Once again a trio after months apart, Ash, Dawn, and Brock found themselves in the familiar position of traveling to the next city as a group, walking down dirt paths and through winding forests. For good measure, Brock was back to holding the map every step of the way, to avoid their old, erroneous paths that had long ago landed them in the middle of nowhere.
Everything felt familiar… except for their company. Ash's shoulder felt unnaturally light, short of the 13 lbs of Peeks he was accustomed to. Every now and then he'd reached for fur that wasn't there. After a couple of audible sighs, Rosa had drifted to his left, and taken her pa's hand in her paw. It was embarrassing, at her age, but she felt his Aura lighten significantly.
Along with Brock was his old partner, Ninetales, who insisted on being present for some of the open road, after being deprived of travel for several years. "There's a series of hills a bit to the north of where we are, not far from a Pokémon Daycare," he narrated aloud. "It's a bit of a climb, so it's tempting to take the scenic route and cut through the forests. But, it's not worth the trouble of getting lost."
"Uh, Brock? I think I've got a good enough handle of Kanto by now," Ash reminded him, raising a brow. "I haven't gotten lost on my home turf like that, in years."
"Yeah, we got through this area just fine before," Dawn agreed.
~Yeah!~ Rosa added her two cents.
"Well, I know you guys know better," Brock rolled his eyes in amusement. "I'm explaining this for Ninetales!"
"For Ninetales…?" Ash echoed.
"Well, sure! Remember, probably hasn't been on this route with us before. Last time we left Scissor Street with her, we were heading for Fuschia City. Besides, I'm trying to take Suzie's advice," he admitted sheepishly. "Remember what she said about talking directly to your Pokémon?"
"I do!" Dawn exclaimed. "She said it shows them a greater level of respect if you speak right to them. That makes sense."
"Right! It's all about acknowledging that they're just as much on this adventure as we are. Right, Ninetales?" Brock asked.
"Nine~!" Ninetales cooed.
Dawn smiled at the exchange, before her expression clouded in contemplation. Just as Ash and Brock were accompanied by their Pokémon, Dawn was being circled by her own partner.
Clefairy was floating about Dawn, exercising her tiny wings and entertaining a dance routine, all at once. At least, that was what Dawn would assume, with the tiny Pokémon humming a tune.
'Acknowledging them because it's their adventure as much as ours…' Dawn thought to herself, before making her decision. She'd address her concerns outright. "You really like dancing, don't you, Clefairy? Is that part of what you want to put into your appeal?"
"Fairy~!" Clefairy chirped, hovering in front of Dawn as she walked. That seemed to be a yes.
"Well, then it's my job to help you with that! But…" Dawn trailed off, deflating. "I'm really no good at dancing, and I wouldn't exactly know how to guide you on it."
"You're better than me at the dance Clefairy do, but not by much," Ash agreed. "You stepped all over my feet, remember?"
"Only after you almost knocked me over!" Dawn defended herself.
Brock frowned, raising a brow at the two. That raised more questions than it did answers, and he still hadn't gotten the answer to what Dawn had meant when she compared herself and Ash to Lopunny and Peeks. "Hold on, hold on. When did you two ever dance?"
"Oh, it was when we came through Mt. Moon!" Ash answered. "The night Dawn caught Clefairy."
"Riiiight." Brock hummed. That didn't tell him much of anything, so he continued fishing for hints. "Now that I think about it, you asked Dawn to dance back in Pastoria, didn't you? At the Croagunk Festival."
"Oh, that's different!" Dawn waved her hand. "I have two left feet, so line dancing in public would just be too much. But, when it's just a closed ceremony with some Pokémon, you know. Besides! It was their hallowed ceremony. It'd be insulting to skip out on it."
Brock grumbled. This also didn't tell him anything. In some ways, these two were as clueless as ever, so he decided to drop the topic, for now. "Right. Well, do you at least have any leads for the Contest? Even if you can't dance, there has to be something to work with."
"I'm not sure. Clefairy didn't like what we did, last time. I think I'm going to start from scratch, and go through all of the moves she has available, right now."
"That's not a bad idea," Brock agreed. "Well, no better time to start than now! Why don't we take a break for lunch, and you girls can work on that routine?"
"That sounds fine with me!" Dawn agreed, pumping a fist.
"Clefairy!" Clefairy agreed, landing atop her head.
"Well, I'm afraid lunch is going to have to wait a few minutes, you guys." Brock said apologetically, as he unpacked his bag atop one of the several grassy knolls along the route.
"Aw, how come?" Ash frowned.
"Well, Ninetales, here, seems to be a bit spoiled now, and she won't stop bothering me to check out her paw pads."
