Dawn has gone through a lot the past few months. She has competed in Contests to win Ribbons, faced Gym Leaders in battle to earn their badges, got herself a honest-to-Arceus girlfriend and went up against team Galactic at various points. And their leader Cyrus, was…well, he was weird, she still didn't know what his plan was but it wasn't anything good. It involved the murals in Celestic Town and the depiction of Legendary Pokémon. However, after that stunt Cyrus was laying low.
Dawn needed a break for a bit. All work and no play make a dull girl after all. She decided to visit her mother in Twinleaf Town. She had called her mother beforehand. A tired Dawn flew into the city on the back of Brisen, her Staraptor. The loyal bird of prey let her down gently. Dawn patted him and thanked him before returning her to her Pokéball.
Dawn yawned as she opened the door. But she found that the lights were out. Was Mom out or something? Now where was the light switch? (Click!)
"SURPRISE!"
Dawn screamed as she stumbled back, tripped over an umbrella stand and fell to the floor. She got up and dusted herself up and saw what was going on. Her mother wasn't alone. Barry, Lucas, Professor Rowan, Zoey and several other of her friends were present. And there was a huge banner that said 'Happy birthday, Dawn!'
Dawn blinked as she checked the Calender on her Poketch. "Holy Muk! It is my birthday today? I totally forgot!"
"But we didn't." Johanna, Dawn's mother said. "Barry has kept me up to date as much as you did, and helped me plan this party. He helped me invite all the new friends you made."
"Hey, I'm not bright but I'm reliable." Barry added.
"Oh you guys…" Dawn said as she looked around. Then her eyes fell on a purple haired head. "Why are you here?"
"I don't know, I don't even know how I got here?" Paul noted. He still looked as grumpy as ever.
"You promise to behave and don't act like a obstinate Mudbray?" Dawn asked.
"Give me a piece of the cake and I promise to behave." Paul noted.
"Hey, what am I? Chopped liver? Dawn, come here and give your dad a hug!" a man in a long blue coat and hat looking like a train conductor said.
"I will, but you'll have to give dad his coat and hat back, Uncle Emmet!" Dawn said with a cheeky grin.
"Oh darn! Ingo, she figured us out…again!" Emmet said as he traded the blue coat for the white one his brother was wearing.
"She's still as sharp as ever. Now come here, my little Platinum Princess!" Ingo said as he hugged his daughter, whom happily returned the hug. "You've sure grown. You're almost a full grown woman. Heard you are also a mighty strong trainer and fabulous coordinator."
"Oh, er…I'm doing pretty well." Dawn said, rubbing her arm shyly.
"Don't downplay it, Dawn! You are taking the Gym challenge by storm, and the contest circuit." Barry noted.
"I'll say, you dazzle everyone in the crowd, and most of all me." Zoey said as she put a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder.
"Oh that reminds me, my daughter has a girlfriend?" Ingo said with a smirk.
"What? Oh…yes." Dawn said with a slight blush.
"My daughter's first girlfriend. I have to take many cute pictures." Johanna said.
"And now I can finally tease her about her dating life." Ingo said.
"Mom, Dad, please…" Dawn blushed and covered her face in embarrassment.
"Say, let's get the presents first!" Zoey suggested, breaking the moment of awkwardness. "I'm sure there will be plenty of good ones!" as she dragged Dawn away.
Then the bell rang. "Oh whom can that be? All the other guests are already here?" Johanna wondered.
"I'll get it." Barry said as she ran towards the door…and slammed right into it. "Forgot how to stop." Barry said dazed as he opened the door.
"Am I late for the party?" Cynthia asked.
"Is that Champion Cynthia?" Zoey asked, stars in her eyes.
"What?" Dawn asked.
"I heard it was your birthday so I decided to invite myself, if that isn't a problem." Cynthia said. She had several boxes in her hands.
"How did you know about that?" Dawn asked.
