Danielle

Just a Research Trip(Dawn's pov)

I…was bored.

Very bored.

I desperately needed something to do, and I soon found the answer.

Which is why I was standing in front of Professor Rowan, trying not to jump up and down in excitement.

"Dawn. Dawn. Dawn. Dawn?"

I jerked out of my excitement. "Sorry, professor. What were the details again?"

Professor Rowan sighed but smiled. "Ah, young life. So full of energy we were, even as professors. But please listen carefully now."

"I've learnt from professor Oak back in Kanto that the waters of the hot springs on Mount Moon in Kanto can enhance some moves like scald, boost firepower, and even have healing abilities. I'd like to have a sample of a bit of those water, but I haven't the time to go there. Would you mind going there and collecting a bit of water from there so I can experiment on it? Here, you'll need this."

Professor Rowan gives me a test tube, complete with a stopper.

"All you need to do is to collect a sample of the water of one of the hot springs on Mount Moon. Give Professor Oak in Pallet Town my regards while your way, will you?"

I remember me thanking the professor many times, and the rest fades into memory.

"Miss, you look lost, where are you heading?"

I looked up from my memory. A little boy(very cute, I noted) was staring up at me with a curious expression.

"Orange! Orange, don't run off again!"

A blonde lady with amber eyes scooped up the boy, and I noticed that the boy had his mother's eyes. Both were amber-eyed, but the boy had black hair instead.

"I'm so sorry, madam. My son loves to talk to everyone. Hang on, I've seen you before. You're the coordinator on tv I saw a few months ago, aren't you? It's…Dawn if I remember. Nice to meet you! I'm Amarillo, but call me Yellow."

I smiled. "My name is Dawn alright. I'd like to go visit Professor Oak if you don't mind giving directions."

"I'm on my way there now! My husband is there chatting with his friend, I just came out to shop a little."

Yellow waved her basket, full of groceries.

"Come, follow me!"

I followed the cheerful lady and her equally cheerful child. It brought a smile to my face, seeing them so happy together. Like the closest family in the world.

I swallowed. Family…

Yellow had stopped for a moment to look at me. Smiling sadly, she gave me a look that said 'I understand'.

We walked for a little more before arriving at the laboratory. Yellow simply waltzed in, so I followed her example.

Inside, Yellow stopped abruptly. I too sensed something was wrong.

A brown-haired and sea blue-eyed lady was talking to a red-eyed and raven-haired man. I overheard a bit of their conversation.

"Blue, he was perfectly healthy. How could have that have gone wrong?"

"He was old, Red." the woman, who I assume is Blue, said.

The man, Red, responded. "How's Green?"

"Green's distraught. He's upstairs now. A relative of his is coming to visit. A cousin, I think."

"Green doesn't deserve this."

Yellow stepped cautiously into the conversation. "What happened?"

Red stood and greeted Yellow.

"Hi, dear. I think Green should tell you himself. He's crying for the first time in years."

The child, Orange, asked if he could join his mother as she headed up the stairs.

Red laughed nervously. "Sonny, you'd probably prefer joining your papa. How 'bout that?"

Orange nodded enthusiastically.

They finally acknowledged my presence. When I told them about my wish to see Professor Oak, Blue shook her head.

"He died a few minutes ago. He just said he wasn't feeling well, and then passed out on the sofa. We carried him to the bedroom, but we discovered too late that he was dead."

As if on cue, Yellow stepped from the stairs.

"Green's distraught all right. It was a stroke. Instantaneous and painless."

I frowned. Anyways, I decided to ask them about Mount Moon.

Red looked surprised." It's pretty easy, how to get there, I mean. Nearly the whole Kanto knows after I went there for a refuge. And don't forget Johto."

Yellow, bouncing Orange on her knee, sighed. "Has it ever occurred to you that she might not be Kantonian or Johtohian? She's Sinnohian, you dense excuse of a champion."

Red pondered Yellow's question for a moment before answering. "No?"

Then he realized his wife's jab at him. "Hey!"

Blue chuckled. Then she went to check on her husband, who apparently was Green.

After I was given directions, I said goodbye to the four. Following those directions, I found myself at the base of Mount Moon.

After a long and arduous climb, I found myself at the peak. There, I found another trainer who was looking at the hot springs.

At the sound of my footsteps, the stranger turned towards me. I then presently discovered that he wasn't a stranger.

A familiar mop of violet hair and pair of onyx eyes greeted me. He grunted.

I sighed. Of all trainers I had to run into. Why oh why did it have to be King Paul I of the kingdom of jerks?

He grunted in frustration. "What are you doing here? And how did your puny coordinator self get up a mountain?"

I decided to ignore the second question. "Collecting samples for research."

He chuckled. "Actually tried to settle down and be a smart ass professor?"

I felt enraged. "It's for Professor Rowan, you stupid jerk, and he's not what you just called him! I actually have respect for him, as well as most people, unlike you, the Shellder."

He was silent for a moment. I snorted. "See, you are a stupid Shellder, always clamperling up."

He stayed silent still. I sighed and went to do what I came for.

Reaching into my bag to get the test tube. I had marked it with 'From Dawn, To Professor Rowan'.

I unstoppered it, then filled it with the water. As I did, I felt a strange feeling, like a hand was feeling mine as I dipped it under the water.

As I made to retrieve the test tube, my feeling seemed to be confirmed. Boiling hot water curled around my wrist and started to travel up my arm as it started to pull me in the spring. I screamed and tried to resist.

It didn't work very well, since the water had a strangely strong umm, grip?

Paul came over and wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me back in one swift motion. He was strong, and the water broke hold. We were forced onto the floor, panting and blushing furiously as we realized the position we were in.

Okay, the blushing part was probably me.

The water seemed to align with the quote never give up though.

With a tremendous roar, the water surged out and covered both of us. Powerless, we were dragged into the depths of the once peaceful spring.

We sank and sank. And then I had a revelation.

Why wasn't the water burning us?