"Nine! Tales!" The Fire-type huffed indignantly, holding up one of her paws. It looked a tad irritated.
"You've gotten used to sitting inside, haven't you?" Brock prodded. She nodded, and placed her paw right into his hand. He laughed, gently massaging her joints.
"Well… it can't be helped." Ash huffed, shaking his head. "You and Dawn are busy, so I guess I'll start setting the table." He began to pull the fold-out tables and chairs from Brock's backpack, assembling them as he had so many times before.
Brock stopped momentarily, staring at his friend in bewilderment. The way he moved, now, with hardly any complaint. No attempt to dodge responsibility and leave it for the eldest to handle, because he knew he always would. The matter-of-fact way he moved and operated. Brock knew, in part, that some of his behavior might be stemming from his partner's absence. But, even still…
"You know, you've really grown," Brock said. Though he meant it to be praise, some of his surprise clearly slipped through, as Ash raised a brow.
"Is it that surprising? I'm getting older. 's what I'm supposed to do." Ash shrugged his shoulders, and went about setting up the umbrella that was fastened into the center of the table.
Brock watched his friend, unsure exactly what to make of the response. He was broken from his trance when Ninetales yipped, and he went back to tending to her oh-so-serious wounds.
With Ash and Brock going about their business, Dawn stood a short distance away, with Clefairy standing before her. "Alright, Clefairy! Let's go through your moves! I want you to use… Meteor Mash!"
"Clefairy!" Clefairy hopped and fluttered, charging cosmic power into her tiny paw. Glitter and stardust shone, reaching an apex when she smashed it into the ground below her. A ripple of starlight emanated across the grass, turning diamond dust to the air.
"Very good! With a bit of training, I bet we could get that stronger and brighter, in no time!" Dawn clapped. "Now, let's use Gravity!"
"Cle…!" Clefairy held her little claws to the sky. A mysterious bright fuschia emanated from each, before she suddenly pointed them downward.
"Ackh!" Dawn yelped. A sudden, overpowering force yanked her down, landing face first in the grass. Splayed out in an awkward heap, she groaned. "Maybe I should've seen that coming…"
"Dawn!" Ash dropped the chair he was holding, walking over to check on the commotion. He'd taken a step too close, too, and ultimately ate dirt alongside her. "...Ugh. You should've thought about the range on this move, huh?"
"Cle-fairy." Clefairy scratched her cheek guiltily.
"Well, that doesn't help me, now!" Dawn huffed.
"Well… can't be… helped!" Ash grunted, gritting his teeth as he pushed, miraculously, against the artificial gravity. With some effort, he yanked himself up. "Just… take my hand!"
Dawn did so, and Ash yanked her with a great deal of effort, stumbling backwards out of Gravity's reach. The sudden change yanked Dawn along with unexpected momentum, sending them stumbling back. She held on for dear life, gripping Ash's jacket.
"...Whew. You good?" Ash laughed, adjusting the back of his cap with one hand. Although it'd been accidental, he wasn't doing much to challenge just how little space there was between himself and Dawn.
"Yeah! I'm good. No need to worry." Dawn winked. She wasn't in any rush to, either.
The two disconnected, with Ash returning to prepare for lunch, and Dawn staying out of the range of Clefairy's Gravity to resume training. Neither noticed the suspicion felt on Brock's part.
"Okay! That was my bad, so let's take it from the top. Use Moonlight, Clefairy!"
The Fairy-type folded her paws in prayer. A glowing orb was cast overhead, shining a moonbeam down upon Clefairy.
Dawn frowned, cupping her chin with one hand. "That doesn't work as well, out in open daylight…" She saw Clefairy sulk, and sputtered ."B-but, it's still a great move! Contests take place indoors, so I'm sure we'll find something for it! Okay?"
Choosing to believe her, Clefairy nodded.
"Right! So, that leaves one more! Clefairy, use Shock Wave!"
Clefairy cried happily, and raised her claws towards Dawn.
By the time Dawn realized her mistake, it was too late. A sudden, fleeting surge of lightning shot through her. Although the pain came and went, a lingering numbness and smell of o-zone remained. Worse yet, Dawn knew the ultimate result of the electric attack.
"Agh…! Not again!" Dawn groaned, pulling her hands over her head in an attempt to push down her jagged, sparkling bangs. "Come on, Clefairy! Now I look like I just stuck my finger in an electrical socket!"
Despite Dawn's fretting, Clefairy was, strangely, orbiting her. Fluttering about, she cheered and danced, with sparkles in her beady little eyes. "Fairy! Clefa—Clefaiiiry!"
