"You need both of them back? Already!?"
"I'm afraid so, Ash. Mind you, it's been quite a while, now…"
Ash had wondered why Professor Oak had called him at the Pokémon Center in Mulberry, so early in the morning; a good call, all things considered, when he and Dawn were about to head out. He'd also asked him to call out Bulbasaur, Wartortle, and Charizard.
The gang of starters stood behind Ash, peering over at the video screen.
"You see, I'm afraid the ranch isn't holding up well without my good friend Bulbasaur to keep things in order. Especially with your bunch being stronger than ever!"
"They're causing trouble?" Ash frowned, puffing out his cheek. "I was hoping that training got all their ya-ya's out."
"Unfortunately, it only emboldened some of them. Crawdaunt has been a touch mischievous, even with Kingler as a better influence. And it's led to a few tussles with Gary's Pokémon. I think we'd have an easier time with old reliable on my side. If that's alright with you, Bulbasaur?"
The Seed Pokémon stepped forward, croaking affirmatively. "Bulba!"
"That's the Bulbasaur I know." Ash smiled knowingly. "He'd never leave you hanging! And Wartortle…?"
"I'm afraid Officer Jenny requested him, as well. He still seems to be the core of the Squirtle Squad's morale, and in his absence, they've been slacking."
Wartortle strutted over, and hopped up on Ash's free shoulder, donning his shades. "Wartortle!"
"And you're also as dutiful as ever!" The Professor praised. "As for Charizard, well, I take it he'd like to show his strides off at the Valley? Naturally, you can reach out to Liza for him at anytime."
"What do you think?" Ash rested his hands on his hips, looking over his shoulder.
Charizard looked to Bulbasaur, then Wartortle, and back to Ash with a grunt.
"C'mon." Ash smirked. "I bet you're dying to go show off for all your Charizard friends, and claim the throne up there, aren't ya? Don't hold back on my behalf!" The Flame Pokémon roared in agreement, and Ash's expression softened into a bittersweet smile. "I am gonna miss you guys, though. It's been a blast traveling as a group, again!"
"Don't take it too hard, Ash," Oak lectured. "Don't forget; this means you'll have more time to spend with your other Pokémon, as well! I know for a fact that they're dying to see y-"
The Professor was suddenly knocked over and flattened with a thud. Huge, yellow eyes took up a majority of the screen, surrounded by green skin. "Gaaa! Ganium!" Meganium wailed, nudging her face against the screen.
"She hasn't changed much, huh…?" Dawn made an amused face.
Wartortle, meanwhile, shook his head from atop Ash's shoulder.
"Hey." Ash soothed. "Don't you worry, Meganium. I'm not calling on you just yet, but you'll get your turn, alright?"
The grass-type's cheeks puffed out with a huff, but she quickly accepted it, stomping off. "Meganium!" Only after this, did the Professor raise into view with a groan.
"Urgh… That Meganium. I'm surprised she hasn't stomped you flat."
"Me too," Ash laughed. "Anyway! I've got a few swaps to make, for my next upcoming match!" The trainer grinned, bundling up his fists. "And, I've got just the idea! So, guys," he looked over. "Why don't you say your goodbyes in the meantime?"
Wartortle and Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulders, returning to the gathering group to do just that.
Dawn's attention stuck to Ash, though; there was something about his wild, enthusiastic gestures he made, and the bouncing of his heels. "Ash sure seems excited," she thought aloud. "He didn't even look this excited for Brock!" Was the next Gym Battle that important…!?
"Well." Pikachu smiled, resting his paws on his hips. "It's been real, huh?"
"Hey. That's my line!" Wartortle rebutted, nudging Pikachu with his elbow.
"It's gonna be real WEIRD without you guys!" Rosa pouted, tugging on Wartortle's arm. "You've been here, like, forever!"
"Don't sweat it, Rosy-girl." The turtle grinned, ruffling the fur atop her head, which made the pup recoil quickly in embarrassment. "You'll be just fine without us. Besides; I'm passing on the role of big bro, for now. You." He pointed at Prinplup. "You look out for 'er, while I'm gone."
"As if I needed your approval!" Prinplup huffed, turning up his beak… though the act didn't last long. His big blue eyes trembled, and he sniffled. "Hey. Uh. It's been good seeing ya."
"Oh, loosen up, would ya? Got enough pride for the lot of us." The turtle snorted, then showing a smirk. "Back at you, bro."
"Take care." Bulbasaur shook Pikachu's paw with his vine in the meantime, then used them to lift up Rosa. "And you, too. Stick close to Ash, and you'll get big and strong."
Speaking of big and strong… The exchange of goodbyes led Prinplup to the much larger Charizard. As much as he struggled to think of some way to sound cool, the penguin found himself humbled and short for words. How embarrassing!
"Heh. You're still the same little pipsqueak, aren't you?" Charizard jeered.
"I-I am not!" Prinplup blurted out instinctively. With a second thought, though… that had been what he'd wanted. "...Yeah. I guess I am. But, I'm a whole lot stronger, now!" His boasting was capped off with a squawk; a swipe of Charizard's tail nearly toasted him with its flame! "Hey!"
The Flame Pokémon grinned. "Yeah, yeah. Next time I see you, though, you better knock the wind outta me with your Hydro Pump. We clear?"
Prinplup recollected himself, and flicked his cape with a grin. "Oh, I'll do that and then some! Just you wait."
After a detour through Pewter City, a daunting, towering sight gradually grew over the skyline to the north. The climbing, emerald-dotted heights of Mt. Moon loomed over Ash and Dawn's path, and it was only growing closer on their trek to Cerulean City.
Ash sighed contentedly, stretching his arms over his head. "Ahhh. Isn't it great?"
"Huh?" Dawn turned her head. "Isn't what great?"
"You know! The rush you get on a hike. The fresh mountain air… When it comes to getting pumped for adventure, there's nothing like it!" Ash enthusiastically thumped a fist against his chest. "Makes you want to stand right at the top!"
"It is nice!" Dawn agreed. "And, I never really realized how big Mt. Moon was, until we got up close…" Her blue hues drifted over the mountain path, and up the mountain's peak. From a short hike away, it really dwarfed the whole group. "On the other hand, though, it's nowhere near as impressive as !" She boasted proudly, wagging a finger in a show of Sinnoh pride.
"Prin-lup!" Prinplup agreed, waddling beside Dawn. Though, he seemed to be falling behind just a little…! Curse those short legs.
"Well, excuse me!" Ash huffed. "Are Kanto's mountains not up to your standards, ma'am?"
"They're not bad!" The girl sing-songed, then winked at Ash. "They're just not Sinnoh."
"Hmph. Well, tell you what. I'm gonna show you something really cool, come nightfall!"
