A Heartwarming Christmas

A/N: This chapter is a bit shorter than I would've liked, but with only a few short scenes, not much can be really be said without indulging it too much. Well, in the words of my co-author, at least with shorter chapters, we can update faster. 

Well then, let's get on with Chapter 6. Roll it!

Chapter 6

The Search for a Tree

Ash had put the Yule log onto a table in the ballroom and then stormed out without saying a word to anyone, heading over to his room in the east wing, where it was darkened because he had forgotten to pull back the curtains earlier that morning. The enchanted servants were a little taken aback at his sharpness, but then figured that maybe something bad had happened between him and the mistress, so they just went back to what they were doing, giving him some time alone. Pikachu had also noticed his Trainer's sour mood and decided to follow him, knowing that he was the only one who could comfort his best friend whenever he felt like this.

When they both entered the room, Ash flopped down on his bed, feeling both angry and mentally exhausted, while Pikachu curled up next to him, giving him some comfort. Maybe he shouldn't have lashed out at Dawn like that, but he was just fed up with her attitude and her hypocrisy. It was hard to let go of the past, but not impossible with a little help. But it was like she was never going to let him in. She keeps that up, and then there will be no hope for her to even try to break the curse.

"Hey, Ash!" The Kanto native Trainer raised his body slightly up and saw MJ standing next to the bed, an excited smile on her face. "Did you get a good look at the ballroom? It's all decorated and looking very pretty! I think the mistress is going to be really excited about Christmas!"

A sad frown came over Ash's face as he recalled his recent heated argument with Dawn. "Well, um...she already knows about it." He admitted.

"Really?!" MJ exclaimed. "Was she excited?"

Ash slowly got off his bed and walked over to the window, grabbing the curtains. "Actually, MJ...she's forbidden it." He said, pulling the curtains away and opening the window, letting the afternoon sun in.

MJ felt her spirits sink. "But...I thought that she couldn't forbid Christmas." She said, sounding like she was about to cry.

Ash stared out the window when he recalled when he had said those very same words only a couple of hours earlier. Determination started to get reignited inside of him.

"You know what, MJ?" He asked the enchanted Bellossom, looking back over at her. "She can't. We'll have Christmas with or without her!"

"Yay!" MJ cheered. "Can we get a tree now, Ash? It's the only thing we're missing."

Ash laughed at her regained enthusiasm. "All right! Let's go get a tree!"

But then, he saw the wrapped present that he'd made for Dawn. He walked over to it and picked it up from the table.

"First things first, though." He said, showing Pikachu and MJ the present, winking at them knowingly. They returned it with little smiles.

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Minutes later, all three of them were over in the west wing in Dawn's quarters. Ash fought back a little shiver at how dreary the wing was looking. The decor brought back some bad memories of when he and Pikachu snuck in, and she frightened them both, which made them decide to make a break for it and head into the forest. He thought that it looked better after that, but since she hates this time of year, she changed back her chambers to fit her depressing mood.

Pikachu and MJ were keeping watch while Ash snuck in to put his present there for Dawn to find. He looked around for a good spot and saw the enchanted Gracidea flower, which was still only beginning to open, the deep red petals turning to a soft pink at the tips. Naturally curious, Ash was about to reach out and touch the bell jar.

"Ash!" MJ's whispered voice caught his attention away from the enchanted flower and the Kanto native quickly whirled around to see that she and Pikachu were just about to warn him that Dawn was coming over to the room. "The mistress! Hurry!"

Ash quickly placed his present to Dawn next to the bell jar and quickly hid behind the door right before Dawn entered the west wing, grumbling thoughtfully under her breath. Once he was sure that she wasn't going to look back, Ash carefully snuck back out of the west wing and hurried down the hall with Pikachu and MJ.

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Soon, the three of them were outside, Ash wearing his snow gear, ready to look for a Christmas tree. Pachirisu followed them out, intent on playing with Pikachu and learning more about controlling her electricity, and Mikaela the Combusken had been recruited as well. Ash had stopped by the boiler room to ask for her help in searching for a tree and she'd gladly accepted. 

Soon, they found a little pine tree. "What about this one?" Ash asked MJ.

The enchanted Bellossom looked over at the little skinny tree that they'd found. In her mind's eye, she could see a single glass ball ornament easily bringing it down to the ground because it couldn't support its weight.

"Nah. Too skinny." MJ said.

"Well, there's still a few trees out here on the castle grounds." Mikaela said.

"Come on, then." Ash added, and they continued to search across the grounds.

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What none of them noticed was that they were being watched by Dawn from a window up over in the west wing, glaring coldly. How is it that they could be so...happy? Especially on a day that had brought Dawn nothing but pain?

The door to the wing slightly creaked open as Leona entered the room. She came over to the Zoroark-like beast and saw what she was looking at. She was looking at Ash, who was smiling brightly at Pikachu, Pachirisu, and MJ as they played together in the snow.