"...Huh? Clefairy?" Dawn frowned, still trying to smooth her hair into place. "What's with you?"
~She likes your hair!~ Rosa explained, walking over to marvel at the sight, herself.
"Seriously? I don't see why she would…"
~Look atcha! It's like the glow us Pokémon get when we use Steel-type moves!~ Rosa exclaimed, sizing up her mother's glittering mane. ~It looks cool as hell, Ma!~
"Language," Brock scolded.
"I… I don't know." Dawn frowned, holding up one of her long locks to see it for herself. Colorful glimmers shone intermittently in her hair, as they always did with a touch of electricity. "I guess…? Ugh. Can we at least hit the road soon so I can freshen up at the next Pokémon Center?"
To Dawn's great relief, the group did in fact reach Cerulean City by nightfall. Some well-deserved haircare and rest led into the next day, which would be spent training for the upcoming Contest. This time, the group chose Cerulean's largest park. Dawn had conquered her fear of her techniques being picked up months ago; such matters felt so trivial, now.
"Alright, Clefairy! Spotlight!" Dawn wound up, throwing a Poké Ball into the open. Clefairy appeared in a flash, landing in front of Dawn. To her surprise, Empoleon was alongside her. "Clefairy?"
"Ash suggested the other night that Empoleon might be able to help us," Dawn explained. "So, he's going to be joining us!"
"Hey, you helped Empoleon learn to dance and move once he evolved!" Ash volunteered from nearby. Meema was currently tutoring Rura in sparring on his end, but Ash gave Dawn his full attention for the moment. "It'd be nice if he could pay her back, right?"
"Em—pol!" Empoleon dutifully slapped his wing against his chest. It was the least he could do!
Clefairy nodded. She was happy to cooperate!
"Now, let's see… I wonder which of your moves could work together," Dawn hummed. "Meteor Mash is beautiful, but it doesn't do much with your moves, right now… Maybe we could teach you a new one, before the Contest! We still have some days left to train."
Clefairy looked thoughtful, before bunching up her claws, looking pleadingly toward Dawn.
"Huh? What is it, Clefairy?" Dawn asked, blinking.
"Fairy…! Clefairy?" The Pokémon lit her claws with sparks. She wanted to use Shock Wave!
"A-ah! H-hold on, now…!" Dawn waved her hands in front of her. "Let's not be too hasty…!"
"I'm surprised, Dawn! It's not like you to look so out of sorts."
"Huh!?" Dawn looked about, unsure where the voice had come from, though she was sure she'd heard it before.
The culprit sat nearby atop the park's ornate fountain statue, lounged atop the carving of a Dewgong that spat water into a small pool. Sitting cross-legged was the Tomboyish Mermaid.
"Misty!?"
The redhead chuckled, flashing a smile at Dawn brimming with confidence. "The one and only!"
"When did you get here?" Brock asked, looking over from where he was brushing Lopunny.
"It's my city," Misty reminded him, winking. "Can't a gal chill out on her own turf?"
"You know she spent ten minutes climbing up there so she could look cool," Ash deadpanned.
"Zip your lip, Ketchum." Misty vaulted down from the statue, landing on the edge of the fountain. "What's got our big-time Coordinator so frazzled, anyway?"
"I think I can explain that," Brock volunteered. "You see, when she was very little, she held a Plusle and Minun a bit too close for comfort, and they gave her a good shock. You'd think that would be the issue, but her class laughing at her left a bit of a painful memory. After the incident, she picked up the moniker of 'Dee-dee.'"
"Dee-Dee?" Misty scrunched her nose. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means 'Diamond Dandruff,' Dawn huffed.
Misty winced. "Oh, that sucks. Kids can be so cruel… But, if that's a sore spot, why don't you just beat people up about it?"
"She does, sometimes," Ash said flatly. "Not that I blame 'er."
"Well, everyone has their sensitivities," Brock said gently.
"Don't I know it…" Misty hummed, scratching her cheek. Her eyes mysteriously lit up, then, and she snapped her fingers. "Well, putting all of that aside, a strong woman can't let the peanut gallery keep her down! If you're confident about it, then the audience will accept it!"
"I guess you're right," Dawn said hesitantly.
"Think of it this way," Misty continued. "A Pokémon Contest exists to show off the Pokémon, right? If Clefairy's happy with what she's doing, then she's more likely to play along!"
"Y'know, when you think about it, it's kind of like a reverse wish," Ash added.
"...Say, what now?" Misty squinted.
"What does that mean?" Dawn asked.
"Yeah, I don't follow," Brock agreed.