~Something cool!?~ Rosa cooed, walking backwards up the path only to keep pace with Ash, Dawn, and Prinplup.
"Something super cool!" Ash insisted. "Right, Buddy?" He winked at Pikachu.
"Pi…? Pikachu?" Pikachu tilted his head.
"Uh-huh! It's today."
"Chu!"
"Now, you guys are just keeping us out of the loop," Dawn pouted. But, the lure of a promise and the nearing mountain eased Dawn's patience, and the hike continued.
Within minutes, they'd reached the mouth of Mt. Moon's caverns. As far as navigating through caves and tunnels went, this one wasn't particularly complex. Ash led the way, boasting that he knew the routes from memory, and Dawn and Prinplup had no reason to doubt his confidence.
Dimly lit tunnels were navigated by crackling sparks from Pikachu's cheeks, whenever there wasn't a nearby passageway leaking the strong orange glow of sunset. Truthfully, the most difficult part of traversing Mt. Moon was the terrain itself. Uneven rocks and the occasional steep slope made travel just the slightest bit difficult.
It was nothing a seasoned traveler couldn't handle, but to someone who's a bit on the clumsy side, it could spell trouble. Between the region-trekking Ash, the nimble Pikachu, and the natural climber Rosa, that left two very unfortunate victims to the terrain.
Dawn was the first. An incline made up of a natural mishmash of boulders that more closely resembled an intentional work of art than a rocky path was in the group's way - which Ash and his partners hopped up with practiced ease. She followed suit, navigating from one stepping stone to the next. It was a bit of a balancing act, but she'd just about reached the top. Unfortunately, her arctic blue boots failed to find traction on a narrow ledge.
"Ah!" She yelped, tripping up into what could be a nasty fall. She felt something yank her, though, and reflexively planted her foot into the closest solid slab of rock she could find. Ash had grabbed her hand, which she only grasped when she'd already found her bearings. He was leaning over the precipice, looking down at her with that cheeky grin of his.
"Careful! Kanto's terrain can be pretty scary, if you're careless." Ash teased, giving her hand a squeeze before pulling her up with ease. It caught Dawn off-guard just how strong he was, sometimes; she tended to forget about it. "You don't wanna have to be carried through here on a twisted ankle, trust me."
The thought made the color drain from her face, as she found her footing. "N-no thanks! I really wouldn't want to limp the rest of the way to Cerulean City… I'm usually the one telling you not to be reckless, too."
"Lup! Prinplup! Prin-lup!"
Before Ash could retort, the frustrated squawking of Prinplup drew the group's attention. Sitting at the bottom of the lope, the penguin was throwing a fit.
"Prinplup! You're still all the way down there…" Dawn frowned. "Are you having trouble climbing up?"
Prinplup's face filled with red in embarrassment - or perhaps fury. He kicked one of the stony steps and immediately regretted that decision, squawking in pain. "Lup! Prinplup."
"Weird. I don't think that would've stopped him, when he was a Piplup," Ash noted.
"You saw him during our battle the other day, right?" Dawn crossed her arms. "He had some trouble moving around, after he evolved. He must be having a hard time adjusting to that new shape. Is that it?"
Now crimson, Prinplup turned away with a huff.
"That's all it is, huh?" Ash smiled to himself, hopping down the rocky incline, one easy leap at a time.
"Ash…?" Dawn watched the trainer descend, and land in front of her starter Pokémon.
"I'm sure you'll get the hang of your new stage, sooner or later! But, for now…" Ash squatted, and scooped a very confused Prinplup into his arms. "...You're coming with me!" Holding the burden of Prinplup's weight over his shoulder, he carried him not unlike a sack of potatoes.
"Lup…!?" Prinplup squawked, then turned his beak up with a huff. At least this was Ash, and he was being useful… There was little Prinplup could do, either way, as the trainer impressively balanced his weight while scaling the rocks.
"There!" Ash made the last jump with a grunt of effort, and sat Prinplup down on his feet. Satisfied, he rested his hands on his hips. "That's better, isn't it, Prinplup? Now we can keep moving!"
Prinplup blinked at Ash, and swerved around to walk ahead in a hurry. "Prin Prinplup!"
"I know he's proud, but a little gratitude would be nice…" Dawn gave an exasperated smile, then gave chase. "Wait up, Prinplup!"
Ash and Pikachu exchanged a look, and laughed.
Meanwhile, Rosa looked on in confusion. ~Big Bro is weird, sometimes…~
Blinding orange light assaulted the group, forcing them to cover their eyes - Ash was lucky enough to simply lower his cap - when they left the caverns, stepping out into the open wilderness. A small ravine separated the southern caverns from the mountain's peak. Shallow waters rolled through the underpass, while a rocky bridge arched over the divide. The sun was dipping towards the horizon; while not quite there, dusk was on its way.
"It's beautiful…!" Dawn cooed at the scenery, even as her eyes adjusted to the exuberant sunlight. "Is this what you wanted to show us, Ash?" Though, knowing him, a pretty sunset probably wasn't on his radar…
"Nope!" Ash affirmed Dawn's doubts, grinning. "We've gotta keep trekking." A loud rumble followed Ash; one that echoed through the whole ravine. "...Maybe we should stop and eat first, though."
The group collectively sighed in amused exasperation.
A quick, scenic dinner of sandwiches, energy bars, and Poké Chow revitalized the group. With their bellies filled, their hike was set to continue. Suddenly, though, Pikachu sat up. His long, black-tipped ears twitched.
"Pi…?" Pikachu's eyes turned toward the arch climbing over the river. Rosa followed suit, her outward-turning ears perking up.
"Huh? What's up with you two?" Ash asked. Though, a faint chant finally reached his ears; a high-pitched voice could just barely be heard from above. At least, he was pretty sure that was where it was coming from…? "Huh… I think I know that voice. It sounds like a Clefairy!"
"A Clefairy?" Dawn parroted, getting onto her feet. "They're supposed to be really rare in the wild, aren't they!?"
"Well, yeah, but-"
Dawn didn't wait for Ash to finish his sentence, rushing to climb the rocky mountainside. "I've read poems about the Clefairy that gather in Mt. Moon… The coral-colored enigma dancing under a blanket of stars... I can't pass up on seeing them for myself!"
"Just be careful!" Ash urged, packing away what remained of his dinner, and Dawn's with it. It couldn't be helped. "But if you'd just wait 'till we reach the-"
"No need to worry!" Dawn dismissively waved her hand as she climbed, only to yelp, scrambling to cling to the rock she'd let go of before moving on again.
Ash sighed. "That's when I worry the most… C'mon, guys!"
Miraculously, Dawn reached the grassy peak of the bridge without any further mishaps, where she had a clear view of the mountain's peak. More importantly, though, a Clefairy pranced along the bridge's green.
