Everything happened so suddenly. The ground began to rumble, the sky turned blood red, and everyone around her started to disappear. She grew more and more terrified and confused as these events occurred and as more people disappeared. She looked to her Pokemon for an answer and possibly for comfort from this seeming apocalypse. However, they had no answer and couldn't give much comfort as they too disappeared. Eventually the rumbling stopped as the ground beneath her disappeared completely. As she fell through an endless sea of red, she eventually ended up in an alternate dimension where, apart from her, there was only one other being. Arceus.

Dawn woke up in shock at the nightmare she had just endured. Part of her wanted to know the reasoning behind her grueling nightmare while another part of her just wanted to forget that it ever happened. However, there was only one thing that she knew she wanted right now; the comfort of her partner, Piplup.

"Good morning, Piplup. I had the worst dream last night," Dawn sleepily muttered. As she woke up more and more, however, she realized quite a few things. First, her Piplup was nowhere to be seen, almost like he had disappeared entirely "Piplup? Piplup! Where are you?!" Second, she was not camping out or in a Pokemon Center. She was inside of a familiar, yet different bedroom for some strange reason. Third, a familiar Catty Pokemon had just entered her room, looking ready to paw at her to wake her up. "Glameow? Is that you?" The cat Pokemon nodded her head, looking a bit confused as to why she was asked this question before she left the room. Fourth, she appeared to have more weight on her chest than before even though there was no Pokemon on it. Lastly, she seemed to be a lot older than she originally was, though by how old she didn't know.

As Dawn started to completely wake up, she looked around the room a lot more. She noticed that a lot of the stuff in the room belonged to her. However, the room itself didn't look like her room back in Twinleaf Town. As Dawn got up to look around, she first decided to look out the window. When she got to the window, she looked outside to see an unfamiliar town, which for some reason she felt she saw before. She looked around the room a bit and eventually found a portrait of a younger her at age ten, but instead of any of her childhood friends like Kenny or her mother, she instead was with a ten year old Ash and an unfamiliar honey haired girl around their age at the time. Dawn was completely confused as to what was going on.

However, before she could do or say anything else, she was suddenly hit with a wave of realization. She had moved to Pallet Town when she was only six and she was currently eighteen rather than ten or whatever her age had been before her nightmare. Not only that, but the girl in the picture was named Serena, and she was friends with her and Ash, having been friends with them since she moved to Pallet Town. Lastly, today was the day she would get her starter Pokemon and set out on her journey with her friends to both be a Top Coordinator and keep her promise to Ash to try out Gym Battles as well. This seemed both right and wrong to her all at the same time. After all, she remembers having only wanted to be a Top Coordinator. Gym Battles were fine, but not for her. Yet she still felt as though it felt right to try them out. Not only that, but she had already started her journey, and she had never moved from Twinleaf Town as far as she could remember. Yet, she still has many fond memories in Pallet Town with Serena and Ash for the past twelve years she had been here.

The question remained; Why were things so strange and confusing for her? She then remembered her nightmare from a few minutes ago. Or was it a nightmare? Thinking back, it had felt so real and so did her encounter with Arceus. Maybe she was tasked with Arceus to help save the world. Or she could be looking too deeply into her dream.

Either way, she realized that she wouldn't be able to find the answer to her questions by staying in what was apparently her room. If she wanted to find the answers to her questions, she would first need to head to the Pokemon and Poet professor Professor Oak and get her starter. She hoped that she could still get Piplup though.

"Good morning, Dawn! I hope that you managed to get a good night's sleep," Dawn's slightly older mother said to her daughter. "It must be exciting to finally be able to go on your Pokemon journey with your friends after all these years."

"Yeah. I guess it is exciting," Dawn awkwardly answered, which her mother managed to catch.

"Now Dawn, I know that you and your friends were disappointed when the age to start on your Pokemon journey changed from ten to eighteen, but I hope that being able to learn more about Pokemon and surviving on your own from the other professors helped tide you over until you all became of age," Dawn's mother tried to console her daughter.

