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 …