A/N: This chapter is coming a bit early, because it will be so worth it. Enjoy. Also, turns out that I forgot that for polls to work, they have to be visible on the profile page. So it should be on there now.

Once again at 8 AM, the alarm went off, waking up both teens. Ash sat up and straightened his back, popped it loudly. He yawned,

"Good morning Dawn."

"Hey." She said back coldly. Ash turned to see his comrade to see her in the same position he saw last night; cradling her new egg. Ash thought back to last night, and sighed. Thinking about for the night, it was a stupid idea to just ride down a hill before both were ready. For all he knew, she could've fallen off and stopping would've been difficult.

"What, still giving me the cold shoulder?" The trainer asked sarcastically. The girl didn't respond as she got up, put her egg in her bag, and started to prepare breakfast. Ash sighed.

After getting a helpful tip from a traveler during breakfast, they backtracked under the bridge heading to Wayward Cave. It took 3 days with the faster jogging pace and the longer amount of time moving instead of staying put, but the time was spent either battling trainers or catching new Pokémon, a ponyta and a gligar. Eventually, they made it to where they wanted to be; Wayward Cave.

"Well, we're finally here. Luxio, come out." Ash requested as he let out his electric type. "Well buddy, we're going into another cave. If you can light the way?" The lynx nodded as he lit up with electricity and entered the cave, but made sure not to go in too deep. "Dawn, if you please?" He asked politely. While she still wasn't talking to him, she did bring out her prinplup as a counter against rock and ground types. The two went into the cave, and quickly realized how much it seemed like a maze when Ash and Dawn defeated a couple of cave spelunkers saying how the layout is like. So with a simple agreement, they stuck to the left wall, always going left. Since they didn't have any cave equipment, that was the best they could do.

"Go, Pokeball!" Dawn yelled out as she threw the sphere at a greyish-blue disk shaped Pokémon which got absorbed into the sphere and wiggled three times before clicking.

"Great catch as usual Dawn." Ash complimented the young researcher.

"Thanks." She spoke back, saying that purely for courtesy sake. She picked up the ball and let her Rotom enhanced Pokedex scan it.

Bronzor, the Bronze Pokemon. Even though it looks nothing like bronze, there are researchers who believe this Pokémon reflected like a mirror in the distant past. X-ray photos were taken to check its body composition, but nothing appeared obviously. It is a piece of metal after all. Ash chuckled from the Plasma Pokémon's sarcasm. Even Dawn smiled from amusement. It was then they noticed something coming towards them. A girl's voice.

"Excuse me? Can you help me?"

"What do you need help with?" Dawn inquired as the Pokeball in her hand teleported away.

"I've gotten lost. A zubat stole my map of this cave and my flashlight died out. Can you help me get to the entrance?"

"Sure. We'll help you. We've been hugging this wall the whole time. Back tracking shouldn't be a problem." The researcher obliged.

"Oh thank you so much!" The girl cheered as she ran close enough to be seen from Luxio's glow. She was a Japanese-American with burgundy hair. She wore primarily white and red clothes with a white puffed shirt and red shoes, short shorts over white tights and scarf. She also wore a yellow back pack and hair decorations which gave her two asymmetrical styles, a side ponytail and a loop.

"Interesting hair design." Ash remarked.

"Heh, it makes me look unique. I'm Mia MacKenzie." She defended.

"Ash Ketchum." The trainer responded.

"Dawn Berlitz. Nice to meet you." She stated as the three started heading back to the entrance.

"So, what are you doing here? Looking for a gible as well?"

"Dawn is. While having a Garchomp would be pretty awesome, I want to beat Cynthia with Pokémon exclusively my own. No copies. I'm a Pokémon trainer."

"Oh wow. I'm a Pokémon trainer too. What about you Dawn?"

"I'm a Pokemon research assistant. I work for Prof. Rowan." This really impressed Mia.

"Double wow. You're not like the average people I see on a daily basis."

"We're not your typical trainers, yes." Ash agreed, smiling in pride.

