Journey to Valley Windworks wasn't so bad. Occasional trainers popped up. But they barely gotten their first badges if any. Dawn, using Ash's pokemon, easily plowed right through them.

They arrived at the familiar Floaroma town first though. Dawn was glad to visit the place where she got her first ribbon by narrowly defeating Kenny in the final round. However, strangely, she didn't find the place to be exactly as she left it. Everything was still there, nothing changed, their was even a contest for coordinators with less than three ribbons going on. It just kinda seemed a little lackluster from the first time she visited it. Ash on the other hand, was enjoying it more than the first time they visited the town. The flowers, he claimed, seemed so much more attractive and the aroma that wafted through the town was refreshing.

They were able to find a balloon driver near Valley Windworks that could take them to the nearest port town. But there was a slight problem.

"HOW MUCH!" Dawn mouth hung open on the price that the driver was giving.

"You don't think these big balloons are free do you?" The man was very young, maybe a little older than Brock. Probably a son taking over for his father today.

Brock was fishing through the money pouch that carries the groups money. "We only have around two thousand..."

"Sorry then, five thousand or no go." He turned his attention toward Ash. "I am really sorry, but it is my fathers price."

Dawn was able to pick up the emotion in the driver's voice, he must have a little crush on Ash, or her. That wasn't the confusing part. The confusing part was whether she should tell Ash to use her body as a way of getting a lower price, it looks like if she did encourage Ash to do it, it would work most likely. However, it would demean her body, but would it demean herself? This was the only solution to the price problem that popped in her head.

Ash was just awkward with the special attention he was receiving from the driver. 'What made him so special', was Ash's thoughts.

"You know with two thousand you can take a ride around the area, if you want." The rider was trying to flirt with Ash.

"No thank you. I'm just going to stick with my friends here."

The group left the driver. Ash still feeling a little awkward. Brock looking in the book for an alternative means of transport, thinking for a solution to their problem at the same time. Dawn was still debating with herself about whether to lead the man on, using Ash.

'You won't get your hands dirty'

'Yet I will be using two people to my advantage'

'The ends justify the means, we do need to get to Snowpoint'

'But at what costs? I'm not sure I could take the guilt'

'It's not like you are actually leading the man on, Ash is'

'But I would be telling him to do it'

'Well then why not try to subtly encourage him to what you want. Without actually saying it. So he does it out of his own actions'

'That would be dishonest though'

'Like you haven't been doing dishonest things to Ash all along, or should I say to Ash's-'

'I GET YOUR POINT! But still, two wrongs don't make a right'

'Then how do you plan to get to Snowpoint? Don't you want your body back?'

'Yeah I do'

'It would be rather hard to be a master coordinator if you are forced to collect badges right?'

'I suppose...

'And would you rather Ash accomplish your goal for you, being a master coordinator because Ash did it for you?'

'No...'

'Then just make him aware that he needs to seduce the driver'

'I...'

'Is there really any other way?'

Dawn looked at Ash. He was always blissfully unaware of everything. A quality Dawn wished she had sometimes. A knot in her stomach formed as she called out to Ash.

"Can I talk to you in private Ash."

"Um, okay."

Dawn took Ash's hand and led him away from Brock, who seemed to be heading toward the pokemon center, to a secluded clearing.

"It is a shame that we don't have enough money for the balloon ride right?"

"Yeah it is."

"So what do you plan to do to earn some money?"

"Well maybe take some odd jobs, maybe work at the flower store for a little while, while we're here you know."

"Uh-huh sounds good..." Dawn looked away and bit her upper lip. "But you know I heard that women are able to get lower prices from the driver if they..." Dawn thought it over and couldn't go through with it. "never mind." She turned away from him, as though trying to hide her shame.

"No please tell me. I am willing to do anything if it means we get to Snowpoint faster."

Dawn was beating herself up.

'See he is willing to go through with it'

'He doesn't know what he will be doing, he is innocent like that'

'Oh. So really care for the boy then do you'

'Yes I would like to think that I am protecting him from you'

'You must really like him then.'

'No I don't!'

'Please, you enjoy being a fake couple with him, holding hands and all. You secretly want to be a real couple'

'NO I DONT!'

'Prove it then. Tell him to seduce the driver'

Dawn was beginning to hating herself right now.

"It's just that... I hear if you talk and go with everything the drivers say... they might give a lower price. But I don't expect you to try that."