Meema, Rura, and the other Pokémon staring at Ash made him feel a bit self-conscious. "Well, you know…" He poked his fingers together, mumbling. "Normally, you wish upon a star, but Clefairy is wishing for stars… Stars in Dawn's hair and stuff. Right?"
"Wait, like… for real?" Dawn turned to Clefairy, wide-eyed. "Do you really like the sparkles and stars that much?"
"Fairy-fairy Clefairy!" Clefairy gestured widely, floating above to summon her Moonlight a second time. Although easy-to-miss in open daylight, it was proceeded by a Shock Wave, launched into the sky, this time, rather than directly at Dawn. "Clefairy, Fairy! Fairy!"
Although Dawn wasn't electrocuted, this time, she noticed her hair starting to frizz and glimmer.
~She's saying that she loves the starry skies!~ Rosa volunteered. ~Always has. But, they're real far away, even for a Pokémon who can float.~
"Fa-fair." Clefairy nodded, before hovering up to tug on Dawn's shimmering mane. "Clefair!"
~But, you're right here! It's like she can see the night sky, up-close,~ Rosa continued. ~She says that she took to ya, the first time she shocked ya up on Mt. Moon.~
"You… You think…?" Dawn cupped her hands over her mouth, with tears dotting her eyes.
"Oh, that's got to be the most beautiful thing I've ever heard!" Misty exclaimed, grabbing Dawn's shoulders. "She thinks your hair is the night sky… Oh, Dawn, you can't turn that down!"
"That's certainly a very positive spin on a bad situation," Brock nodded approvingly.
"Y'see?" Ash grinned. "I told you it looked good."
"Well, we're working against years of bad feelings here," Dawn muttered. "But, still… I'm not a little girl anymore. It'd be pretty embarrassing to keep cowing to what other people think. Especially when art is on the line!"
"Art…?" Ash asked, blinking.
"Didn't you listen to Clefairy? The night sky is her muse, and she gets inspired by things that remind her of it. The two of us have a shared appreciation for art, both natural and crafted." She reached for Clefiary's little paws, taking them gently in her hands. "If those sparkles inspire you as an artist… Then, I'll just have to get over it to help you with your appeal!"
Clefairy's beady eyes shimmered, and she hovered up and down with delight. "Clefairy~!"
"Empol!" Empoleon volunteered, slapping his wing against his chest. If it was in the interest of art, he'd help her move with all the grace in the world!
"Then, it's settled…! Alright, team! Let's get to work!" Dawn cheered. With their group motivated and directed, they moved their efforts a short distance from the group's gathering to rehearse.
"...Hey." Misty hopped down from the fountain's side, walking closer to Ash and Brock to speak discreetly. "I wasn't going to bring it up when Dawn was already having her own issues, but don't think I didn't notice. How come I haven't seen Pikachu, since I got here?"
Ash breathed a heavy sigh, and gestured for Meema and Rura to continue on their own. He sat down on the fountain's edge, crossing one leg over the other. "Peeks isn't here, right now."
"We talked about the Team Rocket situation," Brock went on to cover for his friend, catching onto his hesitance. "It got a little graver than you or I thought. He was captured by an illegal Poké Ball. He got diagnosed with Poké Training Strain Disorder, on Ash's way to Cerulean."
Misty gasped, cupping her hands over her mouth. "That's awful…! Those bastards. Why didn't you call on us for help!?"
"Oh, sure! Why the hell didn't I think of that?" Ash exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air. "I should've just crawled all the way to Cerulean, half asleep from Sleep Powder, while they held out the red carpet for me!" He stepped into Misty's personal space, gesturing angrily. "I'm sure they wouldn't have gotten away with him, in the meantime!"
"Now, now…!" Brock eased, gently prying his friends apart. "Take it easy, you two."
Ash grumbled, but relented, looking to make sure Dawn hadn't noticed the fuss before turning his back to the group.
Misty, to even her own surprise, had no defense or retaliation ready. She'd seen how puffy Ash's eyes were. The dark circles under his eyes, discoloring those two distinct z's on his cheeks.
She was never good at apologies. She walked closer, gently squeezing Ash's shoulder as a substitute. No sass, and no defense for her poorly chosen words. "...Then, what happened?"
"We ran into Lieutenant Surge, when we were in Vermilion. He saw the whole episode, and told us that he and Raichu knew what Peeks was going through… So, I decided to leave him in their care for a little bit," Ash explained. "They can do more to help than I can, that's for sure."
Misty and Brock exchanged a concerned look between them.
"You talking like this is never a good sign," Misty voiced their concerns. "But, I think that was a mature decision, anyway. He'll have firsthand experience to help him, now."
Ash didn't answer, to neither's surprise. When Ash sulked, he sulked.
