The Old Chateau in this story is based off of the one in the games, not the anime. In mentioning that, Dawn in this story is actually game!Dawn rather than anime!Dawn, which explains Brock's absence.

Story of Cynthia (RayShipping)

"Ash, why are we here?" Dawn asked, clearly upset with Ash's decision to explore this place.

"There's a good reason," he said simply. "If you didn't want to come in here, then you shouldn't have followed me."

"I didn't want to be left outside by myself!" Dawn wailed.

The two of them were exploring the abandoned Old Chateau, located in the deepest part of Eterna Forest. Dawn surely did not want anything to do with this place and completely skipped it over the first time on her journey.

But after winning her second badge, she had wandered back into the forest to notice her friend Ash standing in front of the dilapidated mansion. When she questioned him about why he was here, he wouldn't answer and just casually walked inside. Dawn shook her head, not wanting to follow after him into the creepy mansion, but curiosity got the best of her as she tried to find out why he was daring to enter the spooky-looking building.

Ash pulled out a flashlight, as it was beginning to get darker the farther in they strolled. The floorboards creaked obnoxiously below them, open holes and books scattered everywhere. Dawn stuck close behind him.

"Ash! Why won't you tell me what you're doing in here?" she asked.

"Have you heard of a trainer named Cynthia?"

"Cynthia?" Dawn lowered her head in thought. "Wait, isn't she the Champion of the Sinnoh region?"

"Was. Not anymore."

She paused, confused about the use of past tense. "What are you talking about?"

"A few weeks ago, Cynthia disappeared. No one knows what has happened to her, she was just suddenly…gone," Ash began to lessen his pace through a narrow hallway. "But there was a rumor that Gardenia, the Eterna City Gym Leader, saw someone pass by one of the windows in the mansion the other day. She described what she witnessed as a woman with long blonde hair and wearing all black. She was really freaked out by it to give any more of a description than that. But everyone says this mansion is full of Ghost-type Pokémon so no one bothered to even investigate. I believe that there are more than just Ghost-types in here…"

Dawn flinched. "W-w-w-what?"

Ash ignored her stuttering. "But I think that the woman Gardenia described matches Cynthia's description to a tee. Now I'm here to figure out if it was her and why she's here."

The blunette trainer began to shiver. "B-but you said…more than just Ghost-types… D-do you mean…actual ghosts?"

"I think so," Ash said, which nearly made Dawn's heart stop. "Which is why I'm confused as to why Cynthia would be here…"

Dawn observed him as he began to elevate his steps. She noticed the stairs beneath them and carefully watched her step. "What's up with you wanting to find her so much?"

"I'm fascinated by her," Ash smiled as he admitted that, finally eyeing Dawn for the first time since they had entered the mansion. "I guess you could call me a fan. I've always wanted to meet her."

"Um, so even if she is here…" she frowned. "Would this be what you would call a ideal place to meet your idol?" she swung her arm around to indicate the mansion as a whole, but unfortunately caught a spider web she didn't know was there. "Eek! Get it off! Get it off!" she shrieked, flailing her arms frantically.

"Calm down! Hold still," he shone the flashlight on her arm and quickly swiped the web off of her arm.

"Phew…" Dawn sighed. "I don't think I can take much more of this place…"

Creak.

"Wah!" the blunette yelped. "W-what was that?"

Ash shone the flashlight down the hallway. "I don't know. Maybe a Glameow or something."

Creak.

"Oh my Arceus, Ash! We're gonna die!"

"Dawn, be quiet!"

Creak.

Dawn was in tears, but she couldn't scream because Ash's hand over her mouth was preventing her from doing so.

"Is someone there?" the raven-haired boy asked.

"Oh. It's just some trainers come to visit," a woman's soft voice replied. Ash nearly dropped the flashlight when he saw who was standing in front of him.

Cynthia.

"A-ahh!" Ash's face turned a shade of red. "Cynthia!"

"Hello, fellow trainers," Cynthia presented a warm smile.

Dawn fell to her knees, relieved it wasn't something else that had been making that noise. "Oh my…a real person…"

"I'm sorry?" Cynthia tilted her head.

"N-nothing!" Ash waved his hands. "Dawn thinks that there are ghosts in this place! Silly, huh?"

Dawn puffed her cheeks. "Nuh-uh! You're the one who said it!"

Cynthia said nothing.

"A-anyway…" Ash brushed off his jacket for no reason. "What are you doing here, Cynthia? There were reports that someone saw you here a few days ago."

"Yes, I've been here for awhile," Cynthia replied.

"But why? You've been missing for several weeks now! And this mansion is…dusty and run down. Have you been here the whole time?"

"…For the most part. The first few days were spent at Mt. Coronet. But the rest of the time…has been here."

"But…"

"Why?" Cynthia giggled, finishing Ash's sentence. He blushed. "I…am kinda stuck here."

Ash made a shocked face. "What? Stuck? This may be a mansion, but I don't think you could be lost in here for that long…"

"No, I'm not lost. I'm stuck."

"I-I don't understand…"

Cynthia chuckled. "What are your names?"

"I-I'm Ash, and this is Dawn," Ash introduced themselves. "I… We came to look for you."

Dawn shook her head frantically. Cynthia caught on.

"Your friend just kinda tagged along, am I correct. You," she pointed to Ash, "were the one looking for me."

Ash averted his gaze. "Y-yes."

"So you must know who I am?"

"Of course! You're Cynthia, the Champion of Sinnoh! I-I mean, well…"

"The Sinnoh Pokémon League must have had someone replace me in my absence, right?" Cynthia asked.

"O-only temporarily!" Ash countered. "Y'know, until you returned!"

"Ash, I can't return."

"What?"

"…You must admire me a lot to come into this abandoned mansion on account of a possible rumor just to look for me."

Ash shuffled his feet. "W-well…"

Cynthia walked up to Ash and softly kissed him on the forehead. His face suddenly felt as if it was just assaulted by a Flamethrower.

"Thank you. I appreciate it," Cynthia bared a smile that could have potentially brightened the place, if that were physically possible.

"C-c'mon, Cynthia…" Ash said softly. "Let's go! We can help you get out of here!"

"Ash, I can't do that… I'm sorry…"

Ash turned around to face the other end of the hallway they had just walked through. He pointed toward it. "Cynthia, if we just walk down that way and turn left, we'll be—"

"A-Ash…" Dawn tapped Ash's shoulder. "C-Cynthia…"

"What?" Ash spun back around.

The Champion was gone.