"I want to be the Pokémon Champion too. Or if I can't do that, get into the Battle Tower."

"Battle Tower?" Dawn questioned, not knowing what that is.

"It's a place that really strong trainers go to. Those who fail to get in go to the battle grounds to train. We're talking Pokémon League Tournament strong." Ash answered her.

"That's pretty cool. Where are you from, Mia?" The young researcher asked the female trainer.

"Veilstone City. It's where I got my first Pokémon and my first badge. So far I've got two badges. I'm heading to Eterna City to earn my third.

"Hey, we're technically going in opposite directions. If you have the cobble and relic badge, then those are the next two I need to find." Ash laughed.

"Awesome! When we get out of this cave, we definitely need to battle." Mia joyfully suggested.

"Absolutely." Ash agreed wholeheartedly.

In due time, they were able to see a light up ahead.

"Finally, the exit!" Mia cheered, but was cut off from doing more when a gibble stepped in front of them. It looked like shark jaws with small eyes, arms and legs.

"Gible!" It barked, trying to intimidate them.

"Nice, a gible! Prinplup, I choose you!" Dawn called out as her water starter stepped up to confront the enemy. The dragon type leapt forward with a surprising amount of power, knocking Prinplup backwards onto the ground.

"Prinplup! Counter with bubblebeam!" Dawn ordered. The Penguin Pokémon aimed his head and shot many fast bubbles at the wild Pokémon, causing strong damage despite the type disadvantage. Go, Pokeball!" The researcher threw the item at the gible which absorbed it. After three clicks, she patted her starter as thanks as she picked the ball up and scanned it.

Gible, the Land Shark Pokemon. It attacks using its huge mouth. While its attacks are powerful, it's stupidly clumsy and hurts itself. Maybe it's because it's more mouth than anything else.

"Hehe, I've never heard of a Pokedex with a sense of humor." Mia giggled as she noted the odd machine.

"It's being extra powered by a Rotom that's inhabiting my Pokedex. Came from the Old Chateau near Eterna City before it was destroyed."

Pleasure to meet you.

"Hello. You're really cool. Anyway, let's go outside. I'm itching for a battle." The female trainer indirectly challenged at Ketchum.

"Bring it on Lopside." Ash jabbed before they ran out of the cave and already positioned themselves at the typical Pokémon battle distance. Dawn and Prinplup stepped out and hung leaned back right next to it.

"You know the drill; both go at it till all on one side faints and such, begin." She snarked, beginning the battle in the most blasé way possible.

"Way to start the battle, Berlitz." Ash pointed out almost annoyed. "Grotle, I choose you!" He yelled as he released his starting Grove Pokémon.

"Porygon2, let's make this special!" Mia opened as she showed her blobby, duck shaped pink and blue Pokémon.

"What the... what is that?" Ash questioned, dumbfounded by this unusual Pokémon.

"I don't know. I've never seen this Pokémon before." Dawn gasped, flabbergasted as well.

"My advantage. Use Psybeam!" The girl started. The Virtual Pokémon's eyes began to glow before firing multicolored lasers at Grotle, dealing the first damage.

"Razor leaf!" Ash countered. Grotle shot off many leaves at the enemy, landing a hit and dealing damage. It cried out with pain.

"Use Conversion2!" Replying, Porygon2 changed it's color from pink and blue to green and yellow.

"Razor leaf again!" Ash demanded. Grotle used the same attack, but he didn't leave as much hurt this time. "What?!"

"Conversion 2 changes my Porygon's type into whatever its last move is resistant too. So now my Porygon2 is a bug type. Porygon2, use recover!" Obeying, the color shifted foe glowed white before the cuts it sustained vanished, good as new.

"Grotle, return!" Ash chose to retreat his Pokémon, not wanting to lose on his first match. "Very interesting Pokémon, Mia, but now I have the upper-hand. Staravia, I choose you!" He replaced his Grove Pokemon with his bird. "Alright, let's get ready."

"Psybeam!" It's eyes glowing again, it shot the colorful beam of energy.