"...You called him 'Peeks,' just now?" Misty changed the subject.
"When I re-caught him, the Pokédex asked if I wanted to nickname him," Ash said. "He said he wanted a new name. Someone we know called him Peeks, a couple weeks ago, so we went with that."
"That makes sense," Brock hummed. "A new name, for a fresh start."
"I'll admit, it's going to take some getting used to; not calling him Pikachu," Misty admitted. Still, she managed a smile. "...It's a really nice name, though."
"You think so?" Ash looked over his shoulder, hopeful.
"It suits him." Brock dropped a hand on Ash's other shoulder. "Now, there's nothing wrong with being sad. But, I don't think Peeks would want you to stew in it, would he?"
"...No. He really wouldn't." Ash smacked his cheeks. "You're right. He'd chew me out right now, actually. So, let's try and focus on what's ahead of us!"
"It looks like Dawn's already hard at work." Brock looked over to the trio, who were doing their best to coordinate. "Cheering her on will be a nice change of pace, for a little bit."
"But I know you don't like to sit on your ass," Misty interjected.
"Misty!" Brock scolded.
"Oh hop off it, Mr. Mom, we're almost adults." Misty tugged on Ash's wrist with an amused roll of her eyes. "C'mon. You're still going to compete in the League, right? We're going to whip you into shape."
"Alright, alright! I'm coming." Ash rushed to keep pace with Misty, securing his hat atop his head with a weak smile. Despite it all, he still had his friends. He always did.
While explosive conversations and explosive attacks raged on in the backdrop, Dawn and her team remained focused on their own routine. They pranced and stepped about in an attempted routine, searching for inspiration. But, something was wrong.
Clefairy was doing her best; hovering and hopping to keep pace with Empoleon, twirling gracefully as she had when they'd battled at Mt. Moon. But, she kept falling short. Dizzied by his quick and purposeful moves, she tried to keep up.
She hopped into a pirouette, only to squeak, as he accidentally backhanded her with his wing.
"Pol!?" Empoleon squawked, stopping in his tracks. This caused Dawn to trip and stumble into him, luckily caught by his weight. He sighed, muttering an apology to Clefiary. "Empoleon…"
"Ugh… what just happened!?" Dawn pulled herself upright. "Sorry, you guys. This is too weird."
"Clefairy?" The Pokémon beckoned for an explanation.
"It's like the reverse of when you taught Empoleon to dance as a Prinplup. He was too awkward and big to move smoothly the way you did. Now, he's caught up and you've taught him to move with his weight… But, he's so much larger than you, now. Those little graceful steps are skillful, but they won't have a grand presence on the Contest stage."
Clefairy hung her head, sighing. So, this was the thanks she got for her tutoring.
Empoleon folded his wings, frowning. After all she'd offered him, this wasn't just. It couldn't stand! Luckily, a metaphorical bulb might as well have gone off over his head. "Empoleon!"
"Huh? What is it, big guy?" Dawn asked.
Empoleon suddenly waddled off, returning to where the group had set up camp before returning with Dawn's bag. He held it out to Dawn.
"Huh…? Dawn took the bag and opened it, sorting through. "What could you be asking for… Oh!" She pulled out a large, onyx glimmering stone. "The Moon Stone! You want to use the Moon Stone…!?"
Empoleon nodded enthusiastically.
"I've wondered what we were going to do with that… A Clefable would make a bigger impression! But, it comes down to you, Clefairy. How do you feel about it?" Dawn asked.
"Clefairy…?" The Fairy-type frowned, nervously poking her claws together. "Clefairy-fairy." A Moon Stone was a huge privilege! And, it was typically earned in Clefairy culture!
"Empol!" Empoleon gestured. If it was to help their trainer and draw out their appeal, it was fine!
"It must be a big deal for you, huh…?" Dawn asked. Her eyes widened, then. "No need to worry. If you can wait until tonight, Clefairy… I have just the thing!"
"Well, I'm going to head out!" Dawn stood at the sliding glass doors in the Pokémon Center lobby. She looked back towards Ash, Misty, and Brock. "You guys sure you don't want to come?"
Ash shook his head. "Nah. It's your thing, with your Pokémon! Besides, we can all hang out together, here. It'll be like old times!"
"Actually, as nice as that sounds…" Misty walked over to stand by the door, as well. "I have something I need to work on in the morning, so I should turn in early. I'll at least walk Dawn out."
"Aw, for real?" Ash frowned.
"Shame. Well, we'll catch up with you girls later!" Brock saw them off with a wave.
"Good luck!" Ash volunteered.
