Chapter 6: The Berry Kingdom

(DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE MARIO FRANCHISE/SERIES OR POKÉMON. MARIO (FRANCHISE/SERIES) BELONGS TO NINTENDO/GAMEFREAK. POKÉMON BELONGS TO GAMEFREAK/NINTENDO).

Please Read and Review.

(While Ritchie's life was in Danger, Ash and Floette were arriving at the town in the Berry Kingdom at the Bottom of the Hill where the Princess' Castle was. Ash and Floette (Eternal Flower) would have to traverse through the town to get to the Castle on top of the Hill. With Ash following Floette (Eternal Flower) very closely as the town as Populated with tons of Floette just like him, only none of the Floette he noticed had the Same kind of Flower he did. Floette (Eternal Flower) then shouted to Ash behind him).

Floette (Eternal Flower): This way, Ash! (Floette (Eternal Flower) gestures to the castle that was their destination). The princess lives right on that hill! (Then he goes ahead to float through the city, with Ash doing his best to not lose sight of him. Which was not easy when his tour guide was only a Couple Inches Tall and much shorter than him. Ash rushes to Catch up with Floette (Eternal Flower) before he got too far away from him, as he begins to Lead Ash through the city. As Ash followed Floette (Eternal Flower) through the kingdom's city, he was amazed by the sights the Berry Kingdom was giving him, such as surely hundreds of Floette with different flower colors such as Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, and White. And there were what looks like houses in the Shape of Berries also in the same diverse colors as the Flowers these Floette had. He even saw a group of Floette going and Punching Yellow Blocks with what looked like Coins on them. And when the Floette hit the Blocks, coins came out from the top and land stacked on top of a pile of Coins. To Ash, it looked like those Coin dispensing Blocks looked just like the automated teller machines he saw back home, only here it looked to be for the Floette's Fictional Currency. Then Floette (Eternal Flower) says gently pushing the other Floette out of the way). Excuse me, everybody, coming through. Got a big adventure happening right now. (Floette (Eternal Flower) then Pushes another Yellow Flower Floette out of the way, causing it to drop a coin). Just clear a path for us. If I could just... Just clear a path for us. If I could just - (Ash picks up the coin one of the Floette dropped and smiles as he gives it to a Red Flower Floette who ran up to him and then Ash tips his hat to them as he leaves. He was feeling happy to at least do something to these Pokémon Citizens here, even though he was still more focused on meeting the Princess who he was hoping could help him save Ritchie).

Ash: Here you go. (Ash was not aware that he was giving the coin to the wrong Floette, since he did not actually see which Floette dropped it, and this was a different Floette. And the Red Flower Floette was too busy gawking and staring at the human here to correct him on this, even a couple of the other Floette nearby were looking up at him with Awe).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Excuse me... (Then suddenly Floette (Eternal Flower) begins Shouting Loudly to everyone around him). EXCUSE ME, EVERYBODY, (Then Floette screamed right in the face of another Floette). COMING THROUGH! (This caused the Floette to run away screaming) THIS GUY'S BROTHER IS GOING TO DIE IMMINENTLY! (Hearing this causes Ash to panic at once at Floette (Eternal Flower)'s words, especially with how he was being Innocently Insensitive right now and began trying to make him stop saying that as he was thinking "Dude, Not Funny!" when it came to his brother's life and how he could very well be in great danger).

Ash: Hey- (But Floette (Eternal Flower) did not listen as he kept shouting).

Floette (Eternal Flower): OUT OF THE WAY, PLEASE! (Then Floette (Eternal Flower) stops yelling and goes back to speaking normally, to Ash, to assure him). Just trying to clear a path. That is all I am doing. He is gonna be fine. (Ever since Ash ended up in the Berry Kingdom after he and Ritchie ended up separated, Ash has just been wanting to reunite with his brother, who, at this point, could be in Danger and he was feeling very worried for his brother's safety and wellbeing. As Ash and Floette (Eternal Flower) kept moving through the town Floette (Eternal Flower) saw one of his Floette friends and greeted the Floette while waving back at her Floette Friend). Carly Shay!

