A Heartwarming Christmas

A/N: I know that this chapter was much shorter than the previous two, but what can I do? There was only so much I could write with just two scenes. And at least it's something, right? Well, let's get on with it, then. And roll it! 

Chapter 2

Snowy Fun Ended

Back outside, Ash and Dawn were still having some fun out on the ice and the latter was now looking much better at skating as she started to skate large circles around the former. She was even laughing with joy at the feel of it.

"Hey, I think I'm getting it!" She exclaimed, making Ash laugh at the fun they were having.

Meanwhile, Allegra made it outside to where she could see Ash and Dawn out on the lake, as well as the four main servants, along with Ash's Pikachu and a female Pachirisu, watching them from on top of the bridge. From where she was hiding, she could hear the servants conversing with each other as they looked at the pair skating on the ice.

"This is actually looking very promising." Kenny said.

"I agree." Leona added, a playful little smile coming up on her furry face. "There is something there. Could it be...love?"

Allegra had to raise a brow at that. Based on what she'd heard, it had only been at least a month since Ash first arrived at the castle. He and Dawn had hated each other's guts, mostly because of the cursed mistress's temper and the young man's fiery retaliation to it. But after they had saved each other from the pack of Mightyena and Ash helped Dawn get back on her feet after she was injured, they began to be friends.

And judging from the Kantonian Trainer's slightly naive personality, from what the enchanted Infernape could gather, he hardly even knew the first thing when it came to romance, even if he could even see it staring at him right in the face! But then again, neither did Dawn, but at least she knew what it was!

However, Ursula didn't want them to fall in love, and even though Allegra dared to hope that she could become human again, she couldn't disobey her. The cursed Gabite was much more scary than a normal Cave Pokémon. Allegra had to think of something to at least throw them off the path that they were getting on for the time being.

Just then, she recognized the Pachirisu that had joined the group in watching the strange couple on the ice. This one in particular had a huge affinity to Poffins. She just loved them. And luckily, Allegra had some of those Poffins on her at the moment.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the pink pastries made especially for Pokémon. She then rolled it out onto the ice, making itself visible to Pachirisu.

Immediately, the little EleSquirrel Pokémon got its scent and her mouth was watering at the delectable smell of her favorite treat. She chirped out happily as she quickly jumped off the bridge to go and get it.

"Pachirisu, no!" Zoey called after the hyperactive Sinnoh Electric type. Pikachu tried to grab her tail, but he missed by inches.

The second that Pachirisu landed on the ice, she started slipping and tripping over her tail and paws as she attempted to try and reach the Poffin that had landed near a snow back over on the other side of the pond, where in the middle of it, Ash and Dawn were skating, their hands locked to keep each other balanced. Suddenly, she crashed into the Zoroark-looking beast and then all of them suddenly went flying forward and crashed into the snow bank.

Ash and Dawn carefully sat up in the snow, shaking away piles of the fluffy wet powder. Pachirisu's head popped out of the snow in between them and shook her head rapidly to get off any remaining clumps of the powder. She then chirped out happily again when she saw the Poffin on the ice, and went over to grab it.

Ash just chuckled at the sight of the little Sinnoh Electric type nibbling away at the Poffin, not regarding the question of how one had gotten out on the frozen pond. Upon seeing the fluffy snow he was sitting in, he laid back in it and began moving his arms and legs back and forth, creating a snow angel. When Pikachu had arrived to check on his Trainer, he saw what he was doing and then began copying him, making his own Pikachu snow angel.

When he was done, Ash carefully stood back up and saw Dawn's curious face at the imprint he'd made in the snow.

"It's a snow angel." He explained. Dawn must've missed out on a lot when she was younger, including fun things to do in the winter.

Pikachu then scampered over to Ash and stood next to him, chirping happily at his own little version of a snow angel in the spot on the other side of his Trainer's angel. Ash just chuckled at that and then looked back over at Dawn.

"Hey, Dawn?" He asked her. "You know what today is?"

Dawn shook her head. "No. What?" She answered with uncertainty.

Ash raised a curious brow. She didn't know about today, either? "Uh, it's Christmas Eve?" He replied, as if it should've been obvious. "You know, one of the best days of the year?"

Immediately, as soon as Ash mentioned Christmas, Dawn's face turned into a scowl. "No, it's not." She growled, making the raven-haired young man take a fearful step back. "It's the worst time of the year!"

Ash blinked in surprise and then slowly but bravely extended a hand out towards her. "What do you-?" But he didn't get to finish the question before Dawn shoved his hand away.

"Just leave me alone!" She shouted at him before she began stomping back towards the castle. Ash just silently watched her leave as the other servants joined him and Pikachu.

From where she was hiding, Allegra carefully headed back inside the castle to tell Ursula about what had happened. She knew that the cold stewardess would be pleased by the news, but Allegra wouldn't.

