Some answers will arrive this chapter, along with more questions. Either way, we hope you enjoy it. Time for Chapter 9!


Chapter 9

A Lapse of Control

It didn't take long to find the Pokémon doctor, the man in the dining room with the remainder of their search party, talking with concern. Of course, Ash's appearance warranted quite a few gasps from those around him. It was no surprise, he realized. He was drenched, slight ice crystals around his pants and looked like he'd been through hell. Combined with that, he and Clemont were supporting Dawn, passed out and looking like she'd been living in a cave. That alone was enough to attract the gaze of the guests and his own mother.

"Ash! What happened to you? And your friend?" she asked, standing from her seat. Brock turned towards their group, immediately forgetting about Lisia beside him, a look of seriousness on his face as he did so. Ash shifted Dawn's weight on him, alleviating a little of the weight from Clemont. She seemed to be in a state of semi-consciousness, mumbling words by his ears.

"Ash…have to…no…job…" It sounded incoherent, and Ash was glad that only he and Clemont could hear just what she was saying. At least it would save her from some embarrassment. Though, now Ash realized she'd been doing a fine job of that all on her own the last couple days.

"Sorry, mom, but we don't have time! Brock, something's wrong with Dawn," Ash insisted. Brock's gaze narrowed (well, as much as it could) while he stared at Dawn being supported by the two boys. Ash looked around, surprised to find that Captain Ryker wasn't in the dining hall (though that should have been obvious from Serena not being there...and he almost smacked himself for realizing that was the task he'd put her on in the first place).

"What happened?" he asked, forgetting his previous conversation and instead walking around the table to join with them. Pikachu leapt to the table, looking in concern and worry towards Dawn. So, too, did Sawyer, but he didn't step any closer.

"I don't know. We were looking for Gary, and then she suddenly attacked me and Serena. Did you guys manage to find him?" Ash asked. Brock frowned a moment and then put his hands on Ash to turn him around and lead him out of the dining hall. As Ash turned, he caught sight of Jasper and the three janitors (or cooks…or whatever they were) watching their group. Neither Captain Ryker nor Mr. Cecil were anywhere to be seen.

"No, but let's chat in the infirmary," Brock insisted, making sure his hands were placed firmly on both Ash and Clemont's backs as he pushed them out of the dining hall. The murmurs amongst the guests followed them out as Lisia stepped up.

"Nothing to worry about, everyone!" Lisia called to everyone in the room. "That was all the opening act of a performance meant to get your attention. Now, me and Miette, one of our Top Four in the Contest Spectacular are going to put on a show for you!"

"Lisia will keep them calm," Brock insisted, but it wasn't in the usual admiring and simpering tone he often used. Ash could tell he had his game-face on, and that was enough to keep him alert as they broke out onto the deck, bathed in the red-orange glow of sunset. It made the wood on the deck seem almost amber as they moved along, turning towards some stairs that led to an upper deck where the infirmary was, close to one of the smokestacks on the ship. Sawyer trailed behind them, looking even more concerned than he had when this whole thing started. Quickly enough, they reached the infirmary and opened the door. Nurse Joy instantly looked at them.

"Brock, I thought you had your time off for the afternoon and evening," she said, blinking at the Pokémon doctor's presence.

"Sorry, Nurse Joy, but this is an emergency," Brock said. She instantly stood and went to grab a bed, noticing the state of Dawn between Ash and Clemont's bodies. In a second, she'd rolled it over and the two boys placed Dawn upon it, where she started shivering, like she was the one that was cold.

"So…she attacked you while you were looking for Gary?" Sawyer asked in concern. Ash nodded, looking down with concern at his friend. "You didn't find him, then?"

"No…we didn't have time before she…" Ash trailed off, thinking back to that door, the locked one he had heard sounds behind it. Perhaps there was something there, but Ash wasn't sure if it was Gary or just some random stowaway Pokémon or maybe just a hole in the room. Either way, Dawn and Piplup were the most important. The door could come later; even missing, Gary could take care of himself.

"Nurse Joy, could you please treat Piplup while I examine Dawn?" Brock asked stoically. Ash was a little surprised at how straightforward he was being. Having been so used to Brock flirting with the nurses he met, it was a sight to see him not even think about it for a second and instead focus all his efforts on his job.

"I'm on it," Nurse Joy said, taking Piplup in her arms from Braixen and placing him on a small gurney.

"Braixen, Pikachu, can you two…?" Ash decided to ask. Both of them got the answer and briefly stepped outside of the door, presumably to fire off some kind of signal flare that would let Serena and the others know exactly where they were. Pikachu quickly came back inside and ran over to join Piplup, looking sadly at his best friend.