"Clefaiiry~! Fair! Fairy! Clefa!" The small creature was hopping and twirling, pointedly spinning on her toes. It was a serene sight from Dawn's point of view. Though, she couldn't help but notice that the Pokémon's eyes were fixed on the sky. She didn't seem to be looking where she was going at all… in fact, she was stumbling towards the edge!
"H-hey! Watch out!" Dawn sputtered out, racing to intercept Clefairy.
"Fairy!?" Clefairy squeaked out, jumping in shock. Though, a shock wasn't solely the fairy's to bear - in her fright, the Pokémon struck Dawn with a bright, blue bolt of electricity!
"Aeiyaaaah!" Dawn yelped in pain.
"Dawn!" Ash exclaimed, scrambling over the ledge, after pushing Prinplup's weight up before him. "That looked like a Shock Wave!"
"Lup!" Prinplup squawked, trotting in front of his now-smoky trainer to make a variety of angry and threatening gestures at the Clefairy. "Prinplup! Pri-in! Lup Prinplup!"
"Prinplup!" Dawn urged, raising a hand. "It's fine," she smiled, turning her attention back to Clefairy. "I startled you, didn't I? That was my bad."
The Pokémon in question stared back at Dawn, blinking. Then, she cooed, resuming her jolly dance, orbiting around Dawn instead of prancing at random. "Fairy! Clefa! Fair-fairy~!"
"...Huh?" Dawn blinked. "What got into you all of the sudden?"
"Uh, Dawn?"
"I'm fine, Ash. No need to worry!" She turned back to her friend, and found him staring. In fact, so was Pikachu. And Rosa. Even Prinplup was paying more attention to her, now, than Clefairy. "What's with you guys!? All this eye contact is bugging me out."
"It's, uh…" Short of a proper explanation, Ash merely wagged a finger to point at her. "That Shock Wave…"
"Ugh!" Dawn huffed, reaching into her bag to pull out a pocket mirror. "Of course I'm gonna have some soot on me after getting zapped. You should know that better than anyone! A little bit of concealer, and I'll be fine until we get back down to the stre… EEE...! My hair!?" Dawn exclaimed, gawking at herself in her mirror. Her hair had exploded into a whole manner of zig-zaggy chaos, sparkling with intensity that earned her old, loathed 'Diamond Dandruff' title.
"Ugh." Dawn frowned, crossing her arms. "Hey, you! You think this is real funny, huh!?" Going red in the face, she pointed a finger at Clefairy. "I'll have you know that it takes me a good half an hour to get this hair picture-perfect in the morning!"
Clefairy only chattered some more, continuing to orbit Dawn, much to her dismay.
"At least she's not fainting or flipping out, anymore…" Ash gave an exasperated smile. "It's not that big a deal, Dawn. I think the sparkles look cool on you!"
"Well, thanks," Dawn huffed, feeling somewhat disarmed by the praise. But, old habits died hard. She was frantically trying to flatten her bangs. "But, my hair isn't supposed to be a light show."
"I don't think Clefairy agrees," Ash chuckled. "...Oh, Clefairy! You should probably get running along, now. You might miss the party!"
Clefairy stopped in her tracks. "Fairy!" She bowed her head in gratitude to Ash and spun around on her feet, hopping off with the grace of her namesake. "Fairy! Fairy! Clefairy!"
"Party? What the heck are you even talking about?" Dawn looked over, as she brushed her hair properly into place. That didn't fix the residual sparkles glimmering in her mane, however.
"It's still a surprise!" Ash grinned.
"You've been saying that for hours, now!"
"Well, follow me, and I'll show you!" Ash waved, and sprinted after Clefairy. "You too, Pikachu, Rosa!" Pikachu sprinted after Ash, and Rosa kept pace with them both. Finally, Dawn and Piplup followed behind.
Following Clefairy led the group up the mountain path, and into another cavern. Rather than a maze of narrow tunnels, though, this path opened up into the wide mouth of an open room, with no rocky ceiling; the night sky could be seen clearly, with a half-moon hanging overhead.
Ash, Dawn, and their Pokémon stepped into the large enclosure, where they came face to face with a sight that Ash and Pikachu expected, but to the others was a complete surprise. A large gathering of Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable were huddled around a stone platform in the middle of the room. Atop that plateau, a gigantic, glimmering Moon Stone sat ceremoniously.
"Look at all of them…!" Dawn gasped. "And, that big rock… what's going on, here?"
A chorus of chirps and confused chatter rose from the group after Dawn spoke, the lot of them spinning around to face their would-be intruders. Concern showed on a majority of the colony's faces… until they spotted Ash and Pikachu, that was. Several of the Clefable stepped forward, waving their little claws with a cheerful greeting. "Fable!"
"Hey, they remember us!" Ash laughed, waving the colony over. "Heyyy! Good to see you guys!"
"Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu echoed, waving to the group.
Rosa took several steps back, whining at the myriad of sights and sounds. Scaling Ash's leg, she reached for her Poké Ball. She found no luck, letting out a surprised yip; Ash had caught her by the scruff of her neck.
"Now, c'mon. I know there's a lot of 'em, but you're gonna have to start getting used to being around others," he gently chided, holding Rosa up so that he could speak to her face-to-face.
~Aw, c'mon!~ The small Pokémon crossed her arms, hanging comically from Ash's grip.
"Tell you what. How about you give meeting Clefairy and the others a try, and if it gets to be too much for ya, I'll let you go back in your ball?"
~...Deal.~ Rosa wiggled her way out of Ash's hold, and stood beside him, clutching his pant leg. ~Erm. Hiya!~ She hesitantly introduced herself, waving.
"Oh, right. This is my lil' girl, Rosa. And these are our friends, Dawn and Prinplup!" Ash gestured to his companions.
"It's nice to meet you!" Dawn beamed, waving to the group. "To think I'd get to see all of you guys…"
"Lup! Prinplup." Prinplup greeted them.
The colony seemed to accept the newcomers, rolling in from the eldest of the Clefable first, who clearly knew Ash and Pikachu, followed by the Clefairy who accepted their judgment, and finally even the most timid of the Cleffa.
Though, one Clefairy stood out from the rest, hopping out of the crowd to dance towards the group… or rather, towards Dawn. She chanted her name in a rhythm as she fluttered up to grab the girl's hand. "Fairy~!" Clefairy cooed, tugging on it.
"H-hey!" Dawn sputtered. "You're the Clefairy from earlier, aren't you? The one who gave me a hair disaster…"
"Clefairy!" The Pokémon seemed oblivious to Dawn's woes, pulling her towards the center of the room.
