Ash woke up raring to go. Like usual, he was ready to hit the road and get on with the island challenge. But as time went by, he noticed that Dawn wasn't ready, and its way past noon. He knocked on the door and opened it to see what the holdup was, but as soon as he walked into the door a worried pipup started yelling and pointing to the bathroom door that was opened with the lights on. Ash gave him a confused look. "… Is Dawn constipated?" Ash questioned.
Piplup fell to the floor from the response.
"I'll go see if Nurse Joy has any lax…"
Piplup Bubble Beamed his face and attempted to drag Ash into the bathroom with his beak.
Ash coughed a bit, as some water from the Bubble Beam when down his throat. "A-alright. You should of just told me to… why do you want me to peep at her?" Ash shouted.
Piplup face palmed and groaned.
"Dawn, you alright in there?" Ash shouted.
There was loud throwing up noises coming from the bathroom.
"That doesn't sound good…" He said to Piplup.
Piplup made some chirping while waving his arms with a worried look.
"Don't worry Piplup! Just try and keep her cool. I'll go and fetch her a soda!" Ash ran out the door to the store, while Piplup gently used Bubble Beam on her to help with her temperature.
Ash came back with the soda and they got her into bed.
Dawn looked at him with a weak and sad look. "Y-you should go on without me… I'll be fine. Nurse Joy said she and Blissey will take care of me. I also got my other pokemon here, too."
Ash frowned and looked away. "I'm fine staying, right here with you."
"But Ash… who knows when I'll be well again, and Hau could get so much father ahead while you are waiting for me."
"That doesn't matter to me now."
Dawn stared at him with a surprised look.
"… During my travels without you I felt twice as weak. Even when I got to the semifinals in Kalos… I felt like I could've won it all, if I had you by my side."
"A-Ash…"
Ash looked down. "So, even for a moment…" He looked at Dawn with a gentle smile as he placed a hand on hers. "I'm not going to leave you behind until you are able to be right there with me!"
Dawn looked away with a smile. "A-alright… Thanks Ash."
"Besides, Nurse Joy and Blissey have enough to do tending to the pokemon that come in here. And our pokemon need some taking care of too! That's hard to do, when you're sick!"
"That's true…" See stared at him with a smile until see went to sleep.
Ash sent out all of their pokemon so Dawn's can eat and help out. Ash mostly stayed in Dawn's room just in case she needed anything.
Lycanroc looked towards Vulpix, who avoided looking at him. When he evolved, Vulpix became avoidant and afraid of him. It really pains him, because they got along so well as a rockruff, and he misses those days. He sighs as he remembers what Buneary told him one time. Buneary noticed something was bothering him and asked him what was wrong. So Lycanroc told her about Vulpix, and Buneary told him to go and talk to her, and make her realize that you are still the same sweet pokemon you where before you evolved. It's not like he hasn't tried talking before, but it usually involves her attacking or freaking out. But he figured maybe he could try comforting her this time, and maybe that'll help. Lycanroc walked up to her with a smile, and said hello.
Vulpix stopped what she was doing and started glaring at him and shaking.
Lycanroc told her to relax, and started to do a playful pose he did when he was a Rockruff.
Vulpix screamed, thinking Lycanroc was trying to attack her, so she used Powdered Snow on him, and ran out the automatic door. Lycanroc went out after it.
"Oh no!" Nurse Joy shouted.
Ash came running out as he heard Vulpix scream. "What happened?"
Pikachu pointed at the door with a worried look.
"A vulpix just ran out the door after a lycanroc attempted to play with it and the lycanroc followed it," Nurse Joy said.
"a vulpix and lycanroc?" Ash shouted. He looked around at all their pokemon. Vupix and Lycanroc were missing. "Pikachu, we got to find them."
Pikachu nodded in agreement, and Piplup came up willing to help as well.
But then Buneary came up and blocked the doorway with an ice beam when they ran towards it, and shook her head as she put her arms up.
"W-what are you doing, Buneary?" Ash shouted.
Pikachu shouted at her as well, telling her that they need to find Vulpix and Lycanroc since Vulpix is afraid of Lycanroc and it will do no good if he keeps chasing her.
Buneary put her arms down and started to cry.
Ash, Pikachu, and Piplup came to her slowly.
"What's wrong?" Ash asked, as he petted Buneary to calm her down.