"Tell me exactly what happened," Brock said, seating himself next to Dawn and feeling for her pulse. He may not have been a human doctor, but it was obvious that he knew what he was doing. He also frowned upon touching her pulse. "And I mean everything, Ash. Don't leave any details out."

"Okay…well…" Ash folded his arms, trying to think of the best place to start. He quickly decided, but he wasn't happy about it. "Dawn's been acting really weird and stuff. Like...touching my face and things like that. I mean, she wouldn't even give me a high five, and she even messed up her appeals. The Dawn I know isn't like that."

"So you noticed it, too…" Brock commented. He shifted around and lifted up one of Dawn's eyelids, looking in with a light. "I had thought it was just a misstep, but three times said something was off…and then dinner last night."

"Uh…yeah…" Ash noted, not really wanting to think about the antics Dawn had pulled the previous evening. He found he'd much rather think about his and Serena's time in the ruins today. Which, once he had… "She was following us today in the ruins. Tried to act like she wasn't but every time we'd turn around, she was there."

"And then she attacked you…" Brock muttered. He was looking increasingly disturbed, just as Ash had been feeling towards Dawn the last few days. The girl had not been herself.

"Yeah, she kept saying things about her 'job' and us being together forever and love transcending time and space. I mean, she sounded crazy, Brock!" Ash insisted. Next to him, Clemont was nodding his head, as though he agreed with all of this.

"Luplup!" Piplup suddenly squeaked out, sitting up on the bed. Pikachu looked relieved and moved to hug him. That action seemed to cause Piplup some sadness as he hung his head. Ash moved over to the Penguin Pokémon.

"You were worried, too, weren't you, Piplup?" Ash asked of him. Piplup nodded, and that enough was cause to confirm Ash's suspicions that Dawn was not herself. Brock stood from his chair.

"Ash, Clemont, go and get Jasper. We'll need something strong enough to wake Dawn up, and he should have the ingredients in the kitchen. I'd like to stay here and examine Dawn while you do," the doctor told them firmly.

"We're on it," Clemont said, holding a thumbs up before running out the door. Ash gave a look to Pikachu, telling him to look after all of them, and then he was out of the door after Clemont, all too quickly catching up to his slow pace. Once he had, he slowed his own to keep them side-by-side as they went down the stairs. "I'm sure she'll be fine, Ash."

"I know she will…but I want to know why she was acting so weird," Ash told him. Clemont was once more nodding to indicate his agreement on the subject.

"Were you two ever…you know…an item?"

"An item? What's that mean?" Ash asked of his friend, genuinely confused by the question.

"Did you ever date?" Clemont asked. If Ash had been drinking something, he'd have spat it out. The thought had never crossed his mind. Was that really what people had thought of him and Dawn? More than that, did people think of he and Serena in the same way? Jasper certainly seemed to think so, at least, so…Ash shook his head to clear the distracting thoughts.

"No," he answered easily. "Dawn's like my best friend, not like…that…I think."

"Hmmm…" Clemont mused aloud. "Well, now that I think about it, you two acted more like siblings when the cruise started…so I wonder why she would…"

"Ash!" The call of Serena's voice interrupted their conversation (gratefully, in Ash's opinion) and the two turned to see that Serena was running forward with a flustered Captain Ryker at his side. Bonnie and Viggo looked to be hanging back for whatever reason. "I got the Captain while he was searching a different area, but is Dawn…?"

"Brock's looking her over," Ash answered, pointing up towards the infirmary. "He asked us to get Jasper."

"Sounds like a good idea," Ryker grumbled out. "To think a passenger would be so harmed on the ship. I've failed in my duties as a captain…"

"That's not true, Captain," Clemont said graciously, trying to placate the forlorn captain. The older man wore a very harsh expression on his face, one that would have made Ash recoil a little if not for his ultimate goal in finding Jasper and grabbing him to help. Ryker made a grunt that sounded like a growl and Ash decided now was his best time to leave. Straightening his hat, he looked out over the orange ocean and stepped into the dining hall. There were now less people there, the main meal for dinner having obviously finished. His mother was gone too, leaving Jasper and his three helpers wiping down the counters and tables.

"Ah, Ash," Jasper said, calling to him upon catching sight. The other three all looked up with shrewd and calculating looks before Manectric barked at them to get working again. "How's your friend from earlier doing?"

"Right, about that…Brock needs your help," Ash said, unsure about what else to say to the man. Jasper stopped in his wiping and placed his rag down, lifting his eyebrow just a bit. "Dawn's pretty out of it and he thinks you have the ingredients to make a kind of medicine to help her."

Jasper continued to survey Ash a moment before sighing with what seemed to be resignation. "Never thought I'd be using food for something such as this, but there's a first time for everything. You three!"

"Yes, sir!" the three janitors said with salutes.