Now that Dawn thought about it, she could remember some of these lessons as well as other lessons about a variety of topics, both related and unrelated to Pokemon. She was quick to try and change her tune to be happy so not to sound crazy in front of her mother by saying her journey already started, "Yes. All of that was a great compromise. I can't wait to go out on my journey with Ash and Serena! Well, what are we waiting for? Let's have breakfast!"

"Now Dawn, I hope that you have everything you'll need before you go on your journey," Dawn's mother reminded her daughter after they had finished breakfast.

"Don't worry. I packed my bag earlier this morning. I've made sure to only pack the essentials," Dawn reassured her mother. She showed her mother a pink backpack filled with clothes, maps, and other essentials.

Needless to say her mother was impressed. "Good job Dawn. I thought for a moment that you would have packed a big suitcase filled with clothes, but this is actually very responsible of you. You're taking your journey very seriously. I'm proud of you."

Dawn wanted to say that she actually did originally pack a full suitcase with just clothes and face stuff, but not wanting to sound crazy decided to remain quiet on that matter. "Well, I better get going, mom. Goodbye, see you soon!" Dawn started to go outside and leave. However, before she could leave her mom stopped her.

"Hold on Dawn. I have something for you," Dawn's mother proceeded to get out an old looking orange ribbon. "This is the first ribbon I ever won in a Pokemon Contest. I want for you to have it as a good luck charm."

Dawn, in spite of having received the ribbon once before already, decided to take it. "Thanks mom!" Dawn thanked her mother for the good luck charm. She then proceeded to head outside, got on her bike, and started to go to Professor Oak's lab, the location etched in her new memories.

Meanwhile, in a house that was on Dawn's way to Professor Oak's lab, Serena was in the middle of sleeping, much to the annoyance of her mother.

"At this rate, Serena will be late. Fletchling? Go up and wake Serena for me, would ya?" Serena's mother asked the tiny red and blue bird Pokemon, who proceeded to squeeze his way upstairs and flew up to Serena's face. After pausing for a moment, the Pokemon proceeded to peck Serena, waking her up and causing her to fall out of bed, much to Serena's annoyance.

"Seriously? Isn't there any other way my mother could have woken me up?" Serena grumbled to herself. She was quick to get up and headed to open her window. In spite of her annoyance, she was still happy for today was the day she would get her very first Pokemon. Professor Oak had decided to get familiar Pokemon that were starters in Sinnoh and Kalos for her and Dawn, meaning they could start their journeys like they were in those regions. After spending part of her childhood with Dawn, Serena had really gotten into Pokemon Contests and decided that she wanted to try and become a Pokemon Coordinator. Serena was suddenly taken from her thoughts as she saw Dawn riding her bike down the road to Professor Oak's. "Hey Dawn!" Serena called out as she waved her right hand, hoping that Dawn would notice her. "Already on your way to get your Pokemon?"

Dawn suddenly looked up at her apparent friend, unsure of what to say as while she had memories of being with the girl, she had never met her until now. However, she still decided it would be best to be polite. "Hello Serena! So, are you going to get your new Pokemon too?" Dawn simply asked Serena.

"Of course! Today is the day we all start on our paths as Pokemon Trainers! Now all we need is Ash and we'll all be going on our journey together!" Serena sounded very excited about starting her journey.

"Let's just hope that Ash wakes up before they run out of Pokemon," Dawn said to Serena, aware of her friend's sleeping habits in this apparent timeline.

"You go on ahead, Dawn. I'll be there to select my Pokemon just as soon as I have breakfast and get dressed," Serena informed her friend.

"Great! See you there!" Dawn said goodbye to her friend as she left for Oak's lab. Taking some time to think as she biked, she started to come up with an idea of what had occurred. Something had happened to the world that caused the end. In an attempt to stop it, Arceus contacted her and took her back in time in order to stop whatever had happened, with the world itself changing in the process. However, she could only guess as she didn't know for sure what was going on. After all, she currently couldn't remember what Arceus had said to her if anything.