Buneary apologized to all of them, but then asked them to let Lycanroc attempt to get Vulpix to open up to him.
Pikachu and Piplup gasped.
Piplup asked her what if it doesn't work, and Vulpix and Lycanroc get to the point where they are extremely lost, or even worse, captured by team rocket or team skull.
Buneary looked to the side while fiddling with her paws. She never thought of that. But then she looked at them with a serious look. She told them about the time she talked to Lycanroc, and how it pained her to see him so sad that someone he cares so much about, so afraid of him now. Buneary looked at Pikachu teary eyed, thinking about what would happen if Pikachu suddenly didn't like her, and she just wants it to be all right with them again.
Pikachu smiled at her. He told her that was extremely thoughtful and kind of Buneary to want to help out Lycanroc with his troubles.
Buneary blushed.
Pikachu told Piplup that they should give Lycanroc a chance, and that both are strong so they shouldn't get captured by some losers like team rocket and skull.
Buneary hugged Pikachu, while Pikachu just stood there and smiled.
Piplup gave a worried look. It still sounds like an extremely bad idea to him.
Pikachu told Ash that Lycanroc is going to bring Vulpix back, and that they need to focus on taking care of Dawn.
Ash looked back to where Dawn was at. "R-right." Then he looked back outside. "But if Dawn realizes that Vulpix is missing… this isn't what she needs when she isn't feeling well."
Vulpix was running in a forest and was stopped when an mightyena appeared in front of her. The mighyanna instantly got a crush on Vulpix, and went after her. She ran off to the left as Lycanroc came from behind and ran into Mightyena. But Vulpix didn't see the steep hill at the end, and rolled off into the river.
Lycanroc got up and jumped in after her to attempt to save her, while Mightyena found a big branch that fell from a tree to and attempted to lift it with its mouth.
Vupix looked at Lycanroc with a sad look. It was really weakening with being a rock type in the water, but his focus was on saving her.
With all the strength he could muster, Lycanroc grabbed Vulpix by the scuff and threw her on land.
Vulpix ran out to him with a worried look, noticing he fainted and was heading down a waterfall. Vupix got up to run after Lycanroc, but then tripped on a stone that a woman tossed in rage of her boyfriend that gave it to her long ago, and evolved into Ninetales. She then was able to use Ice Beam to stop the water flow for Lycanroc, and ran out to drag him out of the water.
Lycanroc slowly opened his eyes, and saw Ninetales who instantly became happy seeing him wake up.
Ninetales apologized for being so ridiculous and causing so much trouble.
Lycanroc smiled at her, telling her that he's just glad that she's okay. Then he slowly rose up and licked her face.
Her eyes got wide, realizing that Lycanroc was her old friend all along.
Ninetales came back to the pokemon center the next morning with Lycanroc on her back.
Ash and all the other pokemon ran up to them.
"Lycanroc!" Ash shouted.
Ninetales gently put him on the ground with a sad look.
Nurse Joy came out when she heard the shout. "Oh no! I'll treat him right away!" Blissy and Nurse Joy got a stretcher and took Lycanroc into a room.
Ash strared at Ninetales with a frown. "Don't tell me that's a ninetales for Alola…"
His Rotomdex popped out. "That's exactly what she is! Ninetales, it…"
"Agh! How am I gonna explain this to Dawn?"
Ninetales whined.
Lycanroc was reported that it'll be fine, just needed some rest. He and Dawn recovered just fine, and she came out of her room to greet her pokemon. Then she looked over and saw a pokemon she never saw before with a confused look.
"Surprise!" Ash shouted.
Dawn looked at Ash.
"Vulpix evolved!"
"Oh…"
Ash gave a nervous laugh. "Not sure how it happened, but…"
Dawn smiled. "Well great job, Ninetales!"
Ninetales came up and nuzzled her. She then turned around and saw Lyanroc and ran up to him and they nuzzled.
"It's… been awhile since they've gotten along so well," Dawn thought.
They spent one more night in the pokemon center so they were certain Dawn was 100% better. The next day, Dawn woke up. She looked at the time, and realized it was past noon. It was extremely odd, because Ash was usually up way before now scrambling and shouting about leaving. Dawn got up to look around for Ash. Then she heard some gaging coming from the bathroom. "Oh no…"