"Gather up some saffron, almonds and the coffee beans. Oh, and some blueberries as well!" Jasper stated, once more grabbing the rag to toss it into a hanging hamper. The three scurried towards the kitchen to grab the materials needed while Jasper dusted his hands off and indicated for Ash to show him the way. Nodding, the raven-haired trainer led the chef out of the dining hall to where the group was waiting. "Oh, captain…you're here?"

"If there's a crisis on my ship, I can't just let it pass by," Ryker said harshly, almost bitingly. He certainly wasn't the usual, jovial captain that they'd all come to know. Then again, anyone would switch modes if something happened. Ash knew that all too well from the Flare Incident.

"Ha ha, fair enough," Jasper chuckled out. Ash turned around, giving a nod to Serena and Clemont as he walked forward, back towards the stairs that would lead to the infirmary. Serena drew level with him.

"Is…is Dawn okay…you know, physically?" Serena asked, her hands twisting together, picking at part of her dress in absolute worry. Ash saw this and without thinking, reached out to grab her hands to stop her. She did stop, looking at him with glistening eyes, full of worry.

"Brock wouldn't tell us. But Piplup's fine, so I'm sure she will be, too. No need to worry. And no giving up," Ash told her confidently. Clemont appeared to take a step back, like he was giving them room to talk while he went to rein in the clearly conspiring Bonnie and Viggo.

"R-right," Serena said, sucking in a breath and then smiling. He knew she was truly still worried deep inside, but decided to not press the issue. Serena had always been strong. It was one of the things he'd always loved about her. Whether things were easygoing or desperate, she'd find a well of strength, and he'd no doubt she would this time as well. He blinked as his feet hit the stairs. He loved it about her? That was weird, yet seeing the way her honey blonde hair captured the glow of the setting sun, and her blue eyes shone with crystal determination, he couldn't help but think there was no other way to put it.

"By the way, where's Mr. Cecil? Wasn't he with the captain?" Ash asked of the girl next to him. Serena tilted her head a little.

"He wasn't with the captain when we met up with him…" Serena informed him. "He probably went to secure the artifact. I mean, if Gary's missing and Sawyer was searching…"

"Who's left? Right," Ash said, feeling it made sense. Still, it made him uneasy that they appeared to be in crisis mode and Mr. Cecil was nowhere to be seen. He didn't let that worry him, however, as they'd reached the top and we're aiming right for the infirmary. Ash turned his head, once more looking out over the ocean, strange rock formations like pillars jutting out on the sides of the slowly gliding ship from the sea. However, he was again far too focused on Serena and her vision of…well, the only word he could seem to use in that moment was beauty. It made him lose a sense of time and self for just a few seconds until he felt Bonnie ribbing him roughly while Serena looked at him in confusion.

"What'cha staring at, Ash?" Bonnie snickered out. Viggo was doing a similar action while Clemont looked between the two kids, trying to figure out why they were laughing. His gaze, in particular, was focused on Viggo with a little frown.

"The ocean," Ash insisted, though he knew he was lying deep down. "It's really, uh…pretty. Yeah."

"Uh-huh…" Bonnie said while rolling her eyes. Ash had no retort to that and turned his attention to see Serena running over to Braixen and reuniting with her Pokémon. Collecting his thoughts, Ash walked over and grabbed the door handle to push it in. The first thing he caught sight of were Piplup and Pikachu munching on some Pokémon food while Sawyer sat and wrote furiously in his notebook.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried upon seeing him, patting Piplup on the back and jumping back over to him.

"Yeah, we're back. How's Dawn?" Ash didn't get an answer in the cramped infirmary while Jasper and Ryker bustled over to where Brock seemed to have finished examining Dawn.

"The diagnosis?" Jasper asked, now all business himself. The sound of rustling outside the door informed Ash that the three with the ingredients had arrived and Clemont moved to open the door only to find it wasn't just the three but Miette with them as well, carrying a carton of blueberries. Lisia appeared to be absent, but Ash guessed she might have still been placating some of the passengers.

"Not sure yet. First, I think we should wake her up," Brock told the room at large. Ash stepped back, grabbing Serena with him, while Clemont did the same for Bonnie and Viggo. Serena's body pressed up against his as they touched their backs to the wall, and Ash caught a glimpse of Miette looking like she was holding in giggles as she arched a somewhat suggestive eyebrow. He didn't quite get what she meant, but he could certainly feel the warmth of Serena's skin on his.

"You got everything?" Jasper asked with a very clipped tone.

"Here they are, boss!"

"And they're available at no cost!" the blue-haired one said with a rather simpering smile on his face as he held out the ingredients. Jasper immediately took them, whipping out a small glass from the pockets of his apron. He was certainly one well prepared chef. With a speed and accuracy that even Brock and Clemont could likely not match, Jasper took his ingredients and mixed them. Ryker watched with indifference until sitting in the glass was a cup of a dark blue…substance.