The enchanted Swinub had a knowing grin on her face as Dawn sighed heavily, while turning away from the window with a frown. "He's handsome, isn't he?" Leona asked her.

"Yes, and I'm hideous." Dawn said with a little snarl of self-hatred, glaring at the enchanted Gracidea. She could kind of see her reflection in the bell jar, but she turned away from it. She was still a beast and ugly beyond imaging.

"Not to mention ill-tempered." Leona muttered under her breath.

Just then, Dawn noticed the present beside the bell jar and picked it up, glaring at it with a scrutinizing eye. "What is this?" She asked.

"It looks like a Christmas present." Leona said.

Dawn growled and roughly placed the present back on the little table next to the bell jar, making it tremble for a few seconds. As she headed over to the balcony to brood, Leona jumped up and read the tag on the present, which Dawn had overlooked.

"Oh! It's for you, Mistress." Leona said teasingly. "It's from you-know-who."

Dawn peeked back into the room. "Who?" She asked.

Leona resisted the urge to smack her forehead, if she even could as a Pokémon. Sometimes, Dawn could be just as dense as the person who gave her the gift in the first place.

"From Ash!" She clarified.

Dawn approached the present with newfound curiosity. "Ash?" She whispered. He actually got her...a present? She was about to untie the ribbon when Leona stopped her.

"Uh, you can't open it, Mistress." She said.

"Why not?" Dawn asked. "It's for me, isn't it?"

"Yes, but it's not Christmas yet." Leona reminded her, making Dawn growl in annoyance and then place the present back onto the table. "Look, Mistress. We all understand how you feel about Christmas. But when someone special gives you a gift, they're saying, 'I care about you.' This means that Ash does care for you."

Dawn thought about it for a few seconds. He really...cared about her? Well, it wasn't really love, but despite everything that had happened that day, and their shaky start, he actually cared for her?

"But...I don't have a gift for him." She said.

Leona smiled at her and said, "It's never too late to try."

The Zoroark-like beast was silent for a few more seconds before she finally sighed with a slight reluctant huff. "Well, I guess I could get him a little something."

Leona lightly bumped her leg encouragingly. "It's the thought that really counts."

Dawn had to fight back a little smile and blush that was starting to form on her face. She then left the room, having someone in mind to help her come up with ideas on what to give Ash.

Minutes later, she found just the person that she was looking for. "Ursula!" Dawn called out to the enchanted Gabite. "I need your help."

"What for?" She asked, stopping her sprucing up in an abandoned room in the wing.

"I need you to help me come with ideas on what to give Ash for Christmas." Dawn said.

Ursula almost dropped the duster that she was using. "Ash?!" She asked, feeling red-hot anger start to boil in her blood.

"Leona told me that he was singing earlier with the other servants." Dawn thought out loud as she looked out the window. "Maybe a new holiday song will be something special. Wait, maybe not. That doesn't really scream 'Ash' to me. Maybe something like..."

Dawn's voice grew quieter as she left the room, muttering to herself about what could be a good present for Ash. But she had failed to notice that Ursula was glaring furiously at her retreating form. The enchanted Gabite then threw the duster over to the other side of the room with a vicious growl.

"Songs?!" She hissed through her teeth. "For Ash? What's next, then?! Love songs? Wedding marches?"

With an envious growl, she slashed at an already ruined drapery, tearing it into shreds. "It's all that Trainer's fault!" She snarled.

Allegra came into the room and saw the ruined drapery by Ursula's feet. Gulping nervously, knowing that she was in a foul mood, she quickly walked around Ursula and then headed over to the window to peer outside. She then saw that Ash and the others were still looking for a good tree. Well, Pikachu and Pachirisu were playing and training in the snow while everyone else was inspecting the trees. But it was proving to be quite challenging, since MJ was set on looking for one that would fit her image of a perfect Christmas tree.

"Allegra!" Ursula snapped at her, making the enchanted Infernape jump up. "Pay attention!" She then started to pace back and forth in front of her.

"That boy is trouble, I tell you." She said bitterly. "He pulls the mistress away from my grip. He fills her head with sickening dreams of love and hope and Christmas."

She almost gagged at the last notion, finding it completely ridiculous that that naive Trainer from somewhere so rugged like Kanto believed in Christmas miracles. He may have been eighteen years old, but he was still just a mindless child!

"Well, uh, what are you gonna do?" Allegra asked her nervously, rubbing her paws together. "It's not like you can stop Christmas."

But then, an evil smirk slowly appeared on Ursula's face, which made Allegra's blood run cold. "No... But I CAN stop the boy."

A/N: So...what does Ursula have planned for Ash? Find out in the next chapter!

And that's the very first update in the year 2021! Hope y'all enjoyed it! Please leave a comment about what you think. They are highly appreciated. And remember to stay healthy!

Got to fly! ;)