Eventually, after much biking, Dawn had arrived at Professor Oak's lab. She got there to see that a whole crowd of people had gathered to bid farewell to all the new Pallet Town Trainers before they left on their journey. She got there to see that a male she recognized as an older Gary that had just arrived to obtain his first Pokemon. "Back up. Back up, everyone. I need some space before I go in and choose my first Pokemon, after all." Gary pridefully told everyone, who were cheering loudly for Gary before he started his journey. Unless Dawn was mistaken, she could even see some cheerleaders cheering Gary on and even a car.

"Um, Gary? It's me, Dawn. How are you doing?" Dawn awkwardly asked the brown haired boy. He looked confused for a moment before he grinned in a way that Dawn wasn't comfortable with.

"Well lookie here. If it isn't one of Ashie boy's little cheerleaders!" Gary proceeded to chuckle to himself, which the cheerleaders and parts of the crowd joined in on. "So you decided to come and watch me pick the best of the best, did you? Well, sit back and watch how a future Pokemon Master picks a Pokemon!" Gary proceeded to walk up the path to the lab. Dawn decided to follow him in, though only so that she could get her own starter. Dawn personally couldn't understand how someone related to Professor Oak could turn out so rude and conceited. She was aware that he and Ash were rivals but she never realized how antagonistic their relationship was prior to seeing how he treated her right this moment. As the two of them got up to the Professor's door, Professor Oak was quick to open the door for them both, happy to see the pair.

"Well, if it isn't Gary and Dawn. Glad to see that you both made it on time. The other Trainers will hopefully be here before long. Come on in, won't you?" The Pokemon Professor greeted the duo as he gestured to inside of his lab. Dawn and Gary were quick to enter the lab. After a bit of walking, the two were taken to three sets of Pokeballs. "Now, Gary, you can choose between these three Pokemon; the grass type Bulbasaur, the fire type Charmander, and the water type Squirtle," Professor Oak said as he sent out the three Pokemon from their Pokeballs. "Now, choose wisely. Your very first Pokemon often ends up being a partner for life."

Gary looked at the three Pokemon carefully for a moment, trying to decide which of the three would be the best pick for the beginner, yet soon to be master that was him. After a minute of thinking, Gary decided, "I've made my decision. I'll pick Squirtle." At this, Squirtle was quick to jump up in excitement while Bulbasaur and Charmander were a bit disappointed.

"Excellent choice, Gary! I hope that the two of you will work excellently together on your adventure. Now here is your Pokedex and Pokeballs," Professor Oak offered up the handheld device and Pokeballs to Gary as Gary recalled Squirtle to his Pokeball. "Now, have a great journey, Gary!"

"It won't just be any journey, grandpa. It'll be the greatest journey ever documented by anyone ever!" Gary gloated as he left, much to Professor Oak's discomfort.

"I see… Well, how about you, Dawn? Do you have any idea which Pokemon you will start your journey with?" Professor Oak asked the aspiring Coordinator.

"I have a pretty good idea," Dawn humbly said.

"Well, as a reminder, here are your Pokemon that you can choose from," Professor Oak grabbed a second set of Pokeballs and threw them into the air one by one. "There's the grass type Turtwig, the fire type Chimchar, and the water type Piplup."

Dawn didn't waste any time in deciding which Pokemon was for her. "I already made my decision. I'm choosing Piplup!" Dawn said as she held out her hand for the penguin. Piplup reluctantly accepted the hand and in a brief second both of their eyes glowed blue. Suddenly, Piplup looked very confused, but also very happy to see Dawn. Professor Oak was a bit confused by this turn of events, but ultimately decided not to question it.

"Alright then, Dawn. Here are your Pokeballs and Pokedex," Professor Oak offered up the devices to Dawn, who was quick to accept them. "Now, have a safe journey!"

"Don't worry. I will!" Dawn called to the Professor as she went outside, hoping that Ash and Serena got here soon so that they could get their starter Pokemon. Piplup, meanwhile, was confused as to why Dawn was receiving him again and at Professor Oak's lab of all places.