"I'm the Champion, I know everything about everyone. None of your secrets are safe." Cynthia said as she let out a creepy smiled and stared at Dawn, whom grew uneasy. Then Cynthia bursts out in laughter. "Just kidding! I just overheard your little motormouth friend."
"Oh so you don't really use your position as a Champion to find out stuff about random trainers?" Zoey asked.
"I'll add these to the present pile, and these dishes to the buffet. My grandma always makes too much food and I can't lose it otherwise." Cynthia said.
"She didn't answer the question…" Zoey said a little concerned.
"Oh but we already got so much, those dishes may be too much." Johanna noted.
"The party is full of growing boys and girls, you'll be grateful. Now, I was right to get two tubs of XL Icecream, I see no ice cream on the buffet table." Cynthia said. "But first gifts. Allow me to make the first since it would not only benefit Dawn. A little update to her Pokedex…" Cynthia said as she put the boxes down and pulled out a USB. "A universal translator."
"Wait, like the ones used so we can talk to the HM Pokémon we summon with our Poketch?" Dawn asked. "Or the translators high ranked trainers like the Champion have?"
"Yes." Cynthia said.
"Is Dawn allowed that?" Barry asked.
"There is no rule against it. Just unusual, now you want or are you going to hold on to that dex?" Cynthia asked. Dawn replied by shoving the Dex in Cynthia's face. Dawn looked a bit embarrassed and lowered it. Cynthia just smiled as she did the update. "One, two, three and done! Why don't you try it out now?"
"I think I can add to the experience." Professor Rowan said. "Dawn should be able to speak to all of her Pokémon. So my gift for her is a Box Link. Something new, it allows one to switch Pokémon from their boxes on the go, without having to visit a Pokémon Center every five minutes."
"Oh, that's great!" Dawn said, starry-eyed.
"You know, I can use my credentials on such a Box Link to allow Dawn, just for today, to take out all her Pokémon at once, so they can all join the experience." Cynthia said.
"This is going to be the best day ever." Dawn said. She took the box link and started to press buttons on the side. From the top Pokéballs popped out one by one, the Pokémon coming out of the Pokéballs. Then Dawn let out the ones she had on her own. "Guys, guess what? It's my birthday. For today we can all spend the day together. Also, I have gotten a gift. I'll be able to understand your speech." Dawn said as she held out her Pokédex. "Someone say something."
"Something." Valerie the Luxray said with a smirk.
"The first thing I hear is being snarked by own Pokémon." Dawn said dryly. She lit up immediately. "Great! Please, someone say something else."
"Can you hear me now, Mommy? Can you understand what I'm saying?" Tune the Togetic asked in a cutesy child-like voice as she floated over to Dawn.
Dawn felt tears well up in her eyes and her lip trembled. She pulled in Tune for a hug. "I hear you, Tune. Know mommy loves you."
"I love you too, Mommy." Tune said. Everyone except Paul daw'd, the latter looking like he was about to throw up.
"Mistress, now you can hear me. I love to speak up, with your permission." Kentaro the Infernape said. "I am eternally grateful for giving me a home, a purpose and a chance to become strong. I owe my life to you."
"I am strong because of you." Brisen said as she flapped her wings.
"I'm utterly dazzling because of you." Roselinka the Roselia said.
"You feed me, groom me and I get to kick butt, that's enough for me, cub." Valerie said.
"I be given FOOD!" Sameryu the Gabite said excitedly.
"I'm happy because I am pretty and strong and we get to do fun stuff and we also travel and meet fun people like Zoey and Aloe is really pretty and I really love her…" Skadi the Glaceon started to ramble…all without running out of oxygen somehow.
"Thanks to you, Mother-Trainer Dawn, the world gets to see how amazing I am." Ozzy the Piplup says.
Other Pokémon give similar statements. Dawn was happy to hear how much her Pokémon appreciated her.