"No need to worry!" Dawn winked, before stepping out the door along with Misty.
With the two girls out of the group, Ash and Brock regrouped in the Pokémon Center lounge. A courtesy television was tuned into a new action flick, starring a foreign superstar named Brycen-Man. Rosa and Rura were sat in front of the screen… or, at least a close distance away from it, after Brock had warned them sitting so close was bad for their eyes.
Meema and Ninetales were sitting on a couch in the corner, chatting among themselves, while Ash and Brock sat at a small round table nearby, absently watching the movie while entertaining a game of cards.
"Man… Peeks always liked to play this game." Ash mused with a touch of melancholy. "Got any 3's?"
"Go fish," Brock replied. He really didn't want his friend dwelling on his missing partner. Furthermore, there was something else that was bothering him. "So, Ash… I've been meaning to ask. Anything new with you and Dawn lately?" He coughed into his hand.
"...Yes!" Ash cheered.
Brock nearly fell out of his chair. "Seriously!?"
"Sorry, Brocko. Set of tens." Ash said triumphantly, placing down four of the same card. "Now, what were you just asking?"
Brock pinched his temple. "Right, right. I was asking if anything out of the ordinary's happened, lately."
Ash snorted as he picked up a card. "What hasn't happened, lately? Crap. Got any fours?"
"Go fish," Brock replied. "I can only imagine that's the case. But, you know… anything noteworthy? Something new that you'd like to talk about?" A beat. "Nothing upsetting, if you don't want to go that route."
Ash grunted, pulling a card that didn't offer him anything new. "Your turn. And, don't sweat it, we already talked about Peeks. Actually… there is something. It's nothin' bad, though."
"Oh? Do tell." Brock raised a brow, and picked a card up off the table. "Any two's?"
Ash handed him a two of clubs out of his hand. "Aside from you-know-who and you-know-what… Well, we've been to Unova. Caught Meema and Rura. But, that's not what I was thinking. I've… started bein' able to talk to Pokémon."
Brock stared at Ash like he had two heads. "You mean like… that guy from Johto?"
Ash shrugged. "Sounds familiar, but maybe? It's my Aura." A beat. "Got any sixes?"
Brock handed him one, scrunching his nose. "I was really wondering if something would come of that business, one day."
"Yeah, well, it sure has. It happened, first, with Peeks. I can hear him talking in my head, like…" Like Meowth was his first thought, but that name still felt gross. "...well, like Lucario. Sir Aaron's, or Rosemary. It's the same sort of thing. It's been happening in short bursts along this journey, but since the incident, I hear him all the time, now."
"That's really incredible, Ash!" Brock picked up a card. "Being able to hear your Pokémon sounds like a real privilege. Beyond the ones who can talk themselves, I mean." He placed down a book of three's. "But, you said you can talk to Pokémon, not just Peeks."
"We talked to this guy, in Unova. He told me to open my mind to what Pokémon have to say. I've been trying, and it's just happening one by one. Tauros, Mismagius, Torterra, Pidgeot. Hell, I talked to Lopunny, when we were still at Suzie's shop!"
"You don't say…? So, it's not limited to just your own Pokémon," Brock said.
"Riley told me about this. It's called 'Window to the Heart.' It means I have to connect with anyone I'm trying to talk to, and we have to, like, totally trust each other. It's like a phone conversation in our heads? It's not exactly one-way. It's weird."
"What an interesting phenomenon… So, it relies a lot on a Pokémon and a trainer understanding each other," Brock mused thoughtfully.
"And that's why I've been thinking about it," Ash replied. "I want to do this, more than anything, because it means I get Pokémon. I like being in tune with them, so we can work as one."
"And, why wouldn't you?" Brock said, looking off to nowhere in particular. "When you really think about it, I think that understanding your Pokémon is the goal of any Pokémon Trainer."
Ultimately, Dawn had returned to the same park she'd been training in, earlier today; even in the same location, by the decorative fountain. But, the early summer's night sky set an entirely different atmosphere than before. Of course, light pollution meant that the skies weren't quite as starry as she'd have liked.
Dawn squinted at the blanket of darkness overhead, mostly lit by the crescent moon overhead. Not full. Not ideal. But, little about the past couple of weeks had been ideal in the first place.
Imperfect conditions were just an artist's canvas to create their own beautiful imperfections. She could make this work. She set her bag down atop the fountain's ledge, and loosened the knot on a small pouch. The Moon Stone dropped into her hand. There was a cluster of Lotad carved into the pond statue, offering a flat surface. Dawn placed it onto the centermost lilypad.
"Okay… Let's get to it." Dawn inhaled, and exhaled, before tossing two Poké Balls.