"Gross, huh?" Miette commented sidling up next to Ash uncomfortably. Maybe it had been because of Dawn's antics, but he was finding that someone coming up against him suddenly was an unwelcome surprise. "Glad I'm not drinking it."

"Me, too," Serena voiced, though she looked more concerned over Dawn's state of well-being. Brock shifted in the chair.

"Captain Ryker, if you would…" he said, indicating to Dawn's prone body. Ryker nodded sharply and moved over to grab ahold of Dawn's head, elevating her to a decent consumption level. Jasper handed over the fluids and Brock steadily tipped them down Dawn's throat.

A couple seconds passed in absolute silence, broken only by the muted closing of Sawyer's notebook as he watched what would happen. Then Dawn suddenly sat up, gasping and shouting an incoherent string of words.

"Yellow eyes! Time…time…time for…have to tell…in danger…" Ash watched with his eyes expanded as wide as they could be before Dawn slumped down, breathing evenly. Brock moved over to the bluenette once more, taking the same measures that he had as before.

"Brock…?" Ash asked, becoming concerned with the lack of his friend's words. Brock finally finished and sighed, slumping into his chair.

"She's fine. Just needs a little rest…and maybe a change of clothes," came Brock's response.

"I can go get those," Miette offered simply. Piplup suddenly leapt down from the gurney he was situated on and walked up to Miette, thumping his chest proudly.

"Pip."

"Looks like Piplup will show you the way," Ash told her. Miette nodded, tossing a smirk towards him; though judging from the way Serena tensed against him, he wasn't sure if it was for him or her.

"All right, I'll be back. Don't get too comfortable until I'm back," Miette said with a teasing tone. Ash frowned once more, but let the comment slide as she left. There was no reason for them to be comfortable given what Dawn was going through.

"However," Brock began, looking at all of them sternly, his mouth set in a thin line, "there was definitely something wrong with her. When I checked her before, her pupils were shrunken and her pulse was low…almost like she should have been asleep, but wasn't. Just now, though, everything seemed back to normal…as it should be."

"What does that mean, Brock?" Serena asked, now stepping away from the wall. Pikachu avoided her movement by hanging on to Ash's shoulder and looking over at the three janitors, who pretended to not be watching.

"You said Dawn was acting really weird, right Ash?" Brock asked. Ash only nodded, really not wanting to relive those moments again. "I think…and this is just a guess…but maybe Dawn was controlled by something."

"Controlled?" Clemont blurted out in utmost surprise. "By what? For what?"

"I don't know," the doctor admitted to them. "But her erratic actions, not being herself, her whole being acting as though she were hypnotized..."

Ash frowned. Now that he truly thought about it, he realized Dawn's weirdness had gone further than he had initially remembered. She'd spent no time with them at the reef, instead examining the ship. And at times, it almost seemed like she was interested in the artifact; perhaps a little too interested. Perhaps she had been controlled, just as Brock thought.

"But if she's controlled, then…"

"She's fine now. You saw the way she woke up," Brock assured him. Jasper nodded, as if lost in deep thought, a frown on his face.

"I made it rather potent and bitter. It instantly charges the senses. I used to use it on myself and Manectric on nights of late research…" Jasper noted. "Of course, it can sully the taste buds. But it charges the brain. If there were any lingering mental effects on her brain, it's surely gone now."

"Wow, your cooking is amazing if it can even do that!" Clemont said, gripping his fists in front of his chest. "Are there other kinds you can make with those kinds of effects?"

"Plenty," Jasper admitted with an embarrassed blush to his cheeks. "Truth-telling foods, endurance meals…I even developed a meal that allows people and Pokémon tap into that little part of their brain rarely used. Manectric ran wild that day…"

"Pretty amazing…" Sawyer noted, once more scribbling in his notebook about all these ideas.

"Though not the issue here," Jasper said coldly. "If Dawn was controlled, who is to say that others aren't as well? Gary, for instance. Perhaps he disappeared because he was commanded to. And if that's the case, keeping well away from him would be the best course."

"That can't be true!" Ash shouted, drawing all eyes onto him. "Gary's my friend, just like Dawn. Even if he is controlled, I'm sure we can-"

"No, Jasper is right," Ryker said somberly. "You said that Dawn attacked you for no real reason. If she was under control and exhibited that kind of violent tendency…who knows what others are capable of. Keeping distance, and keeping a panic contained, should be our top priority if there is someone aboard the cruise capable of controlling them."

"Heh heh heh, then this calls for my special new invention. The future is-"

"Not now, Clemont! This isn't the time for an invention that doesn't work!" Bonnie yelled at him angrily. Clemont glared down at his sister, as though actually angry with her, while Viggo stepped in between like a shield, glaring defiantly at him.