"Oh dang, it seems that with all that, my gift is going to pale by comparison." Ingo noted. "But I already got it so I best hand it over." It was a briefcase at first sight, but once opened and shown to Dawn, Dawn's eyes lit up.
"Are these…?" Dawn asked.
"Every evolution item imaginable. That way you and your Pokémon can be even stronger, or more fabulous, or both." Ingo said. "Not as good as talking to Pokémon or switch them out on the go."
"No dad, I love this." Dawn said happily.
"Dawn…I don't want to be impatient but…I wanted to be a Roserade for a while, to assume the maximum of beauty." Roselinka asked.
"And I want to grow big and strong and pretty too, Mommy." Tune added.
"Well, that's what evolution items are for after all." Dawn said as she pulled out a couple of Shiny Stones from the package. "Are you ready?" the two Pokémon nodded. She put the Shiny Stones on their foreheads. Both of them glowed white.
Roselinka grew taller, a cape grew from her back. Her single rose hands grew into bouquets and her spiky head turned into a white rose in its own right. Tune grew bigger, rounder and fluffier and with larger wings. When the light died down, everyone was in awe.
"Mommy, I'm big and fluffy and more huggable." Tune said.
Dawn decided to test it out. "Whoa…you really are huggable." Dawn said, in awe at the softness.
"And I, am the most beautiful and fabulous. My looks are almost more Dazzling then my Gleam." Roselinka said.
"Hall or Origins above, you gorgeous." Barry's Roselia Jaime said as he approached her. "You are a goddess on Earth, a mother Gaia, a Demeter, a Persephone. Would you make this little plant happy and be my girl?"
"Nope." Roselinka said without hesitation as she walked past him and instead headed towards a Cherrim whom they knew belonged to Zoey and put her arm around her. The Roselia slumped down.
Roselinka was not the only of Dawn's mons hooking up with one of Zoey's. As Skadi once again hung around Aloe the Leafeon. "Reason fifty-four I love you: I love the leafy bits. They are so leafy, that's why they are called 'leafy bits'." She said as she batted at the leaf bang on Aloe's forehead. "Reason fifty-five I love you: I love your scent. It smells like girlfriend. Reason fifty-six love you: You are Aloe." She cuddled closer to Aloe, whom averted her gaze and blushed.
"You are such a tsun-tsun." Valerie smirked at the Leafeon.
"Shut up!" Aloe muttered softly.
"Cousin Dawn! Cousin Dawn! All your Pokémon are so cool and pretty. Can I ride on their backs?" Dawn's little cousin Anita said. Her brown curly hair in a ponytail bouncing and her blue eyes twinkling.
"Anita, dear. You can't just ask that. Also, even if Dawn agrees, the Pokémon may not want it." Emmet said to his daughter.
"Does any of you mind?" Dawn asked.
"Fine I guess, but if she tries to pull my fur I'll have her as a snack." Valerie snarked.
"I get FOOD if I do?" Sameryu asked.
"You can hop on my back, little human whom is related to Mommy." Tune said.
"Yay!" Little Anita climbed on the Togekiss back. "She is so fluffy. When I grow up, I want to be a strong trainer like you, Cousin Dawn! I also want to be a performer. We don't have contests in Unova so I may become a performer instead!" Anita said. "I'll be the best in both like you."
"I haven't become Champion or Grand coordinator yet." Dawn said, a bit flustered.
"You will, I know it!" Anita said happily.
"Oh Dawn, I got some gifts here from myself and the STAT trainers. They couldn't come since they had a mission but they send you their wishes." Lucas said as he put a few packages in front of her.
Dawn opened it and most of them were accessories she could use for her Contests or useful battle items. But the most prominent she saw was an Egg. "Oh?"
"That's from Riley. It is a Riolu Egg. His Lucario and his mate had several eggs. I got one myself and that's how I ended up with Luka." Lucas gestured to a shy looking Riolu whom was hiding behind his legs. "I thought you'd like one too."