Carly Shay: Morning! (Ash and Floette (Eternal Flower) kept moving through town, they passed by a Store called, "Crazy Cap", Ash who spotted the store, made a mental note to check it out later when all this was over, and he had reunited with Ritchie).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Nice to see ya, bud! (Then Floette (Eternal Flower) Clicks his teeth at Carly. As Ash continues walking through the town, multiple Floette look at him along the way. Ash then passes a Yellow Flower Floette carrying at Plastic Bag full of water and a Seaking in it. Upon seeing Ash, the Seaking squints at him, not liking him. Then Ash and Floette (Eternal Flower) continue moving, passing by an Antiques Shop called, "Antiques", where a Yellow Floette Customer asks the Stores Clerk about the Warp Whistle he was thinking of buying here).

Yellow Floette: Does this thing work? (Then the Antique Store Clerk calmly and wisely tells his Yellow Flower Floette Customer).

Antiques Store Floette: Yes, works great. Eh, you just need to blow into it. (The Yellow Flower Floette wondered if he was mistaking this Warp Whistle with a Gaming System and their Cartridges when he said to blow into them).

(Meanwhile, Floette (Eternal Flower) was leading to Ash to an area with platforms, and Floette acting as construction workers. Floette (Eternal Flower) gets onto a Platform while saying to Ash).

Floette (Eternal Flower): And up we go. (The Platform's safety bars go down as Ash processes what Floette just said to him).

Ash: Wait, up? (Then Ash rushes to catch up with Floette (Eternal Flower) on the platform. He thankfully manages to get on the Platform before it began going upward. When the elevator platform arrives at the top, the gates open and they get off with Ash following Floette to a moving platform, leaving Ash stunned once again. Then Another Platform comes and stops near Ash and Floette's current platform. Floette floats over to the next platform with ease. While Ash missed the jump but luckily managed to grab onto the edge of the Platform as it moves back to where it came from. Ash gets up and breathes heavily as Floette moves on quickly. Once Ash gets his breath back, he quickly runs after Floette and tries to catch up with him).

(Floette continues floating through the kingdom, and whistles to Ash, to make sure he would follow him. Ash follows Floette, until he comes to a stop when sees a group of floating bricks that looked to be hundreds of feet in the air. Ash carefully tries not to fall of the floating bricks and into the populated Chasm below, worried that if he did, he would be in a TON of pain upon hitting the ground way down there).

Ash: (Pants). Whoa! Okay, so these bricks are just floatin' here. Uh... (Ash was beginning to wonder if these Floette had No OSHA Compliance, since Traversal through this Kingdom is... perilous, to say the least. First, he and Floette had to make their way to the castle using small platforms with no rails, then they needed to jump to another platform, and now they needed to step on a series of small brick blocks over a chasm. To say Ash was feeling nervous throughout this entire ordeal would be putting it mildly. But clearly the Floette have no problems with all this, clearly for them all this was simply a basic skill needed when you live here. And it showed since Floette (Eternal Flower) was navigating through it all so calmly. And even when he and Ritchie were going through the construction area back home, Ash's own athletic skills were better back there, but they were not looking so useful here. Luckily, Ash was able to cross the floating bricks safely, making it to the other side).

(Then Ash runs alongside Floette (Eternal Flower) to a couple of Origin Balls, with Floette telling him).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Just pop in this Origin Ball and we are on our way!

Ash: Oh.

Floette (Eternal Flower): It is the only way to fly, man. (Floette (Eternal Flower) Laughs as he enters a transparent Origin Ball; and begins traveling through it cheering happily). Woo! (Floette (Eternal Flower) goes flying through the Origin Ball Stream. Seeing Floette (Eternal Flower) making his way through the Stream, Ash gets closer to the one Origin Ball Floette entered and looked inside it).

Ash: Oh, wow! Love these Origin Balls- (Suddenly Ash yelps when he suddenly ends up sucked into it. Ash then begins to yell as he ends up dragged across, hitting every corner painfully, while Floette was having a smooth ride as he kept turning around the corners seamlessly).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Woo! (Ash grunts in Pain as he hits yet another corner and continues screaming as he realizes that unlike Floette here, he was a Naïve Newcomer with his comical fumbling around the various platform transport systems since he was new to the Berry Kingdom).

Ash: Aaaah!