"I don't know why I even bother." Ash said, lying back heavily in the snow, his spirits lower than they were several minutes earlier. "I thought that she was getting better, that she was changing. But now she's worse than ever."

Zoey came over to him and looked at him, her face slightly hovering above his. "Don't lose heart, Ash." She said comfortingly. "Unfortunately, miracles don't always happen overnight."

Ash just nodded his head, knowing that it was true. But he still wasn't feeling very assured. What was it about Christmas that Dawn hated so much? No one ever hated Christmas, not even Team Rocket, from what he remembered about them following him to the North Pole to return the Jynx that actually worked for Santa Claus. Well, except for Jessie, because she had stopped believing in Santa, but that was a story for another time.

So what was it about Christmas that made Dawn act that way? Something must've happened in the past to make her feel like that. But what?

*************************

Back inside, Ursula was reorganizing the West Wing when Dawn came into the wing with a slam and then roughly shut the doors behind her. She growled lowly under her breath as she walked over to where the enchanted Gracidea flower given to her by the Lake Trio was glowing softly under its glass bell jar. The pale pink bud was slowly starting to open, but the concealed petals were still mostly a deep shade of red on the inside, while the edges were a much softer pink color.

The Zoroark-like beast growled at the sight of the pretty little flower, daring to slowly bloom even in the dead of winter. It was like a mockery to her torment.

"I hate Christmas." She muttered under her breath.

She then noticed that Ursula was removing the old portraits of her family off the walls. "Just remove the ones of the king." She said. "Burn those, and then put away the others until after the snow melts."

Ursula hid a little smirk on her face. When Allegra had come to her just minutes earlier before Dawn arrived, she had told her of what had happened outside. Dawn had almost lashed out at Ash because of him reminding her that today was Christmas Eve. She already had a suspicion that the Kantonian boy had a deep sense of so-called "Christmas spirit", and that he was looking forward to the day.

But for Dawn, on the other hand, Christmas only brought back painful memories of her childhood. Memories that used to bring her joy, but after the tragic loss of her mother and the abrupt departure of her sister, her father, the king, had practically banished Christmas from the castle and Dawn had never experienced such frivolities ever again. The thoughts and memories of the holiday only brought her even more pain after the curse took hold of her and the entire household.

"As you wish, Mistress." Ursula said, putting the paintings of the deceased queen off to the side for the time being, along with the portraits of Princess Salvia, Dawn's twin sister. She then only held the old portraits of the king in her clawed arms.

The cursed Gabite then watched the Zoroark-like beast collapse on her bed, her back to her. "At least the image of the king will no longer haunt you." Ursula added.

"I know that I can always depend on you, Ursula." Dawn said, not looking back at her.

The enchanted Gabite just smirked. "But of course, Mistress." She said smoothly. "And don't worry. I'm here for you, just as I always have been, and just as I always will be." Even though Ursula couldn't see Dawn's face, she could tell that even though her expression was blank as she stared out the doors to the balcony, she could picture the sense of appreciation in her Zoroark eyes.

Ursula just smirked deeply and sinisterly at the glorious mental picture. This was going along wonderfully! Now, if she could just keep this up, then that Ash Ketchum would be out of the picture for good. Maybe Dawn would lock him up, just as a prisoner should be. Or even better, send him away, giving him his freedom.

At least the boy would finally be back with his mother, which was what he had wanted from the start, and the only reason why he had taken her place when he had first arrived at the castle almost a month prior. He was just trying to save his dearest mommy, just like a good and faithful son should. But the thought and memory of it only sickened the Gabite to her stomach. He was too good, too pure, too innocent. Of course he would be considered "the one" who could lift the spell. But she couldn't let that happen. There was no hope in the castle, and there shouldn't ever be. She needed to stop him by any means necessary.

Then, once he had been dealt with, there would be no more hope left for anyone who lives in the castle and that would finally teach the lot of them to just go and accept their fate, that they would become real Pokémon, their memories of their former lives as humans lost forever. Ursula already had, and she was fine with it.

She would continue to enjoy the influence that she had on the brokenhearted princess for as long as she could until the time came for the curse to be irreversible. And no one, not even that stupidly naive Kanto Trainer, with no wealth or even a home, could stop her!

A/N: Well, it's clear that Ursula doesn't want the curse to be lifted. She wants them all to remain as Pokémon forever! But...why? Has she given up hope on the curse ever being lifted and just accepted her life as a Pokémon? Well, she probably just doesn't want to get her hopes up, and she has accepted her fate and is set on enjoying the last bit of time left until the curse becomes permanent. She likes having control, so I guess that's why she sees Ash as a threat.

Anyway, I hoped you guys have enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a comment about what you think! They are highly appreciated. And remember to stay healthy!

Got to fly! ;)