nurse Joy spoke up, "The Pokemon Center will be closed early tonight, because of the movie premiure of The Giant Woman."

The name of the movie suddenly made both Mairin and Chespie remember that they were supposed to be there to see the movie tonight itself just before sunset, and when the two of them glanced up at the clock behind the Nurse, the two panicked as it was nearing five thirty, which leaves them half an hour before the movie starts.

"Aah! I completely forgot about the movie! We're gonna be late!" Mairin panicked, saying apologetically to Dawn, Piplup and Brock who recovered, "Sorry, guys! Gotta go! Catch you later!"

Immediately, Mairin and Chespie thanked Nurse Joy before racing out of the Pokemon Center for the second time today, leaving behind her puzzled new friends who watched her go. Was she going to see the new slightly scary movie?

As the two friends raced by people and Pokemon and had just made it to the theatres and met with the director at the backdoor who greeted her, unaware to Mairin and Chespie, and even to Alain, Zinnia, Asur, Dawn, Piplup and Brock, halfway between the cross-roads of Cerulean City and Vermilion City, and Pewter City, with the craft having turned into a van, Lysandre and his men were making their way towards Cerulean City.

"How much further to Cerulean City?" Lysandre questioned.

"Another 75 minutes, sir." One of the orange-suit men answered.

The tall man nodded, "More than enough time."

He was unaware that Alain and the others were closer than he knew, which could change things and possibly take a turn for the worst.


A/N: Again, I am deeply sorry for both the lateness of updates for this story and that this chapter isn't as good as the others. I'm not sure how long this story will be or when it will be finished, but I do intend to finish it eventually. I'll update this again as soon as possible, but you may have to wait for quite a while again.