"Double team!" Spreading out his wings, Staravia split off into many afterimages, the beam phasing through the middle one.

"What? Where did the real one go?" Mia slightly freaked out. Ash spread his arms out, giving the silent order of wing attack. All the after images flew towards the Virtual Pokemon.

"Defend with psybeam!" Mia pleaded. It tried hitting as many of the afterimages as possible, but it never landed any, and Staravia slammed into the bug type with his glowing wings. Porygon2 slammed into the ground, hovering back up.

"Recover!"

"Don't let it! Wing attack again!" Ash demanded as Staravia circled around for the finishing blow, swiping it's white energized wing into the shifted Pokemon, defeated when it didn't float again.

"Return!" Mia exclaimed, helping her Pokemon back in. "You did you're best." She looked at her foe. "That was pretty good, but your luck's ran out! Magnemite, let's make this special!" She repeated as what came out was a robotic sphere. It had two horseshoe magnets on its sides with red and blue tips. Out of the top of it's head was a screw and on it's front is one large eye. Like its predecessor, it too hovered in the air.

"Magnemite." It said its name in a robotic voice.

"Thunderwave!" Cackling with electricity, it fired a spark that zapped the Bird Pokémon, rendering it paralyzed. He grunted from the ailment.

"No!"

"Yes!" Now use thunder shock!" Charging up, the Magnet Pokémon fired a blast of electricity that heavily damaged it's prey. He almost fell to the ground, but was just barely able to keep from being .

"Staravia, return!" Ketchum spoke as he had to bench his bird. "You did good. I'll save you as a last resort. Impressive Mai. I don't have anything to properly combat something like a magnemite." He admitted, sweating a bit.

"So you'll give up?" Mai questioned, putting on a sly, smug smile.

"Like I'd do that. Buizel, I choose you!" Ash denied as he sent out his water weasel. This made Mai laugh to the extent she nearly fell over holding her stomach.

"Oh my goodness! You sending a water type against an electric type?! How dumb are you?"

"Sonic boom!" Ash jumped at the opportunity to strike. Buizel did as instructed as he jumped into the air and whipped out a shockwave that landed right against its eye, sending it back.

"Hey, I wasn't ready!" The girl trainer complained, stomping her foot.

"Even taking the time to laugh as hard as you did is a mistake. Again!" Buizel produced another shockwave.

"Thunder shock!" Mai ordered. The Magnet Pokemon shot forth a bolt of electricity to block the sonic attack, making it explode. Ash spat out some spit, prompting the Sea Weasel Pokemon to use water gun before the steel type was ready, blasting it away while soaking it.

"Use super sonic!" The magnemite's eye glowed red as it shot out transparent rings towards its opponent. Ash jumped, having Buizel escape with aqua jet towards the sky.

"Sonic boom!" Ash ordered. The water surrounding the Sea Weasel dissipated as he flipped forward, sending a shock wave at the robotic Pokémon.

"Dodge, then use thunder shock!" Getting out of the way, it avoided the attack, it crackled with electricity before firing.

"Sonic boom, once more!" Buizel produced one more before he was inevitably shocked by the zapping move. But the counter attack was also able to land against the Magnet Pokémon, producing an explosion. Both Pokémon fell to the ground, fainted.

"Return! Both called out as the Pokémon were withdrawn.

"I'm proud of you Buizel. Have a good rest."

"That was a special display you did. Good job." Mai grinned as she got out another Pokeball. "Gastly, let's make this special!" From a black and green Pokeball, out came a ball of gas which was black and purple and had a ghoulish face on it. "Oh, and to let you know, this gastly has a TM attached to it so prepare for something unexpected."

"That's what a trainer should do." Ash countered with a grin. "Bibarel, I choose you!"

"Aw man! Now my surprise won't work!" Mai whined.

"Sorry to foil your plan. Bibarel, use water gun!" The Beaver Pokémon shot a stream of water of of his mouth.

"Dodge and use toxic!" Heading its master, it rose above the water gun and breathed out a haze of poisonous gas at the normal type, whom unfortunately breathed it in and coughed trying to breathe.

