Author's note: Howdy, peeps! Surprise Kalos one-shot coming your way!

... Also, I wanted to ask your opinions on something.

How would you feel about a complete reboot of In Times of Danger? I've been planning one for a while, but I wanted your thoughts on the matter.

It would, of course, have a lot of the same plot points as the old version, but, due to changes, events maaaay play out slightly differently... and no, the old one won't get deleted. It will remain, just in case anyone prefers it.

What to expect from the new version:

1) More consistent characterisations!

2) Plotlines that were planned out, rather than shoehorned in!

3) More well-rounded side characters!

4) Better backstories!

... In the meantime, however, enjoy this little Kalos one-shot!

All Dolled Up

"Wow, this cake is soooo good!" Ash said happily, before taking another large bite of his strawberry shortcake.

Serena smiled at him across the table. "I'm glad you like it, Ash!" she replied.

"Yeah, Serena!" Bonnie agreed. "You make the best cakes!"

Serena turned to her. "Thanks!"

"It's a pity you're taken, or you'd make a great wife for Clemont!"

Clemont, who'd been halfway through chewing his cake, spat it out in shock. "Bonnie!" he exclaimed.

Serena blushed in response, but chose not to comment.

Ash tilted his head in confusion, then shrugged and shoved more cake into his mouth.

From the ground, Pikachu smiled exasperatedly up at his trainer. Of all the crushes that any girl had ever had on Ash, Serena's was easily the most obvious. It was like a beacon in a dark cave, yet, somehow, Ash was completely blind to it.

Shrugging, he turned back to his plate of macarons, only to be even more exasperated at the sight of Chespin trying to steal them all. Pancham, of course, stood up angrily.

"(Hey!)" he cried. "(You give those back!)"

Chespin hugged the pile he was currently holding closer to his chest. "(Neverrrr!)" he replied.

"(Why, you-!)"

Pancham leapt at Chespin and the two started squabbling. Macarons flew in every direction, one hitting Pikachu on the head. He sighed to himself.

"(Guys, guys!)" he cried, holding out his paws in a gesture of peace.

"(I love macarons,)" Fennekin said to Froakie nearby. "(They're so...)"

"(Sweet?)" Froakie asked. "(Creamy?)"

"(Well, yeah, but...)" She paused. "(Melty! That's it! They melt in your mouth~)"

Froakie closed his eyes. "(Ah.)"

Suddenly, Chespin and Pancham's squabbling heightened. They began rolling around on the ground, kicking up dirt.

Some of it landed on Fennekin's tail.

"(Argh!)" she shrieked, her eyes wide. "(My tail!)" She scowled in their direction. "(Oh, you jerks!)"

She angrily shot out an Ember at the panda and hedgehog, but it barely missed and, instead, hit Pikachu in the face. He shrieked as it burned his skin.

Fennekin immediately halted. "(Oops! Sorry, Pikachu...)"

"(... That's okay...)" he replied, coughing up smoke.

Suddenly, Dedenne came running up to him with something in his mouth. "(Hey, guysh!)" he cried happily. Standing on his hind legs and pulling the object out of his mouth, he held it up for them to see. "(Look what I found!)"

Pikachu blinked at the object. Froakie and Fennekin came closer to see better and even Chespin and Pancham had stopped fighting to look.

It was a buneary doll.

Pikachu slowly stepped forward and took it from Dedenne. The doll's body was soft to the touch. He stared at it. Its beady black eyes stared back at him.

"(Pikachu?)" Dedenne asked.

The brown fur. The cream fluff on its ear tips, eyebrows and waist. The one rolled-up ear. The pink button nose.

It brought back so many memories of Sinnoh.

All the times he'd spent around Buneary. All the times she'd nuzzled him, hugged him and showered him with compliments. All the times she'd looked at him with stars in her eyes. All the times they'd eaten together, laughed together and fought together. Including the time they'd met up again in Unova. He smiled fondly.

Sure, her affection had been embarrassing - especially whenever it had been in public - but it had also been nice. Flattering. It had made him feel oddly special in a way a regular friend never could. His heart did a weird motion in his chest in remembrance.