"The last one breaking wasn't my fault, and if I can figure out who's controlled and who's not…"

"That's important…but so is not alerting everyone on the ship that something's going on by sniffing them like you're a Stoutland," Jasper reminded them.

"The easiest way to do it," Brock began once more, "would be to make more of your concoction, Jasper, and mass distribute it. Though doing it without causing suspicion or panic is the tricky par-"

The ship suddenly rumbled, and everyone in the room pitched forward. Ash slammed into Serena, who slammed into Sawyer as they fell to the ground with loud "oof"s. Rubbing his neck and adjusting his hat, Ash stood, groaning. He made sure to help Serena up, the girl testing her foot from earlier in the day and finding it held. Clemont, meanwhile, was helping the two children out.

"Uh…I tink dere's a problem!" yelled one of the janitors. Ryker and Jasper were the quickest to their feet, running for the door. Ash and Serena were right behind them. As they reached the door, there was another powerful shuddering, knocking them into each other yet again. Once they'd finally pushed themselves up, Pikachu shocking them all due to Jasper landing on him, they caught sight of Watchog running across towards them with a panicked expression.

"Chog! Watch watchog! Og og watchog!" it cried in absolute fear.

"Translation?" the magenta haired janitor asked. One of the others appeared to begin to answer when Ryker cut him off.

"The ship stopped…the engine died? What happened, Watchog? !" Ryker demanded. Ash stepped out and could immediately tell how wrong something was. There was no wind blowing across them, completely anchored in place. In fact, that was the very next thing Ryker confirmed. "The anchor dropped as well?"

"What a coincidence…" Jasper laughed out, almost like he actually found the situation funny. Ash looked to him with pursed lips, subconsciously helping Serena up while he did so. His mouth and voice were tinged with amusement, but his eyes were calculating, like they were figuring out what their next move should be. "This is a very interesting quandary, no?"

"Not one I prefer to deal with. First controlled passengers and now this!" Ryker said, his body bristling with anger. "I'll not stand for it on my ship! And I'll not deal with panic! Sawyer, Brock, could I ask you to find Miss Lisia and have the passengers escorted to the dining hall. We'll open up the floor for activities while we work the immediate problem out. I'll need you for any heavy lifting, Ash."

"I'll whip up some treats then. Keep everyone blind to what's going on," Jasper said with a light bow. "Panicking would do no one any good at all."

"I'll help in the kitchen as well, then, once I've helped Lisia," Brock said, packing up his supplies. He took one more look at Dawn, offered a nod to Ash and then left with Sawyer and Jasper. Ryker, still bristling with his sense of command, turned to the rest of them.

"Clemont, you're good with machines, yes?" Ryker asked. "I'm not too shabby myself, but perhaps with your help we can get the ship up and running again quickly. Best if the rest of you come along as well…except for maybe the children."

"I'll stay here," Serena announced. Ash turned to look at her, confidence sparking in her eyes. "Dawn needs looking after in case she wakes up."

"Sounds good to me," Ash said with a fist extended towards Serena. She looked at it a moment, and then met it with her own. "Bonnie, Viggo, you two can come along, but stay behind us so you don't get hurt."

"Yes, that seems best," Clemont said with a not-too-happy retort. Ryker grunted and adjusted his captain's hat on his head. Ash did the same while Clemont played with his glasses. The three janitors just huddled onto each other, whether out of fear or some kind of conspiracy wasn't clear, but as Ryker stormed off, they made to follow. Ash gave one more look to Serena and began going after the captain, Clemont and the two younger kids trailing behind him.

For some reason, despite the tension of the situation, Ash felt his head clearing a little. Though it was more likely than not elation. He wasn't happy to hear Brock's theory and diagnosis that Dawn had been controlled, but at least it explained a lot of what had been happening the last two days. Letting the corners of his lips tug up slightly into a smile, he was grateful, knowing he hadn't lost his best friend. Dawn hadn't pulled away from him or really believed she was in love with him. No, she had been manipulated into acting that way for whatever reason. By whom and for what purpose, Ash was unsure, but it angered him. His fist clenched.

"The engine room is down this way," Ryker suddenly said. Ash nodded, but didn't unclench his fist. He did make note of where they were going, though. They had turned into a door on the side of the ship opposite the boarding side, clamping on some metal stairs that took them down into the bowels of the ship. Ash looked back to see Clemont ushering Bonnie and Viggo inside and realized they had passed by the room that housed the artifact at some point. Frowning, Ash hung back.

"Clemont…we passed by the artifact, right?" he asked his friend out of the corner of his mouth. Clemont turned his head a little, his eyes widening a fraction. "How come Mr. Cecil wasn't there?"