"Hold on a minute."

Dawn turned to face Ash.

"What do you mean 'go with everything'?"

"I mean like being a yes man. Just agree with him and try to make him happy."

"Really I have tried that before in the past but-"

"I think it only works with women."

"Why is that?"

Dawn turned slightly red. Curse his denseness. "No clue."

"Well if you say so..."

"NO!" Dawn suddenly snapped. "No I didn't say, okay! Say I didn't say so!"

Ash felt a little apprehensive and confused, "you didn't say so?"

Dawn exhaled deeply. "Thank you." Ash just eyed Dawn strangely.

Ash and Dawn hid in the bushes behind where the driver they talked to earlier and the balloon he was resting on.

"Are you sure about this?" Dawn asked again. She was still morally debating herself.

"Of course." Ash said this confidently. "If talking means a lower price for us to return to normal than it's worth it."

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to" Dawn felt bad not letting Ash know that the driver was going to flirt with him, and he was supposed to flirt back.

"I want to though, you need to turn back to normal as fast as possible, so you can win ribbons again before the Sinnoh Grand Festival."

"Ash..." He tries so much for her, and how does she repay him, by using him. Oh how she slightly hated herself.

"Any advice?"

"Huh what?"

"Any advice like what I should say or how I should act?"

"Well..." Dawn felt a little red from giving tips. "Walk up slowly to him, and try to talk slow too. Um tilt your head to the side when talking as well. Don't be afraid to touch his arms or shoulders in a playful manner."

"Um... thats strange advice, but if it helps..."

Ash got up from the bush and straightened out his clothing before walking, slowly, up to the driver.

"Oh what have I done", Dawn said to herself, she turned herself around, because she couldn't bare to see what travesty she had unleashed onto Ash. She covered her eyes with her hands.

Moments passed by, and Dawn refused to look to see how it's going.

"Hey Ash!" It was Brock's voice. Dawn opened her eyes behind her hands. Oh no! Brock! She forgot about him.

"I have been looking everywhere for you... Why are covering your eyes."

Dawn moved her hands. "Um... Because..."

"What a minute." Dawn froze. "Isn't that Dawn over there with the driver. Is she flirting with him!" Brock tone was of mostly surprise, there was anger too.

"Um..."

"Well I am going to give them a piece of my mind, I mean she is dating you Ash!" Brock made to get up.

"No Brock!" Dawn grabbed onto Brock's arm.

"Um..." Brock felt awkward from the physical contact he was receiving from Dawn, but was still looking at Ash and the driver.

"No need to worry. Dawn is trying to get a lower price for the balloon ride."

Brock didn't shift his gaze from Ash and the driver. "Well you two shouldn't have rushed to extremes. I talked to my parents. They sent me enough money to foot the rest of the bill."

Dawn's eyes widened. Why didn't she think Brock had a plan to pay for the ride.

"You know I never saw Dawn doing anything like this. I thought she had more self respect." The knot in Dawn's stomach tightened making feel really bad about herself. "Any way." Brock continued. "I'm going to go get Dawn."

Brock moved before Dawn could hold him back. She returned to her position, covering her eyes. Oh how Dawn screwed everything up.

It was an awkward balloon ride to be sure, they paid full price of course. Dawn truly hated herself during the whole trip and looked really depressed. Brock took that as Ash feeling bad that Dawn flirted with another guy. Brock was a little angry at Ash, for unintentionally flirting with the driver, and the Driver and averted both their gazes. The driver was a little miffed that Brock broke them up, right when he was getting his 'swagger' on. Ash was confused the whole time. He thought he was doing nothing wrong trying to get a lower price for the balloon ride and didn't even realize he was flirting with the driver. He felt the tension in the balloon ride and felt helpless to do anything to relieve it. The view was beautiful, too bad no one could enjoy it.

This chapter doesn't have any of the authors original commentary. Anyways turned out there might be a small problem. When I was going through the chapters I uploaded them all, chapter 11 was chapter 10, so I had two documents of the same chapter, and this is chapter 12, but chapter 12 seems to follow chapter 10, so was there some error between me and the guy and he gave me the same document twice so really there is no missing chapter, or is there really a chapter 11 and he gave me chapter 10 twice and somewhere there is a missing chapter in this story. I really wish I could contact the guy, but I haven't spoken to him in like a year. If you guys feel there is a really big gap in the story I guess I can see what I can do otherwise I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and thank you for reading