"Hang on! Clefairy!?" Dawn found herself being pulled around in a circle; the small creature was making her spin with her momentum! "Aaa-aaSH! What's going on here!?"
"I think Clefairy wants you to be part of their Moon Dance!" Ash chuckled at the sight. Though, he was soon to fall victim to the same situation; a Clefable fluttered over with their pink wings, yanking Ash towards the Moon Stone. "Haha, hey! Easy!"
"Moon Dance…?" Dawn echoed.
"The Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable pray to the Moon Stone," Ash explained, gesturing to the gigantic stone on the mantle, "every Monday night! They have a special ceremony on full moons, but that's, like, half a month away." He laughed, following Clefable's lead.
Dawn gasped. "Oh my go-aah!" Dawn nearly tripped over her own feet. "I know I've read about that in a poem, before, now that I think about it! The ballad of the Moon Stone… This is what you were talking about showing me before, wasn't it!" The moment Clefairy's roundabout twirl allowed her to catch a glance, she saw Ash's cocky smile out of the corner of her eye.
The two trainers were quickly lost to each other, as Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable flooded onto the 'dance floor,' as it were. Each stage of the evolutionary line made their own ring, with Cleffa on the inside, and Clefable on the perimeter.
"Woah!" Clefable released Ash, setting him free into the gap between itself and the Clefairy. "Alright! I'm on my own now, huh?" Ever confident, he nodded and hummed to himself. "Mhm. I think I've seen your dance more than enough times to get it right! So, here we go!"
To be invited to join a Pokémon's ceremonial dance was certainly an honor; to do so with Pokémon as rare as Clefairy, a miracle. Such a situation demanded a guest's best efforts, and all of their grace. Naturally, Ash was one to give it his all!
...Unfortunately, 'his all' was akin to a drunken Spinda pulling an all-nighter.
On the sidelines, Rosa cooed, imitating Ash's prancing about. ~Go for it, Papa! C'mon, Uncle Pikachu!~
"Piiika." Pikachu gave a half-smile, rubbing the back of his neck. His trainer's antics didn't seem to surprise him. What did surprise him was a Riolu snatching him away for a dizzying dance. "Pikachu!?"
"Lup…" Prinplup had turned away from Ash's display out of shame. Overhearing Pikachu, he turned, and blinked twice. He'd been left all alone! "Prinplup!" He squawked in defiance, waddling in pursuit to not be the odd one out.
The Mt. Moon colony caught on to Ash's attempts, as well. Their practiced turning and prancing was being sullied by the human's attempts! Pivoting on his feet with wild swings of his opposite leg, he'd come close to accidentally kicking a Clefairy once or twice. The offended looks on the cheery creatures' faces spoke for them.
"Ash! Hold on…!" Dawn panicked, waving her hands in the air. 'He's going to punt one of them, at this rate… the whole ceremony will be ruined!' She scooted her way through the ring of Clefairy, waving Ash down. "C'mere!"
"Eh?" Spotting Dawn, Ash stopped dancing, scooting over to meet his friend on the opposite side of the dance ring. "What's wrong, Dawn?"
"It's your dancing. You were going to hurt yourself, if you kept that up - or someone else!"
"It wasn't that bad," Ash huffed with a lowered brow.
"It was pretty bad," Dawn said. She held a hand out. "If you keep that up, you're going to offend the colony! It's their sacred dance; a contract bound by moonlight!"
"Uh…" Ash blinked, unsure of how to respond to her intensity.
"Here, I'll show you how… eep! Sorry!" A jumping Clefairy came between them, leaving the two trainers isolated from each other. A wall of pink puffballs made any sort of assistance impossible. "Maybe we should meet outside the circle…"
"Good idea," Ash agreed. "Now, if I could just… hey, uh. Clefable! Clefables? Could you let us through?"
While Ash and Dawn struggled with escaping the circle, the other Pokémon had their fun on the outside… or, at least, they were trying. Prinplup attempted to spin on his feet, but his pear-shaped body couldn't quite kick off the way he wanted to. Huffing in embarrassment, he settled for shuffling around to follow Pikachu and Rosa, disguising his poor dancing with them.
Pikachu and Rosa had a different problem. At least, Rosa did. As fun as their prancing had been, the constant commotion and noise was making the Riolu fidget. Pikachu seemed to notice, as he twirled the Aura Pokémon. "You alright? You look really tense," Pikachu asked.
"N-no! Too much singing! Too much movin' around." Rosa pulled away, and sprinted towards Ash and Dawn's bags that they left propped against the wall. "I'm out… What the!? Where's my Poké Ball!" Only then, did she have a realization - it was still on Ash's belt! "Ugh… Well, as long as I'm here. I might as well not leave Uncle Pikachu hanging." The pup dove headfirst into Dawn's bag, feet flailing in the air while she rummaged through her things. "...There!"
Yanking her weight out of the bag, Rosa tossed one of Dawn's Poké Balls into the air. The device popped open, calling on Buneary before falling back into Rosa's paws. She stuffed it back in the bag.
"Huh? Wha?" Buneary took in her surroundings, looking more puzzled than anything. "Hey, no one called me out for this shindig! What'd I miss?"
"You're missing all the fun!" Rosa pushed Buneary away from the bags and towards Pikachu, without waiting for any objections. "Here. You got it bad for Pikachu. You dance with him, instead!"
"Rosa!?" Pikachu coughed, doing a double-take.
"Girl, where did you learn to talk like that?" Buneary huffed, pulling her trusty fluff up to hide the pink in her cheeks. By the time she scolded the Riolu, though, she was already gone. A flash of light from Ash's belt absorbed her, and hid her from the commotion.
"Ahem. I mean…" Buneary lowered her guard, flashing a playful smile at Pikachu. There was no point denying the obvious.
"...Aha. Ha. Hey!" Pikachu's voice audibly cracked; he sincerely hoped Buneary didn't notice, as he took her paws. "Kids say the darndest things, huh? Let's just get to dancing!" He swung around, mimicking the fairy colony by spinning himself and Buneary in circles.
The rabbit yelped, pulled into the dance before she managed to catch her footing, hopping every time she touched the ground. "Hehee~!" She giggled. "Look at you. Right into the swing of things! This reminds me a lot of-"
"Of when we first met?" Pikachu finished, smiling. "It's an easy dance to remember, and it looks a lot like the Moon Dance!" The change in subject eased his nerves greatly, while they pranced around the perimeter of the Clefable. A few out-of-focus cheers were enough to grasp that their hosts found the ballad satisfactory.
"Guess we came prepared," Buneary chuckled. "Only, er… this time, you initiated! Er… sorry about that whole mess, again." She went to great lengths to avert her eyes, even while prancing in circles.
"Oh, that?" Pikachu belly-laughed, too polite to really make fun of her apology. "That was, like, a year ago, at least! I think you've made up for it."