"Good point…" the inventor murmured. A ball of worry formed in his stomach, but Ash didn't say anything to the captain, watching his back as they walked across the metal catwalk. Jasper's words kept playing over in his head: was there someone else on the ship being controlled just like Dawn? If so, who? He would have said there was no way it could be any one of his friends, but Dawn had been controlled oh so easily. Could Clemont be plotting something? Or Bonnie? Or Viggo?

Surely not Serena; her demeanor hadn't changed at all. She was still kind and earnest and…Ash felt a slight pause in his steps at the thought. First the kiss, and now he just couldn't stop thinking about her, herself. Being in such a confined space with her was suddenly bringing all of this to the surface. Yes, he had traveled with her for months, but that single action she'd taken on the escalator had made thoughts underneath come bubbling up. Serena was different in an all too wonderful way, and he had to wonder why it took him so long to recognize this.

Or maybe you always did, he couldn't help but think to himself. Resuming his steps after the captain, Ash felt himself warming up. There was no doubt they were approaching the engine room, though it was very silent considering that the machinery wasn't running. It allowed Ash room to think a little as he recognized all the ways he had managed to treat Serena differently without even knowing it. Like how he'd asked her to come along without any provocation, or the way Pikachu had never shocked her. How he'd put off not one, but two of his gym battles for her Showcases. Or how he'd taken her…Ash blinked.

"Pikapi? Chuuuu…?" Pikachu asked as Ash turned to his best friend on his shoulder.

"Pikachu," Ash whispered quietly. "Did…did I take Serena on a date?" Pikachu now had his turn to blink. For a moment, he thought Pikachu would scold him and tell him it wasn't the time to be thinking about such things, but instead, the electric mouse sighed.

"Pikapi, chu pika Pipika pi chu," Pikachu said definitively. It pretty much felt like Pikachu was actually scolding him for not realizing this sooner. Rubbing at the back of his neck, Ash felt a little embarrassed about this. Though, he also felt more embarrassed about thinking about it now. He supposed he'd have to ask Brock for advice and then later just talk to Serena to work it all out. For now, he focused on the path to the engine room, made evident by the small red door before a hallway that split off into darkness.

"Um…is it supposed to be open?" the blue-haired janitor said with a shaky voice. Ryker paused and everyone peered around him to see that the engine room door was slightly ajar.

"Pikachu, get ready," Ash said, both of their bodies tensing up for a battle that could be ahead. Pikachu nodded, cheeks sparking a little while Clemont pushed Bonnie and Viggo behind him while taking out a pokeball. Ryker stomped forward and pushed the door open with one hand.

The eerie silence pervaded the area, making a note of just how wrong everything was. No humming machines or even the sound of the surf reached them. Ash followed in behind Ryker, turning his head to see nothing moving. It felt really weird for everything to suddenly be going so wrong. It was even slightly dark in the room, only some overhead lights running on auxiliary power brightening the area. There was one truly odd thing in the room, though.

Mr. Cecil was standing on the long catwalk that led back to the engine, next to a control panel. Beyond him was a giant steel beam, jammed in between some parts of the whirring rotors and blocking access to the engine. Clemont walked a little forward and Ash followed his gaze. The engine itself didn't look damaged, but the beam in their path made it impossible for even Dedenne to fit through. After all, part of the catwalk seemed to have been damaged in the falling of the steel beam.

"Mr. Cecil, where have you been?" Ryker demanded of the gentleman. Mr. Cecil turned, adjusting his monocle lightly.

"The ship stopped," he told them all evenly. The three janitors suddenly began shuffling backward, as if making a run for it. Even the hairs on the back of Ash's neck stood up. Whether it was the situation, the strange amount of heat in the room, or the weird tone with which the gentleman was speaking, it didn't matter. Ash didn't like this one bit. Nor did Clemont, judging from the way he pulled Bonnie and Viggo towards him, the animosity from earlier, gone.

"Yes, I'm aware," Ryker stated. He stepped forward, the sound reverberating around the area. "But I've asked all passengers to head for the dining hall."

"The dining hall, hm?" Mr. Cecil said, stroking his chin lightly. "Yes, that would be appropriate, I suppose."

"What are you doing down here?" Ash asked suddenly. He couldn't help the slight fear pooling in his stomach, driving his words to perhaps be sharper than he meant them. Mr. Cecil turned, inclining his head a little towards Ash, his gaze piercing and insistent.

"Well, the engine stopped, and I grew worried," the man answered. "The artifact is precious cargo, you know? And we promised to deliver it to its destination, so if the ship is stopped…well, I can only guess there would be something nefarious. I came down to investigate, but alas…the way is shut."

"I'm sure that with a little bit of maneuvering we could take care of it," Clemont said and Ash could practically feel his gaze analyzing the steel beam. "My Aipom Arm is more than up for the task."