(A Couple of Moments later, Floette gets out of the Origin Ball and then jumps in another. Seconds later, Ash comes out of his Origin Ball next but gets confused on which Origin Ball Floette took. He gets in the wrong Origin Ball and comes out of another one.

Ash: Huh? (He tries the other Origin Balls repeatedly but no matter what Origin Ball he went in, he just ends up in the same place. But then he takes a Real good around the area to discover even more Origin Balls). AW, COME ON! (Suffice it to say, Ash did not find this elaborate series of Origin Balls acting as a Maze to be funny at all).

(Eventually, Ash finally comes out of the correct Origin Ball at the top of the hill near the Castle. And he was looking completely worn out and nauseous from all the Scooby-Dooby Doors he had to go through, and he thought they only existed in Cartoons).

Ash: Ohh... (Due to his exhaustion, Ash Tumbles off the Origin Ball and onto the ground as if he were the victim of Ragdoll Physics, clearly not used to the travel method making him feel like he was an Iron Butt Monkey. But Floette (Eternal Flower), having already gotten here easily, eagerly informs Ash).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Here we are! Palace doors. Bing bang boom! (Floette (Eternal Flower) then takes off for the Castle as Ash gets up and straightens his hat while staring in awe at the Castle, finding it amazing, Awe-inspiring, and Beautiful. Even the view of the Princess' Castle he had from the top of the Giant Berry in the Forest absolutely paled in comparison, to the view he had of the Castle now. The View Ash had now of the Castle was beyond anything he had ever seen before as he was able to take in even more details of the castle that he was not able to notice before. Such as just how Sparkling the Castle's magnificently beautiful white and red pristine colors truly were. The Shades of Red on the Palace were as Bright, Vibrant, and Colorful as the Morning Sun. But the thing about the Castle that captured his attention more than anything else was the Castle's Pristine stained-glass image of who he assumed was the Princess that Floette was talking about). Come on! (Floette Laughs as he floats higher in the Sky shouting excitedly). Woo! (Ash is also feeling amazement as he says to himself).

Ash: (Quietly). Whoa. (He follows Floette to the castle entrance).

(They cross the bridge, heading towards the Castle doors).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Quite impressive, am I right? (Ash looks up at the Beautifully colored mirror resembling the Princess. Then the two of them end up stopped by two Floette guards at the palace doors block their way with their Flowers).

Blue Floette Guard: Hold it right there, you two!

Ash: Oh, hey, I need to see... the princess. It is an emergency. (The guards look at each other, both sharing a smug look).

Blue Floette Guard: (Beat). What princess?

Yellow Floette Guard: No, I have never heard of any princess.

Blue Floette Guard: Oh, wait, I did. Our princess, though, is in another castle.

Yellow Floette Guard: Oh, yes, that is right.

Blue Floette Guard: You should try another castle, likely. She ain't in this one. (Then the Floette guards do a fist-bump but with their Flowers).

Ash: Huh? (Ash was thinking about how the guards were saying that their Princess was in another Castle, sounded like something out of a Video game or something. But Floette (Eternal Flower) was not buying what was clearly a bunch of Blatant Lies from these two Floette Guards who were trying to send them off on a wild Swanna chase despite the fact the castle has large stained glass windows depicting the Princess herself and how it would beg the question why they're guarding the castle's doors in the first place. With that, Floette began to ready himself for a fight with the Guards, telling Ash).

Floette (Eternal Flower): Okay, so they are messing with you. And... I do not like it. (Floette (Eternal Flower) readies his Flower for combat, and begins screaming a battle cry, shocking the guards. He charges towards them with Ash thinking that Floette was going to fight them. But then Floette (Eternal Flower) uses his Grassy Terrain Move, releasing a light-green ring of energy from his body onto the area around him, causing flowers to grow and release an aroma that causes the Floette guards to relax and calm down, all to Ash's confusion over the Bait-and-Switch that Floette just pulled here. As the Grassy Field begins generating Berries for the group to eat from Nearby Berry Trees). What do you folks, um... What do you wanna eat? Anything, anything your heart wishes. (Floette (Eternal Flower) then Whispers to Ash). Go! (Floette (Eternal Flower) then says to the guards who were too busy being excited like hungry campers to hear what Floette just whispered to Ash) I am ready to... scramble it up. (With Floette (Eternal Flower) giving the front door guards a Delicious Distraction thanks to his Supreme Chef Skills, Ash goes and sneaks into the Castle while thinking "The Guards Must Be Crazy". Especially so if the guards could end up so easily distracted like that).