"Well it seems you are getting a little sibling, Tune." Dawn said to her Pokémon.
"You are just an egg and I already love you!" Tune said to the unhatched Riolu egg.
"Hope I don't have to babysit again." Valerie groaned.
"Admit it, when you thought no one was watching, you were devoted to 'your little precious cub'." Ozzy teased.
"I wonder if you'll taste like chicken." Valerie growled.
"You say that but you don't mean it." Ozzy said. Dawn would turn Valerie into a rug if she would truly try to eat anyone.
"You all make me feel ashamed. My gift will pale in comparison to everyone else's. And I'm supposed to be Dawn's girlfriend." Zoey sighed as she pulled out her packet, but the smile suggests she spoke in jest.
"I'm sure anything you give Mommy will be great, Other Mommy." Tune noted.
"Other Mommy?" Zoey asked surprised.
"Well we are dating so it may make you her second mom?" Dawn said sheepishly as she scratched the back of her head.
"Does that make us sisters?" Cheery the Blissey said, which Zoey raised from an egg like Dawn had for Tune.
"Sisters!" Tune said happily as she waved her wings. The tips of her wings held the tip of the Blissey's stubby arms.
"Sis-ters, sis-ters, sis-ters!" they said as they happily bounced up and down.
"That's so adorable." Zoey said. Dawn had to agree. "Er…distracted! Gift!" Zoey handed it over to Dawn. "I know it's not a lot…"
Dawn opened it and it contained a necklace in a heart shape. It had a picture inside that they had from their first date. "Zoey, this is wonderful, thank you." Dawn said.
"Glad you love it. Er, it's not all I have to give." Zoey said.
"Oh?" Dawn asked. Zoey took a deep breath, puts her hands on Dawn's shoulders and leaned in gently and put her lips on Dawn's. Despite being girlfriends, they hadn't kissed before since they were a bit awkward. But Zoey thought it'd be nice. And it was, for both of them. "That was…er, wow." Dawn muttered, her brain short-circuited.
"Crikey!" Zoey said with a grin. Then realized what she said. "Why did I say that?"
Dawn chuckled. "You're too cute."
"I got it on film, this is too beautiful." Johanna said, with her phone out and crying tears of joy. "They grow up so fast, Ingo!"
"I know, sweetheart. I know." Ingo also cried tears of joy.
Dawn unwrapped the rest of her presents and then they finally got started on the buffet. Luckily most were kept warm thanks to a hot plate for the warm foods and the ice cream tubs Cynthia had brought had been kept in the freezer until now. And they were able to dig in.
It had all of Dawn's favs. Pepperoni pizza with stuffed cheese crust, cheesy garlic bread, pasta, steamed pork buns, fried chicken, mozzarella sticks and more. For dessert two types of cake: cheesecake and marble, pudding, pies, pastries, muffins and brownies. Dawn took a large slice of the pizza, folded it and ate it in just five or so bites. Barry had one porkbun stuffed whole in each of his cheeks. Zoey put a fried chicken leg into her mouth and pulled off all the meat at once. Lucas put a portion of noodles on his plate and slurped them up in seconds. Paul, oddly enough stuffed his plate full of sweet things like slices of pie and cake and a few pastries and drizzled some honey on top. He didn't eat as wild and kept composed, but when he started to eat it with no trouble…
"Finally FOOD!" Sameryu the Gabite said as she took one of the garlic breads and shoved it in her mouth whole.
"Ok, those extra dishes may have been welcome. I forgot how hungry growing teens can be." Johanna admitted.
"Not to mention they are camping for most of their journey and living of canned foods. I'd eat myself half to death too." Ingo said as he enjoyed some pasta too.
"Told you so…" Cynthia said with a smug grin as she had made herself a large sundae using the ice cream she brought, and some of the whipped cream and sweet sauces from the dessert buffet.