With a bit of awkward maneuvering and apologizing to the Clefairy and Clefable, Ash and Dawn escaped the ruckus without any further issues. On their way out, Rosa had ambushed Ash and clung to his leg, recalling herself with the briefest goodbye. It'd nearly toppled him over, but Dawn had pulled him back onto his feet.
"...Okay!" Ash laughed, rubbing the back of his neck as he stood upright. "So, you're gonna help me, huh? Since when did you know how to dance?"
"Less talking, more action!" Dawn blurted out, face red and scrunched with embarrassment, for reasons the boy didn't quite understand. "Here!" She took one of Ash's hands in a grip that was probably a bit too firm, and placed it on her hip. Her free hand took his other next, holding it out about an arm's length. "Just… hold your hand like this… and I've got your shoulder…!"
"Like this…?" Ash bent his elbow, pulling their clasped hands in. Dawn tugged them back.
"No! Like this!" She grunted in frustration. "Just… stand still." The girl looked down at her feet, and adjusted them to a very particular position. "There!"
"You sure are taking this seriously," Ash huffed, shifting on his feet. Standing in this stilted position was beginning to make him antsy. "I've never seen you do this."
"Of course I'm taking it seriously! The Moon Dance is an act of prayer! And… honestly, I picked it up from that one day with Princess Salvia," Dawn explained. "They made me practice this stupid dance over and over, just in case we needed it. I thought my feet were going to give out on me."
"That explains it," Ash chuckled. "Well, what're we waiting for! Show me the ropes, so we can get back to the fun!"
"Right! You just… step back, and I step forward," she instructed, taking one awkward step forward with her right.
"Like this?" Ash asked, as he stepped back with his own right, rather than his left.
"No, right! I mean left!" Coming just short of a stubbed toe, Dawn pulled Ash along. They started to shuffle in circles, moving slowly around the prancing Clefable. "So… you totally kept this a secret since Mulberry," Dawn accused.
Finding himself awkwardly shuffling his hand on her side to stay close, but not too close, Ash grinned. "Guilty as charged! It'd be no fun if I spoiled it."
"I'm not buying that," Dawn smugly proclaimed. For her smugness, she suffered an accidentally pinched finger. "Ow! Hey!"
"Sorry!" Ash quickly apologized before squinting. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Please. You were showing off your home region, weren't you?" She grinned; although the statement sounded loaded, Ash didn't miss the excitable glimmer in her eyes. "I totally get it. There are so many wonders of Sinnoh worth seeing! I'm sure you feel the same about Kanto."
"Well, yeah!" Ash agreed. "We don't have anything like Mt. Coronet, but there are plenty of neat sights here-"
"Ouch! Hey!" Dawn hissed. Ash had accidentally kicked her in the shin! She retracted her knee, and placed her foot back down, only to accidentally step on her dance partner's foot.
"Ow! C'mon!"
"Sorry! Aw, man… this is gonna look so bad for the Clefairy…! And Cleffa, and Clefable…!"
"Hey, hey! No need to worry." Ash reassured, steadying his friend by her waist. "We're not ones to give up over a few tangled feet!"
"Right! Right." Dawn inhaled and exhaled, finding her balance. Hearing her catchphrase echoed back to her put the coordinator in a more comfortable frame of mind, reflected in a gentle smile and vibrant sapphire eyes. "No need to worry. Just keep moving at the pace we set."
The dance continued as practiced, with the open dome of the cavern as a backdrop, centering a half-moon. The frustrated grunts and muttered corrections of the two trainers was drowned out by the chorus of fairies singing their prayers and merriment. The cool breeze made the sweaty palms of Ash's fingerless gloves a bit more bearable, even if it was a little gross.
Even if Ash felt quite a bit like a marionette being pulled around by Dawn. Every now and then, she pulled his right arm up in a way that made his scar from Moltres crinkle and strain, which he winced and smiled off, too proud to admit it. Moreover, there were a handful of traditional Kantonian dances he was well-acquainted with, but improvising them obviously wasn't his strong suit. At least he could laugh at every misstep.
The latest of which came when Ash accidentally hooked his heel behind Dawn's foot. She took a step back, and shrieked. "Ah!" Toppling over Ash's sneaker, she fell backwards, and her weight pulled Ash down with her. She tensed, waiting for the impact. It never came.
Dawn opened her eyes from a tight-shut wince, taking in the world around her. There wasn't much to see, though; not much but Ash, who looked down at her, their faces only inches apart. His arm was hooked around her waist, which she figured had saved her from a nasty fall. Looking to the right of her, his palm was planted against the ground, keeping both of them suspended.
Ash blinked, and grinned; Dawn could swear she saw a faint glimmer of teal in his eyes. "Talk about a close one, huh?"
She could feel his breath on her lips. No doubt, the same was true in reverse, as she exhaled in relief. "I'll say. You know, you've saved me like that twice, tonight."
"That's the power of an Aura Guardian!"
"I've still got to ask you what that's all about, one day," Dawn replied. "Now… can we like… stand?" Even with Ash's support, the girl's bent knees were starting to wobble under her.
"Oh! Right." Ash yanked himself back up with a grunt, pulling Dawn with him, probably just a bit too hard. His companion fell forward into his arms, her face buried in his shoulder. No words passed in an exchange between the two; only their quiet breaths, as they found themselves short of any words to use. No funny one-liners, no excuses. The Pokémon prancing in the backdrop did little to quell the silence.
"Lup!" Loud, frustrated squawking broke Ash and Dawn from their stupor. A moment's glance away, Prinplup laid belly-first on the ground, shouting something or another in frustration. Not far off, Pikachu and Buneary had stopped their dancing, eyes glued to their companion.
The Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable also found the embarrassing display hard to ignore.
"What's up with him?" Ash asked, pulling back from Dawn.
"Poor Prinplup… he must still be having trouble finding his rhythm. Poor guy's been stumbling all over the place." Dawn frowned, nudging her bangs back into place. "Sorry, Ash, but I think-"
"Way ahead of you!" Ash shoved Dawn by the shoulder, pushing her towards Prinplup. When she looked back at him, he winked. "Our Pokémon come first, right? I think you taught me enough to get me through the rest of the ceremony!"
Dawn beamed like the silver-tinted moonlight casting from above her, a smile stretching from cheek to cheek. Ash understood her before she'd gotten the words out to state the obvious. "Right!" She nodded, pumping a fist with determination before running off to her starter. "Thanks, Ash!"
She found her way to her sulking starter, who was now sitting up; only slightly more dignified than a moment before, with his eyes cast towards the ground. "Hey," she addressed him. "You're really having a hard time with this, huh? I should've known, after all your fumbling, lately."