(Ash sneaks in through the palace doors. He stops to notice two guards who were Laughing with each other clearly goofing off on duty. But when Ash walks by and pretends to be stoic as he salutes them. The Floette gasp as they snap to attention and get in formation and salute back to him. But just as he drops the look and runs, the guards do a Double Take and realize it was not the Princess but an intruder. They both ready their Flowers and start chasing after him).

Blue Floette Guard: Hey! Intruder! (Unfortunately for Ash, his pretending to be Stoic and Saluting the two Floette Guards only ended up buying him a couple of seconds as they quickly realized that he was an intruder and were now chasing him down the Hallway. Now Ash was Panting for breath as he slides across the slippery floor to make a turn, and continues to run, only to see other guards in his way). Stop him! (Ash keeps runs away while more guards pursue him and yell).

Floette Guards: Intruder! (Ash makes it to a large room with a group of Floette Guards in the hallway directly across from him, making him come to a stop). Stop him! Stop him! (Then Ash runs down an adjacent hallway as the other group of Floette guards join the first two Floette guards in chasing him down). Now! Stop him!

(Meanwhile, in a large room with close to hundreds of Floette, a council of Floette is gathering around a hologram that opens from the ground. The hologram shows a world map, displaying all the different-biomed islands that were not that far away from each other, including Koraidon's ship. With a Blue Flower Floette acting a General, starting the meeting for the Council in his deep and dignified voice).

Floette (Blue Flower) General: Council, your attention. Koraidon has found the Tera Orb and is heading toward our kingdom. Its power will make him invincible. (The hologram's magic map shows Koraidon's ship moving to the castle and burning it). We will end up destroyed. (The Floette present could see that with how Evil Is Burning Hot, all that can end up seen of what the Ice kingdom, the home of the Eiscue remained was a magma-filled wasteland that was now as volcanic and barren as Koraidon's Kingdom, simply nothing more than a smoldering ruin. The horrible sounding prediction from their Floette (Blue Flower) General has all the Floette gasp, and a lone Blue Floette faints in shock).

Yellow Council Floette: Princess, what are we gonna do? (Then all the Floette in the room turn to their Princess, who was sitting on her throne with her Pokémon Partners by her side).

Princess: Well, I will not let him hurt you. (Their Princess stands up from her throne and walks down the stairs with her Partners, showing herself off to the Floette in her Classic Disneyesque Fashion. Their Princess was a Young Woman with fair skin, blue eyes, long legs, and a slender frame. Along with waist-length honey-colored hair that she had tied in a low ponytail. The Princess was wearing an outfit consisting of a grayish-black tank-top with a white collar, a red skirt, a rose-pink hat with a tiny black bow and hatband, black stockings, and black shoes. She was the Princess of the Berry Kingdom, meet Princess... Serena! Standing by Princess Serena's side was her Pokémon Partner, Sylveon).

Princess Serena: We are going to stop Koraidon.

Sylveon: That is right. (But Members of the Floette Council question how they are going to do that, asking her, and Sylveon).

Floette Council: How? Look at us. We are adorable. (The Floette Council Member makes a puppy face, followed by others doing the same, causing a bit of Cuteness Proximity. Princess Serena, and Sylveon all knew that the Floette were too soft and weak to defend themselves given how they are Perfect Pacifist People by nature, that they are too cute to be a threat, and no had no defenses whatsoever other than their own attacks. But Princess Serena already had a plan in mind as she goes to the hologram map focusing on one of the Kingdoms as Sylveon joined her).

Princess Serena: Now, I am going to convince the great Forest of Okoya Pokémon army to help us. Together, we will annihilate that monster. (But one of the Floette generals objects this idea of hers, telling her).

Floette General: Their mad king does not make alliances. The Forest of Okoya Pokémon will never agree. (This Causes a Bit of worry in Princess Serena's Sylveon who asks her).