"Go for it, big brother," Bonnie said, though her voice wasn't as energetic as it usually was. Ryker suddenly held his arm out.

"No," he told them all sternly. "If we try to move it, there's no telling what kind of damage we could do to the engine. It's late and none of us should have to think about this after a long day. We'll look tomorrow morning and find a way to stop the beam from damaging any of the engine's mechanical parts. Mr. Cecil, did you notice anything else that may help?"

"Everything's powered down?" Mr. Cecil suggested with a shrug. "Seemed like it all turned off at once, but that's as much as can be obvious. Once I saw there was no way to access the engine, I stumbled around the dark corridors for any of the ancillary ship controls before I came here and lowered the anchor on the ship. Best to not have us drifting until we can repair it all."

"A fair point…though what should we do about the artifact? Doctor Brock and Jasper believe that-" Mr. Cecil suddenly waved his hand, cutting the captain off with a light chuckle on his lips.

"I wouldn't worry about the artifact. I've made sure it's very well protected, even with its bodyguards missing. There's no fear of that," Mr. Cecil stated. Ash's lips twisted a little, frowning with severe displeasure. Something felt off about the man's story, but he couldn't put a finger on it. He was surprised he even got the sense that anything was wrong, but Ash supposed that Team Flare's plans had started making him just a little paranoid. "Now, shall we get out of here. The air's becoming quite stifling."

Ryker folded his arms and proceeded to sigh. "I suppose we're anchored for now…we'll take care of things later. I'll go address the passengers on the ship. Children."

"Oh, right…" Ash breathed out, turning around and following Clemont and the two younger children out of the engine room. The janitors were long gone, no doubt heading back to the dining hall. Ryker and Mr. Cecil followed them out.

Ash folded his arms as he walked and Pikachu looked at him inquisitively. Mr. Cecil had supposedly come straight to the engine room after the engine had stopped…but then why had the anchor fallen so suddenly? He supposed that the man could have simply lied about using the "ancillary controls" but...It didn't quite add up, and the man being all but absent after they had said Gary was missing disturbed him. He didn't seem to be the only one as Clemont looked like he had swallowed a Bug type. Neither of them dared to say anything for fear of the adults overhearing them.

In the silence of the stopped engine, their footsteps echoed even louder than before, occasionally punctuated with the clopping of Mr. Cecil's cane. It allowed Ash to think a little more and realize just how many things were going wrong on this trip at one time. Dawn being controlled, Gary missing, the mysterious door that took less priority over other issues like the engine stopping…he had to start wondering if it was deliberate. Yeah, a real coincidence…Ash thought savagely to himself, realizing how Jasper had found the situation to be humorous. He must have already been connecting the dots for himself. Ash looked to Clemont, who also nodded in concern, telling the raven-haired trainer that he wasn't the only one with this on his mind (and proving to Ash that Clemont wasn't being controlled).

Finally, the group of six broke out into the sunset-tinged deck and began walking across to the dining hall, only to run into Miette and Piplup carrying a set of Dawn's clothes. "Oh…hey, Ash, do you know what's going on?"

"Um…engine's stopped. Those are for Dawn, right?" Ash asked, feeling just a little awkward at the sudden encounter.

"What's this about Miss Dawn?" Mr. Cecil asked, his voice cutting across the quieted waves. Ash turned to see the rather imposing man looking down at them, his monocle shining eerily in the sunlight.

"Um…Dawn's…had some problems. She's better now," Ash said, trying to say what needed to be said without giving too much away. Something inside him told him not to tell the man everything.

"Wonderful to hear. I'd be disappointed if she couldn't enjoy the rest of the cruise because of some issues," the gentleman chuckled out. "Would you mind if I see her? Wouldn't want a black mark on my ventures, after all."

"I think that seems fair," Ryker stated, walking off toward the dining hall, where many people appeared to have gathered. "I'll go placate everyone."

"Ah, yes, I have a rather entertaining idea for that, captain," Mr. Cecil said, leaning down towards the man and whispering. Ryker nodded, looking a little impressed with the man's suggestion.

"Excellent idea. I'll make the announcement while yourself and Ash's group see to Dawn." That was the last thing he had obviously planned to say, because he turned around, his captain's coat flapping out behind him as he made a brisk pace towards the dining hall. Mr. Cecil looked at them with a smile, almost comforting in nature, and indicated for them to lead the way.

Ash took charge, leading the group away from the dining hall and up the stairs that would lead to the infirmary. He still felt weird about this whole situation, but upon opening the door to the infirmary and seeing Serena sitting peacefully by Dawn's side, watching the bluenette's chest rise and fall with even breaths, he stopped worrying about it. When she saw them, Serena stood. Mr. Cecil was the first to speak.

"How is she?" the man asked. Instead of Serena answering, Nurse Joy stepped forward.