"Dang it! Bibarel, use rollout!" Ash demanded, feeling the pressure. The Beaver Pokemon formed herself into a ball and started rolling.

"Confuse Ray!" The ball of gas's eyes glowed red and managed to cast something over the incoming enemy. While Bibarel was able to land a hit on gastly, due to being confused, she rolled right into a bridge pillar, hurting herself. She groaned as her head hurt, her eyes spinning around in puzzlement.

"Are you okay Bibarel?!" Ash asked his wounded Pokémon. Bibarel righted herself and tried to go again with rollout. But this time Gastly dodged, so Bibarel simply rolled right into a tree, getting even more hurt from an unnecessary impact and poison. Again and again this happened, rolling into a rock and even nearly hit panicked Dawn whom was protected by Prinplup using bubblebeam. It would seem like this would be just about wrapped up, as Bibarel rolled out one more time, with the Gas Pokemon having floated out of the way. However, The Beaver Pokémon finally snapped out of it as she focused as hard as she could, redirecting her momentum to perform a U-turn, and flipped her tail open so that her trajectory was straight at the unprepared Pokémon. It was then that she connected against her taget before falling to the ground, fainting from accumulation of unnecessary damage and poison. Bibarel, return!" He withdrew his badly hurt Pokemon. "I'm sorry. You'll get better soon. He then looked towards Dawn. "Sorry about that, Dawn. That was by accident." Dawn was still miffed about the bicycle incident, but with almost getting run over to boot? She and Prinplup looked away with disapproval. Ash groaned.

"Is there something going on with you two?" Mai questioned with a moment of concern.

"We're just going through something that I did. That was quite an effective tactic you had." Ash tried brushing off with a compliment.

"Well, if you're sure. Bring out you're next Pokémon." The female trainer shrugged. Ash looked to his left and spotted his Luxio, chilling with Dawn having not been returned before the fight.

"Luxio, you're up next!" Hearing so, he got up and purred with vigor as he ran to be in front of his master.

"Gastly, use shadow ball!" Forming a ball of black energy, it fired at the blue and black lynx.

"Jump and charge!" Ash commanded. Luxio leapt over the attack while cackling with electricity. "Spark!" The Spark Pokémon glowed with electrical energy and ran towards the opposing foe.

"Counter with shadow sneak!" Mai instructed. It's eyes glowed black and fired a beam of black energy, but Luxio was able to maneuver around it and leapt up to ram himself into the ball of gas. Mai returned the knocked out ghost type. "Thank you. You did so well there. I guess I have no choice but show you my ace. Kadabra, let's make this special!" From the Pokeball came out a yellow and brown humanoid being. It had two pointed ears on the top of its head, a pink star on its forehead, and wide cheeks leading to a thin snout that had two long mustache tufts. It also had a large thick tail, and in its right hand is a silver spoon. "Alright Kadabra, start things off with calm mind!" The psychic type closed his eyes and began to glow in multiple colors, raising its offense and defense capabilities.

"Luxio, use charge again!" The electric lynx sparked with yellow energy, preparing for its next attack. "Now use spark!" Ash ordered, the Spark Pokémon rushing towards the enemy.

"Use psybeam!" With amazing reflex, Kadabra aimed his spoon to shoot a multi-colored beam that struck head on with the charged lynx, creating an explosion. Luxio fell on his back and rolled to land on his belly, but he was able to get up again while struggling.

"Luxio, don't give up!" Ash encouraged. "Try to use bite!" Shaking off the hurt, Luxio tried to go in attacking again.

"Counter with confusion!" Mai commanded. Kadabra's eyes glowed red before a blue outline appeared around Luxio, lifting the startled lynx above the ground above the ground, unable to move. It was then that Luxio was thrown past Ash and smashed into a tree, defeated with ease.