Sylveon: What if he is right Serena? What if they do not help us? (The initiative-taking and Warrior Princess Serena is not at all bothered by this inquisition from Sylveon telling her and the other Floette present).

Princess Serena: Yes, I can convince him. And I will leave for the Ultra Jungle Kingdom with Sylveon in the morning. (With that Princess Serena heads for the doors, Leaving the room with Sylveon by her side).

Sylveon: No need to Worry. (As they left, the Blue Flower Floette General said to them).

Floette (Blue Flower) General: Good luck, princess. For all our sakes.

(Princess Serena walks through the halls with Sylveon, thinking to herself, until they hear footsteps. When they look over, they see Ash coming around a Corner and running in their direction. From Princess Serena's point of view, Ash appears, making another sloppy turn, and dashes towards her, Sylveon. Everything goes slow-motion as Ash becomes glad to have found her. While Princess Serena stares at him in awe with them both sharing a Held Gaze with each other. Then Ash, moving in Slow motion reaches out his hand to her. Finding her Disneyesque appearance to be extremely attractive for someone who was such a Head-Turning Beauty like her).

Ash: Princess! (But then Princess Serena snaps out of her Held Gaze state, when she realizes that he is an intruder to her castle and suddenly grabs Ash by the arm and gives him a judo flip, throwing him over her shoulder, slamming him onto his back on the ground. Ash says feeling the pain of Princess Serena's sudden judo flip on him). Argh. (Ash then Looks up to see the Princess, Sylveon who are looking at him confused. While Sylveon was looking at him with Concern).

Sylveon: Are you Okay? (Ash recovers quickly as he gets back up on his feet with help from Sylveon's ribbon like Feelers as Ash thanks Sylveon quickly).

Ash: Thank You. (Then Ash turns his attention to Princess Serena). Princess! Hi- (But before Ash can say anything, A Floette guard tackles Ash to the ground. Two other guards begin attacking him in a Dogpile fashion to restrain him while the other Floette Guards surround them. Princess Serena, Sylveon watches in shock as Ash screams, yells, and cries in pain and agony. Before Princess Serena finally stops the Floette guards from further attacking Ash any more than they already have).

Princess Serena: Wait! Release him. (The guards obey their Princess' Orders, backing away from Ash, before one of them gives him another whack with its Flower).

Ash: Ah! (Ash gets up from the ground as Princess Serena, and Sylveon look over Ash closely).

Princess Serena: Whoa... (Looks closely at Ash). Are you...? (Gasps). HE IS A HUMAN! No, I mean, you are a human, right? (Starts inspecting him). It is just, you are so small and... (Then she looks under Ash's hat before he tries to get his hat back from her).

Ash: (Tries reaching for it). Hey! (Ash was a bit surprised by Princess Serena's extreme excitement over meeting another Human and had ended up caught up in her excitement had gotten a bit too grabby with him, pulling on his nose and briefly taking his hat. But then she made an innocent comment that he was shorter than her, which he did not appreciate. Clearly her excitement, caused her to forget her manners and invade his Personal Space and then getting a little too grabby trying to figure him out. For a Princess who Ash would expect to carry herself with an air of dignity befitting her royal status, she was Not So Above It All).

Princess Serena: Wait, wait, wait. L-Let us go back. (Then Princess Serena places the hat back on Ash's head incorrectly, accidently covering his eyes as Princess Serena introduced herself to Ash) I am Princess Serena. (Princess Serena then gestures to Sylveon). And these is my Partner, Sylveon. (Then Princess Serena asked Ash). Where did you come from? (Ash stammers his response to Princess Serena's Question as he fixes his hat, and his intense attraction to her caused him to truly forget about his mission to save Ritchie briefly since the moment he laid eyes on her).

Ash: Uh, my Name is Ash. Uh, me and my little brother, Ritchie... we-we fell down this Origin Ball, and now he ends up lost... s-somewhere in the Fiery Path!

Princess Serena: Then it is only a matter of time until he ends up captured by Koraidon. But you are in luck — We are on our way to stop him.

Ash: Well, take me with you. (Princess Serena lets Ash know just what he was getting himself into).