"Prinplup!" Prinplup huffed, scooting away from Dawn in offense.
"Hey, easy!" She said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, Ash wasn't having any luck on his own, either." Dawn looked back, forcing an exasperated smile, as Ash was pretty much back to square one. Luckily out of Clefable-kicking range. "He still isn't."
The crack made Prinplup laugh a little. "Lup…" Hopefully, he felt a little less ridiculous in comparison.
"But, I had him on the right track. So, I'm going to do the same for you! What do you say, Prinplup?" Dawn smiled, crouching to hold out her open hands to Prinplup. "Let's show everyone how our team can groove, together!"
Prinplup's big, blue eyes wobbled, as they oft did when he found a new rush of determination. He got back on his feet, and put his wings in Dawn's hands. "Lup! Pri-Pri!"
"Awesome!" Dawn laughed. "Now, it's gonna be hard to do this, with how short you are…"
"Prin!"
"Hey, hey, you're taller than before! Just bear with me…"
The penguin started to follow Dawn's lead, taking a slow start to waltzing in circles. Out of the corner of his eye, he swore he spotted an anomaly in the crowd. A lone, pink puffball rubbernecking. As quickly as that happened, though, he was pulled around.
He felt eyes on him, but couldn't be bothered with it.
"Thank goodness." Buneary watched Dawn reinvigorate Prinplup, still holding Pikachu's paws. "That was getting REALLY embarrassing."
"I guess his maturity hasn't caught up to his new look, huh?" Pikachu gave a good-natured, slightly exasperated smile. "But, I'm sure Dawn will help him get the dance right! She managed to set Ash straight."
"Right! And, with that out of the way…" A smile spread across Buneary's lips, and her eyes found Pikachu's. That adoring look of hers struck him directly; he nervously awaited what he knew was to come. "Let's get back to it, huh?"
Buneary pulled Pikachu closer by his paws, placing one of his on her side while maintaining her hold on the other. Fluttering her lashes - did Buneary even have eyelashes? - she started a slow waltz that Pikachu definitely hadn't signed up for.
"Ahaha…" He awkwardly laughed as he was pulled along. "What're you doing, Buneary? This isn't the Moon Dance…! Or, ours."
"Worked just fine for our trainers~!" The rabbit cooed, stepping in coordinated circles around the colony. She luckily had much better footwork than her klutzy trainer. "Besides! There's nothing like a moonlight waltz~"
Pikachu swallowed heavily, and nodded. Whatever half-assed protests came to mind never quite slipped through his lips. He wasn't one to be rude, especially to a friend. Let alone one who liked him as much as-
"Y-yeah! Yeah. I guess you're right," he agreed with nervous laughter. Rather than dizzy himself dwelling on the situation he was in, he'd graciously play along. Nervous, calculated steps followed Buneary's lead, taking care to just leave a little bit of space between them, but not quite at arm's length, either. If he pushed her too far away, she might just feel bad! And, he couldn't have that-
"YOWCH!" Pikachu shrieked; a poorly thought misstep made him show his side to Buneary, rather than facing forward. Out of sync with her partner, Buneary had accidentally stepped on the bottom of his tail. She gasped, feeling guilty. Then an instinctive bolt of electricity surged through her, making Buneary yelp in pain.
"Buneary!" Pikachu gasped, cutting the charge short. A little late, perhaps. The fluffy rabbit laid belly-first on the ground, her cotton fluff frizzled. He crouched, holding a paw out to her. "Are you alright!?"
"Is... is it just me, or didja add some real thunder to your moves...?" Buneary mumbled, swirls in her eyes. Perhaps not the smoothest move she'd ever made.
Through the turning spiral of Clefable, one Clefairy paid attention to the ruckus going on on the outside. The commotion from the visiting group was, frankly, hard to ignore. But one sight had caught this little one's eye; the girl with starlit hair, and her clumsy Prinplup.
With every rotation, she watched the two. His failure to twirl graciously with his bottom heavy form, and his clumsy jumps failing to meet the girl's height. Over and over, their earnest efforts failed.
"Alright… now just… jump!" Dawn instructed, lifting her hands to help launch her Pokémon. It wasn't that Prinplup couldn't get altitude; he certainly had the foot strength to launch.
"Lup!" Prinplup sprung off his short legs, swinging up to match Dawn's movements. Unfortunately, he slipped free of her grip, and tumbled through the air. "Lup!" He squawked, landing on his rear.
"Well, no one can say you can't jump." Dawn approached to offer her hand to Prinplup, giving a sympathetic smile. "But, your sense of direction is totally off."
"Prinplup." Prinplup folded his wings, looking off. An obvious rebuttal that he didn't need to be told that twice.
"C'mon. Let's give it another try! We didn't come as far as we are now, in a day!" Dawn urged.
Prinplup stared back at Dawn, contemplating the situation. Hesitantly, he took her hand, and pulled himself up.
"Fairy!"
The cry of a lone Clefairy interrupted the ceremony. The rings of Pokémon slowed down, and were forced to break to make way for the one Pokémon who chose to stick out like a sore thumb. She hopped between the break in the circle, generating confused, hushed chatter between her many peers. Entirely focused, she hopped her way towards Dawn and Prinplup.
"Clefairy…?" Dawn spoke.
Ash, himself, stopped his embarrassing dance. "What's going on, over there?"
A recovering Buneary had pulled to her feet, meanwhile; she and Pikachu watched on.
"Clefairy!" She pointed a nail at the duo, chattering an enthusiastic message that Dawn struggled to decipher. "Fairy, fairy. Clefairy! Clefaaa!" The fairy Pokémon twirled about with passion and conviction. Her jumps carried her higher than Dawn could reach; it was almost as if she was floating.
"I… don't understand. Did we do something wrong?" Dawn asked, holding her index finger thoughtfully to her lip. "W-wait!" Horror struck her, and she rapidly waved her hands in front of her. "Did our dancing offend you and interrupt the Moon Dance? We're so sorry! Prinplup's really doing his best; we were trying to honor your traditions, I promise!"
Clefairy paused, thoughtfully tilting her head. "Fairy!" Her face lit up, and she pointed a paw at Dawn. A flash of lightning cut through the air, zapping Dawn with yet another Shock Wave.
"Ayyyyee! Ow!" Dawn yelped… though, her reaction was a tad overdramatic, as it was more of a light jolt than a full-fledged shock. It made her hair stand and glitter all the same, though. "Hey! What's the big idea!? Am I some kind of lightning rod to you!?"
"Lup!" Prinplup raised a wing, calling off her fuming.
"Huh?" Dawn paused, easing from her temper. "What is it, Prinplup?"
"Prinplup!" Prinplup walked in front of Dawn, leaning into an offensive stance. "Prin-Prin!"