"Luxio, return!" Ash returned his Spark Pokémon. "You did well. Have a good rest." Taking out one last Pokeball, and since Staravia had no chance, this was his last chance. "This is our chance. Grotle, I choose you!" Ash shouted as he unleashed his hurt, but still fresh Grove Pokémon. "Razor leaf!" Shacking the bushes on his back, many leaves were launched the the grass types' back.

"Power up with calm mind!" Mai commanded with confidence. The psychic type began to glow again, and even though he was critically hurt by the sharp leaves, he maintained composure and was still in the game.

"Razor leaf, once more!" Ash instructed, the Pokémon sending more leaves at the Psi Pokémon.

"Counter with confusion!" The female trainer yelled. Kadabra's eyes glowed red before the leaves had a blue outline, stopping in their tracks. Instead, they were sent right back at Grotle, injuring the grass type. "Now finish this off with psybeam!" Kadabra shot a multi-colored beam at the head of the grass starter, whom screamed in confused pain until he collapsed, knocked out.

"Grotle, return." Ash said, having accepted the outcome already. "Well, congratulations Mai. I have one more but Staraia is too injured. You win."

"Alright! Thank you so much Kadabra! This was a truly special battle!" The girl cheered as she ran to her Pokémon hugging it. Kadabra said his name in a happy tone. Dawn was surprised. This was Ash's first official loss. Sure, every trainer loses at some point, but after defeating so many trainers and two gym leaders on his first try, the idea seemed unreal now that it happened. Ash walked up to the girl and Kadabra, offering a hand shake. She stood up and shook it. "You're really good. Aside from gym leaders, you're the second trainer to have defeated three of my Pokémon. He had a monferno."

"Barry?" He asked, somewhat surprised.

"I think that's his name. Came across him at Hearthome City. I beat him as well.

"Wow, you're so strong for a relative beginner." Ash marveled, his eyes lighting up that his rival failed to beat her as well.

"Yep."

"Guys, something is happening in my bag!" Dawn called out to the trainers. They ran to her and Prinplup as the researcher took out her egg as it started cracking. The three humans and two Pokémon gazed at the egg as the top cracked off and a face formed from the yolk, arms and legs growing from the egg. It blinked for the first time as it's vision cleared to see Dawn, smiling as wide as she could. It chirped his first noise as it stared into the eyes of his mother. He then chirped happily as he wiggled his tiny arms and legs around.

"Whoa, you have a Togepi too?!" Mai exclaimed joyfully.

"You too?" Ash asked.

"Well, he's a togetic now, but yes, I also had one.

"I can't believe it hatched so soon." Dawn said in disbelief.

"I guess Cynthia had that egg for a while now." Ash deduced.

"It hatched. It really hatched." Dawn whispered as she held it up, loving this adorable Pokémon still wearing the shell it was born in. "You're so cute, you know that?" The infant Pokemon simply chirped while waving its arms and and kicked its feet.

"Togepi!"

"You know, I decided. For the rest of the day, I'm staying with you guys. I don't mind sharing with you how to take care of an infant Pokémon since I went through the same thing, and I'll heal up you're Pokemon, it's the least I can do for helping me escape the cave and giving me such a special battle."

"Wow, really?!" Ash almost yelled in pleased shock.

"Thank you so much." Dawn thanked in gratitude.

"Now the first thing you should know is that the first person it sees, it imprints as its mother..."

A/N: And that's a wrap. So, here's a few things. One, I just liked the name Mia better than Mira. it's close enough. Second, if you're wondering about the Pokémon she had, here's the run down; Kadabra can be found at Route 215, right next to Veilstone City, so it makes sense she would be from there. Third, while it is that while magnemites aren't that too near to Veilstone City or the path she took going West, the place is filled with meteorites with likely unique electromagnetic fields, so one could be compelled to go there on rare occurrences. Fourth, I thought it would be cool to see if Ash could beat Mia while she was just beginning her journey with the Pokémon she had for the battleground part of the game. She was too strong though in both typing and strategy. Finally, I'm taking a break on this story until I finish Jinchuriki Family: Shippuden. It's about time I try to finish it since it's getting close to the end while this still has so much to go on. Let me know in the reviews below.