"Empoleon! Clefairy! Spotlight!"
Both Pokémon appeared, looking at Dawn expectantly.
"Alright, you guys. I know that you were feeling unsure about evolving, Clefairy, so I've thought this out."
"Clefairy?" The Pokémon tilted her head.
"I remember reading about the Moon Dance, when I was a kid. It's a sacred ritual for your evolutionary line. A rite of passage to adulthood for Clefairy."
"Clefairy-fairy." She nodded, wondering where Dawn was going with this.
"When it comes down to it, I think we're all in the middle of growing up. Empoleon, here, was just a little Piplup, a few days before we met you. He was afraid to evolve, because he didn't want life to change quicker than he was ready for."
Empoleon huffed, looking off bashfully.
"But, he learned that growing up is okay, as long as you're with your friends. And me? I've been growing up a lot, too. Learning what'll make me the Coordinator I want to be. Learning to be in touch with myself, and the people I care about. Heck, look at everything I went through with Ash," she giggled. "It really made everyone's heads spin, huh?"
"Cle—fairy." Clefairy agreed emphatically. She hadn't forgotten that disaster.
"But, like everything else, I wanted to grow up on my own terms. I want to define myself, and choose every path I walk towards. So it only makes sense that you're going to be so picky about something so sacred to you. You want to feel like you've earned it."
Clefairy nodded, waiting for Dawn to elaborate.
"Well, I was thinking we'd give you your own ritual! Not at Mt. Moon… and not with the traditional dance, since two out of three of us aren't good at it," Dawn said, smiling. "The night you joined us, you gave us your own initiation. You challenged us to a battle, to teach Empoleon how to settle into his own skin when he was having growing pains. So, I think we should do this ritual our way!" Dawn beamed, pumping a fist with gusto ."We're going to initiate you with a battle!"
"Clefairy…!?" The Fairy-exclaimed. Not any set of words in particular. She was simply caught off-guard. Such an idea had never crossed her mind! But, maybe it should have.
"Empoleon!" Empoleon agreed, hoisting a wing out towards his comrade. "Pol!" After she'd helped him polish his grace and poise, it was only right that he returned the favor!
The tiny fairy's eyes sparkled. She nodded. "Clefairy!"
At a short distance from the fountain, with Empoleon and Clefairy equidistant to the prized Moon Stone, the duo faced off, with Dawn stationed behind Clefairy, and her starter by his lonesome.
"Empoleon, since you were my first partner, I'm going to trust you to battle on your own," Dawn explained. "Can I count on you, big guy?"
Empoleon enthusiastically agreed, widening his wings in a battle stance.
"Great! Then, Clefairy! Use Shock Wave!" Dawn cried, throwing a hand to the air.
Clefairy raised her foremost claws, igniting them with blue sparks. She fired it toward Empoleon.
Empoleon retaliated with a sure swerve of his head, spitting a torrential cannon in retaliation. Hydro Pump crashed into the coming electricity, carving through it on a path towards Clefairy.
Still, Shock Wave was assimilated, wrapping into Hydro Pump with ripples of vibrance.
"Dodge that, Clefairy!" Dawn coached.
Clefairy went above and beyond. Leaping and flapping her little wings, she cleared the Hydro Pump, and instead, stepped off of its current on her tiptoes. Prancing and fluttering, she coasted atop Hydro Pump itself, narrowly avoiding her own attack's shocks.
Dawn gasped, watching her Pokémon dance on the very move they'd created. That was more than she could've hoped for! "Good work, Clefairy! Now, use Meteor Mash!"
Clefairy wound up a fist, lit to the brim with cosmic power. With Empoleon still recoiling from spitting his own move, obscured by water and lightning, he couldn't have seen the blow coming. Meteor Mash clocked him right in the face!
Clefairy passed the penguin, with starlight leaking from the impact point. She landed one petite foot in front of the next behind Empoleon, and turned on a dime to spring at him once more. She aimed Meteor Mash at his back, just as she'd blindsided him with Pound, months ago.
This time, Empoleon's movements were fluid, and measured. He spun on his strong talons, turning well out of Clefairy's path. His wings gleamed with silver, and the foremost Steel Wing smacked into the back of Clefairy's head.
Clefairy yelped, bouncing across the grass.
Empoleon played his part and attacked quickly and promptly. Timing was a vital aspect of Contests, and he followed that to a tee with an Ice Beam.
The beam froze a path along the grass, catching a recovering Clefairy.
"Clefairy!" Dawn gasped.
The sheet of ice extended to her pink partner, whose lower body and wings were frozen solid. Tried as she might to pull free, she was locked in place.