"...You're saying she wants to battle?" Dawn asked.
"Clefairy!" Clefairy affirmed.
"And you're all okay with this?" Dawn's eyes turned to the colony, who had stopped their ritual to watch the scene play out. "Isn't this interrupting your big Moon Dance?"
"I think they understand how Clefairy feels," Ash cut in. "They want to see it help out you and Prinplup, too!"
"Fairy!" "Clef!" "Fable!"
"All that dancing you were doing earlier… I get it!" Dawn beamed. "You want to show Prinplup how it's done in action, right Clefairy?" The small Pokémon nodded, and so did she. "Okay! Then let's show Clefairy our moves, Prinplup!" Dawn pointed towards the fairy. "Hydro Pump!"
Prinplup threw his head forward, spitting a rushing torrent through the gathering room.
"Fairy~!" In the face of the overpowering jet, Clefairy jumped leapt well over its forceful range. With light feet and very little weight, she successfully cleared it. She chattered, and pointed her claws towards Prinplup. "Clefairy!" Shock Wave fired at the penguin, electrocuting him just as he discontinued Hydro Pump.
"Prinplup!" Dawn called out, though there was little cause for alarm. Bright blue sparks surrounded Prinplup momentarily before breaking off. He'd squawked in pain, but he merely brushed some soot off his down, afterward.
"So, Prinplup's a lot stronger than Clefairy," she noted. "That barely did anything. But, we can't let our guard down, now! Prinplup, Metal Claw!"
Prinplup started a sprint towards Clefairy, picking up momentum on his clumsy feet by charging in a straight-forward line. The light ends of his wings gained a metallic sheen, and swung.
Clefairy turned into a speedy pirouette, slipping out of Prinplup's reach. The penguin squawked in surprise, stumbling forward in a clumsy attempt to stop himself. Meanwhile, Clefairy hung behind, twirling to launch a small flurry of glowing leaves at Prinplup's back.
"That's Magical Leaf!" Dawn exclaimed, as her Pokémon was blind-sided. The move was super-effective, knocking him on his belly. Though, she wondered if that was due to the move's power or just adding to his own clumsiness… "Hang in there, Prinplup! Use Drill Peck!"
Prinplup hopped back up on his feet, gritting his teeth in frustration. "Lup!" He dashed at Clefairy, diving forward to turn into a wild spin. His beak sharpened to a fine point.
"Clefairy…?" The small Pokémon tilted her head, then smiled, turning around on her nimble toes until she completely sidestepped the drill.
"Again!?" Dawn exclaimed.
"Lup!?" Finding no resistance at all, Prinplup slowed his spin, hovering just past Clefairy.
"Fairy~!" A sneaky Pound attack smacked into the back of Prinplup's head, giving him a face full of dirt.
"Priii… LUP! Prinplup!" The penguin stood up to stomp the ground repeatedly in frustration.
"Piiika." Pikachu frowned, rubbing his neck.
"Bun-Bun," Buneary nodded along thoughtfully. This was only becoming more embarrassing.
"I see the problem," Ash thought aloud. "All of Prinplup's moves are stiff and deliberate, to keep him from losing balance. Every time he chooses a direction, Clefairy has plenty of time to figure it out. No matter how fast or strong he is, he's letting her read him like a book!"
"Well, this is going nowhere." Dawn frowned. Even with a decisive advantage in size and strength, they were getting schooled. Perhaps they had to fish out an ideal moment to attack? "Use Bubble Beam, Prinplup!"
The penguin converted that frustration to foaming fury, spitting an explosive barrage of bubbles towards Clefairy. Silver slivers glimmered in their reflections, under the moonlight.
Clefairy's eyes, likewise, shone in wonder. She chirped, attacking with the sizzling light of a Shock Wave. Branches of lightning crashed into the bubbly wave, detonating them. Light foam and moisture lingered in the air, refracting under the half moon's glow.
Clefairy cooed, spinning and hopping about among the leftover light that looked not unlike a kaleidoscope projected onto the field.
"She's having a ball," Dawn observed. The tiny Pokémon didn't look like she had a care in the world. "Maybe now is the time to catch her off-guard Prinplup, Metal Claw!"
"Lup!" Prinplup swiped his wings through the air like wielded blades, and charged Clefairy. Maintaining a straight forward charge, he slashed at Clefairy in a cross formation. "Prin!'
"Clefairy~!" Clefairy raised one paw, igniting an orb of light on the end of her nail. She pointed it at Prinplup, and cast it. The light sank into him, and the confused penguin came to a halt. "Lup?"
Dawn gasped. "That's…!"
Ash withdrew his Pokédex, just to be certain. "Encore. The user compels the foe to continue using its last move for several turns."
"Just like with Ursula." Dawn grimaced. "Well, it's not like we have a choice… Keep using Metal Claw, Prinplup! Clefairy's bound to slip up, if we keep at it!"
Prinplup looked back to Dawn and nodded, resuming the cross-winged slice he'd started. His wings, shimmering with residual foam in the air, came just short of clipping Clefairy's ear. Another miss.
Clefairy retaliated from behind with a Shock Wave.
"Prinplup! Jump and dodge it!" Dawn warned.
Prinplup couldn't see the incoming move, but he obeyed. Stumbling back into a sprint, he lunged high into the air. Surely, he was far clear of the move-
A sizzling shock. Prinplup squawked, falling onto all fours.
"No good," Dawn muttered. "I forgot; Shock Wave just follows its target, no matter what! ...Prinplup, keep attacking!" She coached, as there was little else she could do. 'Magical Leaf works the same way,' Dawn thought to herself, as the pattern repeated, and nature's flurry sliced into Prinplup's side, with no chance for retaliation. 'If we can't tag her, and can't dodge, what're we supposed to do!?'
Another underhanded zap later, and Prinplup was huffing; whether that came from lowering stamina or sheer frustration was hard to tell. Smoke and ashes trailed off his body, regardless. Even at a higher level, he could only take so much. "Lup…!" Furious, he waved a wing at Clefairy, probably commanding her to fight on his terms.
"Fairy…" The Pokémon frowned as she tilted her head, her lone fang poking through. This lesson didn't seem to be going anywhere. After a moment of thought, the Pokémon gasped. "Clefairy!" She shouted to Prinplup, wagging a finger towards her in a 'come at me' motion.
"Is that Taunt…?" Dawn asked.
Ash held up his Pokédex, and shook his head. "Not a move. I think she's just trying to instruct Prinplup!"
"Well, if that's the case… Let's go, Prinplup!" Dawn pointed a finger towards Clefairy.
Prinplup obeyed, and charged Clefairy with a one-winged swing. He cut through the air, only for Clefairy to twirl into his personal space. Far too close for his liking; he felt a quick jab to his side. "Prin!"