Suddenly, though, he noticed something. He blinked at it, then sighed with an exasperated smile.

"(What's wrong, Pikachu?)" Fennekin asked.

"(Its feet are the wrong colour,)" he replied, pointing to the brown feet.

"(Huh?)" Chespin asked. (They are?)"

"(Yeah. They should be cream, like the fluff.)"

Pancham folded his arms. "(And how do you know that?)" he asked.

"(Yeah!)" Dedenne said. "(And what even is it, anyway? What pokémon?)"

"(It's a buneary,)" Pikachu replied, "(and I know 'cause I knew one once.)"

"(Ah,)" Froakie said. "(A travelling companion?)"

"(Yeah. She...)" Pikachu blushed.

"(She what?)" Fennekin asked.

"(She... had a bit of a crush on me...)"

Chespin's eyes bulged. "(Whaaaat?)" he cried. "(Someone had a crush on you?!)"

"(Yeah...)"

The hedgehog pouted. "(So not fair...)"

Pancham smirked. "(I guess he just has more charm than you,)" he said.

Chespin rounded on him. "(Hey, I have plenty of charm!)"

Pancham frowned back. "(You're about as charming as a rock!)"

"(It must be a pretty charming rock then!)"

They placed their foreheads together and growled at one another.

Pikachu sighed. "(Guys!)" he said. "(Please don't fight again...)"

"(Hey. Guys,)" Bunnelby suddenly said, entering the group from the side. Everyone turned to look at him. "(I found this weird doll.)"

He held up a pikachu doll, its beady eyes just as blank as the buneary doll's. Pikachu's eyes widened at the odd coincidence.

"(Hey, look, a matching doll!)" Dedenne said excitedly.

"(Oh, how cute~!)" Fennekin said.

"(Hm,)" Froakie agreed with a nod.

"(Huh,)" Bunnelby said. "(Looks like you already had a doll.)"

"(Yeah, of Pikachu's freaking girlfriend!)" Chespin cried.

Pikachu blushed. "(Sh-She's not my girlfriend...)" he replied.

Chespin suddenly looked interested. "(Really?)" He paused. "(Is she cute?)"

He gave the hedgehog a dry look. "(You can't have her.)"

Chespin scrunched up his face in displeasure. "(Awww!)"

Suddenly, Dedenne gasped. "(Sit them next to one another!)" he cried.

Shrugging, Bunnelby walked forwards and placed the pikachu doll on the grass. Everyone then looked up at Pikachu.

Blushing again, he relented and placed the buneary doll down next it. As he moved away, the two dolls leaned against one another.

"(Aww~!)" Fennekin cooed.

Chespin laughed. "(You know that is kinda cute!)" he said.

"(The cutest!)" Dedenne said.

"(Oh, quiet, you guys...)" Pikachu grumbled.

Everyone laughed.

As Pikachu glanced back down at the two dolls, however, he couldn't help but smile to himself.

"Thanks for finding our dolls!" a small girl with brown hair in a bun said, holding her pikachu doll.

"Yeah, thanks!" another small girl with blonde hair in two pigtails said, holding her buneary doll.

"No problem!" Ash replied. "Though it was our pokémon that found 'em!"

The two girls turned in the pokémon's direction. "Thank you, pokémon!" they said simultaneously.

"(No problem!)" the pokémon replied.

"Now, try not to lose them again, okay?" Serena said with a smile.

"Okay!" the two girls replied before running off.

"Such cute dolls!" Bonnie said.

"They certainly are," Clemont replied.

Pikachu watched, almost entranced, as the buneary doll disappeared behind a bush. Once it was gone, he sighed in nostalgia to himself. It would be nice to see his friend again...

"(Stop eating all the macarons!)" Pancham suddenly yelled.

"(Make me!)" Chespin replied. There was a sound of something being shoved.

"(Oh, that's it!)"

There were sounds of a loud scuffle.

"(Careful where you-)" Froakie started, but he was interrupted by Fennekin's shriek.

"(You guys are such jerks!)" she yelled.

There was a sound of fire, followed by two male screams.

Pikachu sighed to himself. Turning around, he set out to calm everyone down. Again.

The End