"Can I have a scoop too, please?" Paul asked politely as he held out his plate of sweets. "On top of the pie, if possible."
"Sure, kid." Cynthia said as he obliged.
"For someone so sour, you sure have a sweet tooth." Barry noted.
"Mind your own business." Paul said as he scooped some ice cream and apple pie in his mouth.
"Cousin Dawnn I bet I can eat more pizza then you!" Anita said.
"We are not doing this, remember during your birthday? You couldn't stop throwing up." Dawn said.
"But I beat you! I won." Anita said.
"Hollow victory." Dawn groaned as she grabbed a few mozzarella sticks and dipped them in some marinara sauce.
Paul was in a corner, trying to avoid being seen, enjoying his desserts. Kentaro the Infernape stared at him. "What?" he kept staring. "You can talk now, so spit it out." No reaction. "You try to make me feel guilty? Know that you have it good with Dawn, her training did more for you then I did. So you shouldn't be angry with me." Kentaro didn't react. "I was harsh, but I want to push my mons beyond my limit, I want to be the best at any costs, and I had to cut out those whom dragged the team down. While you aren't weak now, you didn't fit. If you want it settled, wait until Dawn and I fight again. Now if you just let me eat in peace." The Infernape went to the dessert table, grabbed a slice of banana cream pie, gave a final judgmental look and left. "Stupid creepy monkey." He muttered as he continued eating his cake.
"FOOD!" Sameryu said as she waddled towards Paul and made a grab at his plate.
Paul held the plate out of reach. "Hey, what is your idea? There are whole cakes still on the table." Paul growled.
"FOOD!" Sameryu said, either not having heard or not caring for what Paul said and went for his plate.
"Why do you want mine there is more food out there!" Paul argued.
"FOOD!"
"You're a cute little birdie!" Anita said as she scooped up Ozzy and hugged him tight.
"Hey, let go of me. These are unauthorized snuggles!" Ozzy said as he squirmed. "Val, help me."
"Nah! I am enjoying these pork buns." Valerie said with a smirk.
"Traitor!" Ozzy groaned.
Skadi had a plate with pasta in her mouth and put it down in front of Aloe, all while wagging her icy tail. She had a pleading look. Aloe gave in and they ate from the same bowl. How big would the chances be they would get the same noodle like that scene in that animated movie with the stray dogs? Only when she was absent mindedly slurping up her noodle and a cold but pleasant sensation hit her nose, as her and Skadi's noses had touched from done exactly that. Aloe vowed that if anyone would try to sing an Italian song about love and the moon she'd turn them into fertilizer.
It was one of the best birthdays Dawn ever had. She was with family, friends and her beloved Pokémon. And best of all her girlfriend. After a long evening of celebrations, food, drinks, party games and a movie marathon, everyone was tuckered out.
Dawn found herself waking up in Zoey's arms on the couch in their living room, having fallen asleep. She had decided not to wake Zoey as she was also tired and she liked where she was. She was happy. She enjoyed herself for now, as the moment wouldn't last.
She still had gyms to beat, she still had contests to win. She still has Galactic Goons' asses to kick. But not yet. Now, she lived in the moment.
TO BE CONTINUED
NOTES
The birthday party started as a small segment and excuse to get the evolution stones and Dawn's family but it took up the whole chapter as I got a lot of fun ideas for it.
I couldn't include all of Dawn's pokemon but hey are there doing their own thing. I just included the ones I felt would add the most personality.
Anita is actually the Black/White female protagonist, but younger. Dawn will be her role model. She is Emmet's daughter in this universe like Dawn is Ingo's. Decided to put more howler monkeys in the family tree. Also I used the player character's Italian name, because I don't like the names 'Hilda' or 'Hilbert'.
Wanted Zoey's and Dawn's first kiss in the aftermath of beating Galactic for good, but decided to put it in the birthday chapter instead.
The foods at Dawn's party are also my favorite foods.