"She seems to be fine. After a little more rest, about an hour or two, she should be just fine. Brock left behind a number of energizing drinks and food," the nurse assured the man. He nodded, a smile resting softly on his face.

"Excellent, then she should be able to attend this evening's event," Mr. Cecil said proudly, standing up to his full height.

"Event?" came Serena's question and everyone looked at him.

"Yes, we plan to hold a social dance in the dining hall this evening. You're all expected to attend, of course. I won't have anyone saying no. Being stuck on the oceans, we shouldn't split up and go exploring, after all," Mr. Cecil answered, as though his solution to the problem was a rather brilliant one. "If you don't have formal wear, well, you know where to find some."

"But…a dance?" Ash asked. "Is this really the right time for it? I mean..."

"What time is better?" the man chuckled out, waving at them as he exited. "See you all in a few hours or else I'll have to send Arcanine out to search for you! Hope Dawn gets better." Then he was gone, like a shadow which had vanished. Ash turned to his friends, seeing their myriad reactions. Clemont was blinking in confusion, Bonnie was whispering in Viggo's ear as the boy's face was stuck between smirking and shaking his head. Meanwhile, Miette was straight up smirking while Serena seemed to have paled.

"A dance…brings back memories, huh, Serena?" Miette said. Serena vigorously shook her head, her golden honey locks flinging back and forth. "You want to go with me this time, Ash?"

"I don't want to go at all," Ash admitted, feeling his face twisting into a slight scowl. "I really don't feel right about this. I mean, after everything that's happened…having fun wouldn't seem right…especially when we know so little. Especially with Gary still missing."

"Then let's figure things out!" Bonnie suggested with her usual chipper tone back in action. Ash looked to the lemon-haired girl, watching Viggo try to pull her back from saying anything. "There's gotta be something about that artifact and all that stuff somewhere on the ship. Maybe we can find a way to signal someone or something."

"Bonnie, what if we get caught? Mr. Cecil said we can't stalk the corridors or he'll sic Arcanine on us..." Viggo stuttered fearfully. "This doesn't sound like a good idea."

"Oh, come on, Viggo, don't be a coward. We have a few hours so let's use them while the captain and Mr. Cecil are distracted! We don't have to explore the corridors, you know?"

"Nenenene!" Dedenne chattered out in agreement. Clemont nodded, obviously thinking it was a good idea himself. The idea appealed to Ash, as well, and he grinned. Catching sight of Serena's once more glowing face, he nodded at her, the silent agreement of what she and Miette would be doing shared between them as she sat. Ash turned back towards the Lumiose sibling and put his hand out.

"All right, guys. Let's figure out what's going on with this ship and make it back in time for that dance so no one suspects a thing." Bonnie grinned at him, dragging Viggo forward to put their hands in. Clemont joined them and they raised them high. Then, with a quick glance back at Serena and another shared, electric smile, Ash and Pikachu led their group of four out of the room and on their next mission.


Author's Note: The truth is finally revealed: Dawn was controlled! Of course...most of you guessed this...but the question of who or what is controlling her is a mystery to be solved for another time. Plus the reason why she was controlled. Needless to say, you know can all know why Dawn was so OOC earlier in the story; it was all leading to this moment. Also, to discuss why they're not going back to the locked door. For one, it's locked, but also, all of these problems are occurring and the adults have their eye on the main characters. Makes it difficult to move around. But that's really all for now. Next time, a dance!

potat lasaro: Of course she was controlled! I mean, why else would she act the way she did? But, now that she's freed I wonder just how she'll play into this story. And Gary, where is he? And not only do they need to find him, but they've got to worry about something even worse: a dance! We all know how the last one turned out for the duo so I wonder if they'll have a better time. Hopefully they enjoy it at least, but until then, thanks for reading!

And so, now that we're at the end of the chapter, it's time to thank everyone for making this story awesome: OfficialAmourShipper, linkkirby8692, Javierh998 and That'sMe33 for favoriting; InfernapeXD203, MyNoseAgreesWithMe, remisolleke and ProDeniz for following; and the hugest of huge thanks to Cottonmouth25, Jayfeathers friend, AdvancedAlto, FantasyLover88, Girlgamer98765, Nightshock5, michmech, StarMaidenWarrior, ManleyTogekiss, UptownFunk, kar'taylir darasuum, MoonfallExpress, MossDeepThinker, ultimateCCC, aliensinnoh, TheCartoonFanatic01, Tanker one, Djiprad, AmourshippingCanon, WaterStar45, RenegadeReviewer, Q-A the Authoress, Xiaolin Dinosaur Master, PandasInMittens, ChE clarinetist and 1 guest for reviewing! We're now in the back half of the story, so we hope you'll stick around with us. Until next time, Review and Dare to Be Silly.