A/N: Written for the
Short Multichap Competition
Diversity Writing Challenge, i11 – a multichap with 9-14 chapters
All Dressed Up in a Suit Girl
Chapter 1
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Ash had a way of turning people's perception of the world on its head, even when he wasn't physically there. Zoey figured she wouldn't see him again after Sinnoh, barring on broadcasted league matches, but then he's on the international news for leaping off a tower after saving a rampaging Garchomp to catch his Pikachu, then again for stopping a rampaging monolith alongside the Gym leaders, Champions of Kalos and Hoenn, and the boy who'd defeated him in the League finals just hours before.
Dawn must have had some sort of alert set up, because she always managed to find out about those impromptu appearances. And friends of Ash who'll be near them, as well. They'd met May in Sinnoh, of course, and her brother Max was at the Petalburg Gym, but the others they'd run into on the road…
No wonder Ash always made it past the first round of Contests, despite not being a Coordinator. He knew a fair few Coordinators and had trained extensively with both May and Dawn. And it wasn't only Coordinators. Every Gym leader they ran into remembered him (and that was saying something, considering the amount of challengers they went through), and a fair few people aside.
And then there was the girl who'd fought the monolith in Kalos with Ash just a few months before. Ash had sent a message saying she was coming to Hoenn, and of course Dawn agreed to show her around Slateport before their own ferry departed back to Sinnoh.
Not that Zoey minded. She learned from meeting new people, and Ash (and so, by extension, Dawn) knew loads of interesting people. And all the detours made travelling with Dawn a lot more exciting than her own solo travels had ever been… though she's heard about Dawn's Sinnoh adventures and seen part of his Kalos ones on television and is glad Ash and the danger he inadvertently brings is absent this time around. She can only take so much excitement, at the end of the day.
Serena, of course, brought her own form of excitement off the plane from Kalos. Pokemon they've never seen before, for one: a beautiful Braxien, a cute but mischievous Pancham and a Sylveon that people had only recently discovered could evolve from Eevee. But not only that: she spoke about Performance Showcases as well. Something completely different to the appeals of Contests. Something with less battles, more performing, and a display of sometimes very different types of skills. One didn't need to be able to cook, strictly speaking, or even style themselves or their Pokémon to be a Contest Coordinator. One also didn't need to be female.
Zoey blinked at that last rule. So did Dawn. 'But it's not like any of those tasks are things males can't do?' she asked. 'I mean, Brock and Cilan are both excellent cooks. And Brock can sew, do housework… and a ton of other stuff I can't even manage.'
'And Clemont,' Serena agreed. 'He did most of the cooking with us. And he invents things. And Ash has a way with pokemon unlike anyone I've ever seen.'
'He does have that,' Zoey agreed. 'We saw how he saved that Garchomp, and he's always doing crazy things for his Pikachu. And then there was the story with his Chimchar.'
'You haven't seen the half of it,' Dawn groaned, and that was probably true. She probably hadn't even seen a quarter of it.
They traded stories for a while afterwards, explored the department store and smaller markers in Slateport and its massive Contest hall, and then headed out to the docks.
'You should try Showcases,' Serena suggested, when they explained their lack of plans after returning home. 'They're not Contests, but they'll give you a new perspectives. That's why Palmeo sent me here, so I can grow as a performer through Contests. I'm sure it's the same the other way around as well.'
'Will Ash be there?' Dawn asked.
'His flight was a couple of hours after mine, so he'll be back in Kanto soon.'
But it sounded like a reasonable idea nonetheless.
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'Kalos,' Dawn mused, watching the waves from the deck. 'That's too far to get to by boat; we'd need to fly.'
They'd be a long way from Sinnoh. A long way from home. But did it really matter? A flight to Unova or Kalos was faster than a boat ride to Kanto and they'd been there for nearly a year, for the Kanto Grand Festival.
And it wasn't like Unova or Kalos had Contests. And Alola didn't even have a League. They could compete in the Grand Festival without competing in more contests (though that would be ill-advised), and it wouldn't hurt to spend at least a little time in a new place, learning new things.
'And think of all the gorgeous pokemon we could see there…'
'That's true,' Zoey smiled. 'New partners means new combinations and possibilities, and new friends as well.'
And they pour through the internet database while they wait, looking up the common Kalos pokemon, the interesting ones, the ones they might like on their team… Though, in the end, it was more coincidence and fate at play than anything: what pokemon they formed a connection with.
'But I wonder how those Showcases will work out,' Dawn mused. 'And I wonder why only females are allowed to enter.'
'Well, the title is Kalos Queen,' Zoey shrugged. 'It might just be historic.'
'Maybe… but it's another opportunity to wear pretty dresses.' Dawn gave a quick twirl. 'How about you? Will your swap out your suit for this one?'
'No, I don't think so.' She much preferred the suits. 'I'd rather be in pants than a dress or skirt.'
'True. I never see you in either.' Of course, they'd had this discussion before. A girls only competition might be another matter entirely, though. 'Still, it shouldn't matter. It's not like it's a law that girls have to wear dresses or skirts. I just like them.'
Well, that was true. Sure, people mentioned it from time to time and some would give her grief when she went to anything formal and didn't wear a dress like a proper lady, but that too was outdated notions infringing on the modern world.
'Matching colours again?' Dawn suggested.
'Not pink again, please.' Though Zoey laughed. Dawn managed to dress them both up even keeping their vastly different preferences in mind. And she'd only gotten better after working with Paris and Hermione at the Hearthome Collection. Better in designing, and better in contests as well. Better at finding the balance between simplicity and flashiness, to create a show where pokemon are the stars.
Showcases would have both pokemon and human as the star. 'That'll be a switch,' she said aloud.
'No doubt,' Dawn agreed. 'But we already get on stage all dressed up. It can't be too hard.'
They'd find out either way, once they got to Kalos, what the Showcases were like.