"I think that was Pound," Dawn narrated. "Try again, Prinplup!"
And so, he did. Turning his entire body around, he swung his wing like a blade. Clefairy twirled, her back facing the penguin. With a backhanded Pound, she jabbed him in the stomach.
"She's attacking while she's dancing," Dawn observed the ongoing exchange. "And, not bothering to turn all her attention to Prinplup, either… That's it!" Before her eyes, her partner missed a forward stab. Clefairy revolved around, aiming a Pound at his side. "Prinplup! Don't bother shifting around! Just swing to the right and use Metal Claw!"
Prinplup heard Dawn's words, and let her be his eyes and ears. There was no roundabout shifting of his body, but a precise swipe of his wing. This time, Metal Claw found purchase; it smashed directly into Pound.
Clefairy gasped, and instantly found her Pound overpowered. Metal, harmful to the touch, parried her, and smacked her across the face. The super-effective move sent her tumbling and bouncing off the rocky floor.
In the background, the colony gasped.
"We got her!" Dawn beamed. "I think I get it… We have to go with the flow, like Clefairy does! It looks like it worked…"
The small, pink Pokémon, who laid face down, struggled to push herself back on her feet. "Fairy!" Clefairy pranced and leapt, this time passing well over Prinplup's head, rather than engaging him up-close. Well in his blind spot, she pointed her claws at Prinplup's turned back, and fired Shock Wave.
"It's right behind him!" Ash gasped.
"Prinplup…" Dawn steeled her gaze. "Hold your Metal Claw over the top of your head!"
He did as told. His wings peaked over his crown, and crossed over one another just behind his head; just in time for a buzzing shock to course through them. What should have been a painful jolt remained localized to his thin slivers. Prinplup swung his wings outward, dispersing Shock Wave. "Prin-plup!"
"That block with Metal Claw," Ash exclaimed. "That's just like how Kenny shook off Pikachu's Thunderbolt, way back when!"
"You're not the only one who can pick up handy tricks from your opponents, you know!" Dawn cheekily replied, wagging her finger. "I think we've got the groove of this, now… alright, Clefairy!" Dawn leaned forward, pointing at their opponent. "Let's wrap this up! ...Clefairy?"
The pink Pokémon stood wearily between Dawn and Prinplup, smiling at the trainer. A look of approval that quickly faded, as the light left the Pokémon's eyes. Clefairy collapsed on her back, unconscious.
"I guess Metal Claw was too much, after all." Dawn said. Meanwhile, a strong impulse struck her. She reached instinctively, and grabbed at thin air. "My bag… My Poké Balls!?" She fretted. "Oh, no… I left them in my bag!"
"Dawn, catch!"
Dawn looked over, and nearly yelped. Her yellow backpack was flying towards her face. She just managed to snatch it out of the air, staring wordlessly at her helper.
Standing by the walls near their equipment, Ash winked. Dawn understood in that moment, smiling to herself; Ash had read her heart as a trainer like a book. "Right! Now!" Leaving that behind her, she fumbled for a Poké Ball, and chucked it at Clefairy. "Poké Ball, go!"
The ball spun through the air, and collided with the Pokémon, absorbing it in a flash of light. The metallic capsule hit the ground with a 'clack,' and wobbled. Once. Twice. Thrice.
Ding!
"...Yes!" Euphoric, Dawn ran towards the ball, hoisting it high in the air. "No need to worry! I caught Clefairy, fair and square!"
"Prin-plup!" Prinplup jumped into the air, joining Dawn in striking a pose… before falling less-than-graciously face first. "Lup…" His muffled voice grumbled into the dirt.
"I guess we've still got some work to do." Dawn smiled apologetically.
A chorus of cries grabbed the girl's, and the group's attention. The Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable had gathered, repeating a hearty cheer in celebration.
"Oh, yeah…" Dawn blinked, settling in one of those rare moments where she felt humble. "Clefairy's your friend, huh? Are you guys sure you're okay with her coming with me?"
"I think so!" Ash laughed, walking up to pat Dawn on the shoulder. "I think Clefairy's show really livened up tonight's Moon Dance. Am I right, guys?"
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu chirped, now by Ash's side.
"Buneary!" Buneary agreed, joining Dawn at her feet.
"...Well, if you say so." Dawn hummed, then clicked the Poké Ball's center button. A blue flash of light summoned Clefairy. She looked a little scuffed up, but cognizant.
"Clefairy…?" The Pokémon blinked.
"Clefairy," Dawn addressed, crouching in front of her. "I think I understand why you challenged us, now. You wanted to help Prinplup improve with his movements, right?"
Clefairy showed a toothy grin. "Fairy!"
"That's what I thought," Dawn nodded, smiling to herself. "Well, it did help a lot! And, I'd love to keep growing together, if you want. You see… My dream is to compete in Pokémon Contests with my team, and show their style off to the world. Then, we'll reach the title of Top Coordinator! Do you want to do that with me?"
Without hesitation, Clefairy hopped in place, raising her claw. "Fairy! Clefairy!"
"Awesome!" Dawn clapped her hands together. "Now… there's no good reason to leave in the middle of the night, so we'll be here until morning. Why don't you spend some time with your friends and family, while you can?"
Clefairy nodded gratefully, and pranced off to join the group, who welcomed her with excitable chatter, and a couple of what could be assumed to be tearful goodbyes.
Dawn showed a half-smile, standing up to brush her blue bangs from her eyes. "They don't seem to be doing the Moon Dance anymore."
"They must've had their fill." Ash walked up beside Dawn, folding his arms behind his head. "I'm not gonna complain about it. That was fun, but I'm a little tired, after all of that commotion!"
"You want to settle down?" Dawn gave him an incredulous look, then laughed. "Then, that's really a sign to call it quits! My feet are sore, anyway…" Pouting, She lifted one foot to inspect her boot, as if that would offer any insight. "...Hey, Ash."
"Hm?" Ash dropped his arms, turning to give Dawn his full attention. "What's up?"
"Thanks for bringing us here, and showing me the Moon Dance." Her smile spanned her cheeks, and her deep blue hues resonated under the night skies. "If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had all this fun. And, I never would've met Clefairy!"
"Well, you know!" Ash laughed and rubbed his neck, oddly feeling embarrassed, all of the sudden. "I just have a good instinct for these things, y'know?" Putting his boasting aside, he beamed, throwing his arms out. "If we're gonna tour the region together, we might as well have all the fun we can!"
"Well, one thing's for sure!" Dawn laughed. "There's never a dull moment, with you around."
The boy replied with a cheeky grin. He didn't have a response. But, really, what was left to say?
No matter what kind, a companion was always sure to make the climb all the more .