Princess Serena: This guy's a lunatic. A psycho. He will eat you for breakfast. He will not even notice it probably because you are exceedingly small. (Ash realized that Princess Serena was using her Deadpan Snarker skills to hit on one of genuine insecurities, his height even if they were not out of any malice or anything. But he was choosing not to focus on that right now. Especially, not when his brother was counting on him to save him. But if this Koraidon was as Ax-Crazy as Princess Serena was making him out to be then he knew that he had to prepared to face him if necessary).

Sylveon: We just want to make sure your aware of the Danger this situation has as much as possible. (Ash then decides to make it clear to Princess Serena, and Sylveon that he is not going to let them dissuade him from joining them).

Ash: Do you know what? Make fun of me all you want. (Ash then Points at Princess Serena, and Sylveon). But you are gonna help me find my brother! (Princess Serena, and Sylveon had a stern and Affronted look on her face that they give Ash). ... (Ash then realizes that he may have come on too strongly to them with his request and his "Beware the Nice Ones" act before he tries again with being a little gentler to them). Please? (While Princess Serena and Sylveon could surely see that it was Ash's Big Brother Instinct for his brother Ritchie that was driving him here, she and Sylveon drop their Stern looks and their Expression Changes as they give in to Ash's request with a look of nonchalance telling him).

Princess Serena: Okay. Let us see what you got. (Ash was glad that Princess Serena was willing to help him out here).

Sylveon: I can honestly see just how much you care for your brother Ash. It is extremely sweet. (This makes Ash smile a bit before Princess Serena Walks off down the hallway with an equally pleased Sylveon hand in Ribbon-Like Feeler. Ash hangs back before asking them due to wanting clarification on something Princess Serena just said to him).

Ash: Is that a "yes"? (Ash then goes and Follows Princess Serena, and Sylveon as she responds to his question).

Princess Serena: No. That is a "Let's see what you're made of". (Initially, Princess Serena was dismissive of Ash due to his small size but saw that he stayed persistent and demanded that she help him. And while taken aback, eventually gives in and allows Ash the chance to prove himself, thinking this was a case where he should be Commended for Pushback. Then Princess Serena, and Sylveon lead Ash to the place where they will as Princess Serena put it, "See what Your (Ash is) Made Of").

[A/N #1: In this chapter, I hid a reference to well-loved 2007 Nickelodeon Show. If Anyone can figure out what show the reference was to, will get a special shoutout at the beginning of the Author's Note section of Chapter 7. (In other words, the next chapter)].

[A/N #2: For the Sake of Reference, Serena's Outfit I described here, is the First Outfit she wore in the anime starting with the episode, "A Battle of Aerial Mobility!" until her hair cut in the episode, "A Showcase Debut!". Yes, I will have Serena wear Dresses as Per her Portrayal of Princess Peach, I just thought her Casual (Everyday Clothes) made more sense with the version of Serena I would like to portray here. But yes, I will have Serena wear dresses (and other outfits) at various points throughout the Story, so no worries about that :) I got it all planned out].

Replies to my reviewers:

Ashpoke55: Yep, this was chapter where Ash meets the Princess. And I hope you like my Choice of a Pokémon Girl for Princess Peach. As for a Beyblade Story, (Not that I have any desire to a Story based on that show (currently)) with Ash Ketchum. Since I had only seen the Metal Saga of Beyblade (I assume it is called the "Metal Saga" to describe the seasons it encapsulates (Just like Ben 10's original series includes "Original Series", "Alien Force", "Ultimate Alien", and "Omniverse") which are called, "Metal Fusion", "Metal Masters", "Metal Fury", and "Shogun Steel". (And I just checked, and it turns out that yes, the Beyblade Fan Wiki considers those seasons as part of the "Metal Saga")). Anyway, I would have to of course use Ash to Play the Main Character of the Previously mentioned Series, Gingka Hagane, since Ash and Gingka are the main characters of their respective shows. (Though to be fair, I would surely have to choose a Pokémon other than Pikachu to the Pokémon Counterpart to Gingka's Beyblade, Storm Pegasus (and its later Evolutions (for lack of a better word)), Galaxy Pegasus, Cosmic Pegasus, and Samurai Pegasus.

Please Review

-To Be Continued-

Next time on ... THE SUPER KETCHUM BROS.:

Ash's Test