Dawn was excited. The last week had literally changed her life. From turning 18 and finishing high school, to getting her Trainer license, a lot had happened. She had met Professor Rowan, gotten her first Pokemon - a Piplup, and even started the Gym Challenge. Beating Roark wasn't easy, but Piplup had pulled through and won her the Coal Badge. Her next stop was Eterna City, where she would challenge Gardenia. To get there, she would need to traverse Eterna Forest. "Maybe this wasn't the best outfit for a trip through a forest..." Dawn muttered, looking down at her attire. She wore her favorite outfit - a sleeveless black top over a white undershirt, a pink skirt, matching pink hiking boots, and black knee-high socks. Even though the boots were fine, she didn't fancy the idea of wading through branches, shrubs and bugs without at least a jacket of some sort. That, and her favorite hat - white with a pink Pokeball design - would probably get filthy. Nevertheless, she pressed on and entered the forest. Upon turning a corner, she nearly knocked someone over. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry!" Dawn apologized. Her near-victim turned around and smiled warmly. She was tall, wearing a pale green sweater over a really long, dark-green  dress. She had extraordinarily long green hair that was tied up in a braid, and went well past her waist.  "Oh, don't worry!" she said. "I know I kind of blend in in here..." "I love your hair!" Dawn complimented the strange woman. "Oh, thank you! I'm Cheryl, by the way". "Dawn. Nice to meet you!" "Likewise. I'm sorry to do this so quickly, but could I ask a favor?" "Sure!" "I need to go to Eterna City, but it can get scary in the forest... can we go together?" Cheryl asked. "Oh yeah, of course!" Dawn replied. "I'm heading there too, some company would be great!" ______________________________ "You made eye contact, that means you have to battle!" yelled some snotty kid from the grass.  "Yeah, we can make it a two-on-two!" another one yelled. Both immediately threw Pokeballs, and Dawn found herself facing down a Wurmple and a Burmy. Nothing Piplup couldn't handle. "I uh... don't really like battling..." Cheryl said.  "But you have to! That's the rules!" one of the Bug Catchers said.  Clearly uncomfortable, Cheryl took a Pokeball from inside one of her pockets, and threw it. Out came a Chansey, but it looked... odd. It's eyes were very frazzled, and it did not look well at all. I sent out Piplup. "Alright, a battle! Let's go!" the other Bug Catcher yelled.  As they prepared their moves, Cheryl's Chansey screamed - a chilling noise that was something between panic and vomiting. It sent shivers down Dawn's spine, and the two Bug Catchers looked clearly unnerved. However, they persevered, even when their Pokemon fainted one by one. Chansey kept screaming. "Uh... ok... you win..." the two boys said in unison, recalling their last Pokemon and awkwardly shuffling off. "Sorry about that..." Cheryl said. "My Chansey is actually the reason I want to get through this forest. She's been sick recently and I need someone's help there." "Poor thing..." Dawn said. "Let's get through quickly then!"  Cheryl smiled and nodded. ______________________________ They walked for what felt like an hour. Cheryl was forced into battle a couple more times, and her Chansey really did look horrible. "I really wish we didn't have to battle so much..." Dawn said. "Your Chansey really looks like she needs a break." Cheryl only smiled and nodded. "Hey, we're almost at the exit!" "Yeah..." Cheryl said, looking off to the side. "What's up?" Dawn asked.  "Oh nothing, I thought I saw something." Dawn looked in the direction Cheryl was looking, but saw nothing but forest. Weird. She turned back around, and saw Cheryl staring right at her! Dawn yelped and jumped back. "What the hell!" Cheryl quickly regained her composure. "Oh, sorry! I just zoned out, was worried about Chansey..." "Alright..." Dawn replied, but still felt thoroughly creeped out.  "Should just be around that corner, now!" Dawn exclaimed, pointing ahead. If she remembered her map correctly, that was. She was so ready to get out of this creepy forest - and, she thought, away from Cheryl. ______________________________ "But where's the exit?" Dawn asked, mostly for her own benefit. They had turned the corner, and instead of seeing light filtering through the trees, Dawn only saw a dead end. It was foggy, and the trees seemed to form a wall. "You're right... it should be here..." Cheryl muttered, before walking forward. "Oh, Dawn! Come here!" Dawn stepped closer. It still appeared to be a dead end, but to Cheryl's left - and what she appeared to be pointing at - was an old mansion. "Do you think someone lives here?" Dawn asked. It was tall - two stories, probably with an attic, made of dark wood with eerie purple light streaming through the windows. The roof, in stark contrast to everything else, was a sandy color. It still loomed though, and looked rather ominous.  "We should go ask for directions!" Cheryl said, with a touch too much enthusiasm.  "In there? It's kinda creepy..." Dawn complained, then turned forward. It was getting dark, and they had seemed to hit a dead end.  "Then again, I don't want to go back through the forest at night..." The two ladies approached the door and knocked. No one answered. "Maybe..." Cheryl said, before grabbing the doorknob and twisting it. "Ha, it's unlocked!" "Should we really be going inside there...?" Dawn whispered, getting a bad feeling. "Well if no one's answering the door..." Cheryl replied. "Plus, we might be able to find someone inside who can help us!" Reluctantly, Dawn followed Cheryl inside. ______________________________ Suddenly, the door slammed shut. "What the fuck?" Dawn yelped, turning around and looking behind her. There was no one - other than the closed door. "Deep breaths... it was just the wind..." Dawn muttered to herself under her breath. "Cheryl, wha... Cheryl?" Dawn looked around, but Cheryl was nowhere to be seen. "C'mon, Cheryl, this isn't funny!" Dawn complained, but received no reply. She walked further inside, and saw a large hall flanked  by elaborate staircases. Running up the stairs and through the door on the second floor, Dawn found herself in a hallway. Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she saw someone... "Who's there?" she called, but no one answered. She turned around, but did not see a single trace that anyone had been there. From inside a nearby room, Dawn swore she heard voices. When she ran and opened the door, she was greeted by just an old television set.  "Figures..." muttered Dawn, fighting down the panic that was slowly seeping in. The TV suddenly turned on in a burst of static. Dawn screamed, and turned around... And came face to face with a Gastly. Dawn didn't even have time to say anything as the Gastly grinned at her, eyes glowing.  Dawn's senses slowly faded, a curtain of blackness descending over her consciousness... ______________________________ When Dawn awoke, something was very wrong. She felt a little dizzy, and very light. She tried to take a step... and realized that she didn't have legs! Looking down, she saw a little purple mist, and nothing else.  Willing herself forward, she found that she could in fact move - and a dusty old mirror in the room she was in revealed the truth. She was a Gastly!  <What happened?> Dawn thought, freaking out. She flew out of the room, and found herself in the main hall again. Then, she heard voices from the room across. As she approached, she could make out what they were saying. "I'm glad you like it!" chirped a familiar voice.  "She... I am quite pretty, I must say!" said another, very familiar voice. Her voice! Dawn flew through the hall and into the next room, and came face to face with Cheryl... and herself! "My my, we have a visitor!" Her body said, calmly. Cheryl stood, with a smirk on her face.  "Do you think this is..." Cheryl started. "Probably." Dawn's body replied. <Give me back my body!> Dawn tried to scream, but it only came out as a weak "Gaaaaaa". "I think someone's upset!" gloated Cheryl. "Then again, I would be too if I was stupid enough to get my body stolen". "Yes... Dawn, was it?" Dawn's body said. "I really must thank you for the lovely body," she said as she motioned down, hands flowing down her torso to rest on her hips. "Yes, it'll do fine..." <How?! Why?!> Dawn cried. "That's getting annoying..." Her body said, before an evil grin spread across her face. "But being the young, pretty Pokemon trainer I am, I know just what to do about that, don't I?" She replied in a sing-song voice. Then, she pulled out a Pokeball from her - bag, and launched it at Dawn's face. It struck, and Dawn was immediately sucked in. She tried to resist, but was too disoriented and weak. Helplessly, she felt as the Pokeball beeped once... twice... and three times.  She was trapped.