"That's an awful lot of punishment to take from someone like Empoleon… I think I could've done more to prepare you for Contest Battles." Dawn lamented, brow furrowed. "But, there's no time for regrets! Let's catch up right now, and restore your strength! Use Moonlight!"
Clefairy made a silent prayer to the moon, and the moon answered. A golden orb appeared above the park, shining down its spotlight on Clefairy, alone. She felt her stamina returning, and her wounds fading away. She fluttered her wings, and their ice shattered. She ascended from her grounded cage, and her feet broke away, as well. She was free.
"That's the way!" Dawn praised.
Empoleon watched on with pride. But, the fight wasn't over, yet. He reared his wings over his head, summoning a raging Whirlpool. With a whim, it was sent towards Clefairy.
"Let's ground it! Use Gravity!" Dawn ordered.
Clefairy exerted the will of celestial bodies unto the incoming Whirlpool. Once it entered her domain, the waves started to unravel. Rounds of tides surrounded Clefairy in roaring intervals.
Moonlight reflected off the tides and ice, sparkling beautifully. It highlighted Clefary's pink fur in a way Dawn found breathtaking, before she remembered to continue the fight. "Use Meteor Mash!"
Clefairy skipped over the tides whimsically, flooding her claws with the stars.
Empoleon met her halfway, swinging out at his teammate with both wings. The result was a ballad of footwork and steel, Clefairy's gentle, but determined claws meeting Empoleon's sturdy wings, moving as surely as the tide.
The clash surrounded them in starlight, reflected in Dawn's deep ocean hues.
But, experience overcame whimsy, and Clefairy couldn't break through Empoleon's guard. He slashed her with both of his wings, sending the Fairy-type tumbling. She stood up, barely.
"You've gotten strong, Clefairy… But, so has Empoleon," Dawn said. She inhaled, crossing her hands over her heart. "Let's go all-out, one more time! Use Shock Wave, Clefairy!"
Clefairy put her remaining effort into her claws, crackling with blue lightning. With a passionate cry, she fired the sparks towards the towering Empoleon.
The penguin did just as he did last time, intercepting the shock with his wings. Rather than awkward little Metal Claws, the confident Steel Wing channeled lightning up and down their sterling shine. He hoisted them over his head, and crashed the ends of his wings together.
The charge scattered to the skies, dispersing into manny glimmering particles.
Dawn recoiled as a faint buzz surged through her. It wasn't the jarring sting of being attacked head-on, but her skin felt just a little numb. In a moment of self-awareness, she inspected her long, flowing locks. They were just a tad unruly, short of jagged frays from prior incidents.
More importantly, she could see the stars in her deep blue. Perhaps for the first time ever, she looked at it differently. "...I think that's enough."
Her Pokémon turned to her, confused.
"That was a great battle. It was so beautiful! I almost wish all of Cerulean could've seen it." Dawn walked over to her partners, brimming with enthusiasm. "But, on the other hand… I think it's pretty cool that we just got to share it as a team." She grinned. "If you ask me, I think our ceremony was more than worthy!"
"Clefairy…" Clefairy hopped up on Dawn's shoulder, gently tugging at her locks. She marveled at the starlight that sat right at her fingertips. "Clefairy~!"
"Hehe, right! Then, let's do it." Dawn led the group to the fountain, where the Moon Stone still sat on the Lotad's lilypad. "Clefairy… I think it's time for you to get closer to your muse than ever before!"
"Empol. Pol, Poleon!" Empoleon spoke passionately. She'd more than earned her birthright!
Clefairy nodded, and gingerly stepped atop the fountain's edge, walking up to the improvised altar. Taking a deep breath, she considered the journey behind her. Although she'd come and gone, between Rowan's Lab and here, she'd certainly grown since leaving her colony.
Enough to make Empoleon's steps gracious and confident. Enough to make Dawn sparkle, and even marvel at her object of appreciation, with her. To her, that had to be enough.
She reached out and touched the Moon Stone.
A vibrant light consumed Clefairy. A small, pudgy body with petite wings started to grow, tall and oblong. Tiny ears became mighty spikes, and her puffy little tail blossomed to frame her new form. She emerged from the shine, and she now towered over Dawn and Empoleon, from atop the fountain. She'd certainly grown taller.
"Clefable~!" She cooed happily. She was just a bit closer to the night sky.
Dawn and Empoleon wasted no time, pulling her into a tight, tearful embrace. Three passionate artists, with their share of trepidations and obstacles. Their own journeys of growth that wound together, and painted a brand new picture that never could have been, without their shared visions.
Cerulean City would soon marvel at what'd come to be under its skyline.