Hillary's P.O.V.
"Well umbreon?" I asked my Pokémon after putting on my wig. He nodded. "Let's go then. I want to go to the Pokémart today. I can't stand another day in the house!"
Umbreon nodded in agreement with me. You see, I'm a Pokémon master. It's hard for me to go outside without being noticed. Don't get me wrong! I love my fans, but they can be a bit overwhelming.
Umbreon and I walked out of my house in disguise. We made it all the way to the Pokemart without being stopped by people! That's a first. Anyway, umbreon and I started looking around at all of the wonderful things, when I saw a connoisseur shop.
"Hey umbreon," I told my pokemon. "Do you want to go in?"
Umbreon nodded as I got in line to see the connoisseur. I heard a voice that I hadn't in a while start talking.
"Wow!" It said. "So you're not the only connoisseur?"
I placed my head in my hand when I heard him say that. The man he was talking to replied to him, saying that there are three classes that a connoisseur can be ranked into. C, being the lowest, B, A, and S being the highest. I kinda blocked him out because I knew all of this already. You see, I'm a connoisseur too. An A-class at that. This happened before I became a pokemon master. I was shocked out of my thoughts when the boy that was talking got in line behind me. I noticed that he had a pikachu, a hat, and black hair. Yup. I thought to myself. It's him. He was talking to his pikachu when somebody beckoned him into another tent. He went in and I could hear yelling inside. Two people walked up to me. One had green hair and was wearing a waiter's outfit. The girl had really long purple hair and an axew poking out of it.
"Excuse me," the man with green hair asked me. "You wouldn't have happened to see a young boy with a hat and a pikachu would you?" I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah he's in there with some other connoisseur," I said pointing to the tent he was in.
The two thanked me and started to go into the tent, but before they did, they asked me a question.
"You look really familiar," the girl with purple hair said. "Have we met before? It's either that, or you're famous." I stiffened when she said that, but quickly relaxed.
"Nah, I guess I just have one of those faces," I said, chuckling nervously trying to play it off.
"Okay," the girl said, unconvinced, as she and the man walked into the tent.
I then realized, that it was my turn for the connoisseur. I walked in as she called for the next person.
"Now," she said. "Which pokemon would you like me to evaluate?" I smiled when I answered. She seemed really nice.
"My umbreon and I please," I told her politely. She chuckled a little and nodded.
"Oh my!" she said with shock in her voice. "I've never seen anything like it!"
I started to get worried because I thought maybe the two of us weren't as close as we thought.
"What is it?" I asked her. "What's wrong?"
Umbreon picked up on my agitation and started to get worried as well.
"Oh," she said. "Nothing's wrong. I just never thought I'd see someone who was so close to their pokemon in my life! You two are super close! You must have won lots of battles and spent a lot of time together for this to happen!"
"Yeah," I started. "We have. Thank you by the way." I told her politely as I bowed a little in thanks.
"It was my pleasure," She said as she let us out of the tent. "I hope you two become even closer than you already are!"
I smiled and nodded as umbreon and I walked out of the pokemart. When we got out there, I saw two people battling. It was the green haired man I saw inside, and a purple haired woman. It appeared that they were having a connoisseur battle.
"Oh my!" The woman said. "You're actually using a bug and rock type pokemon against my water type? If your ability to choose wisely were a food, I'd say it had spoiled!"
I laughed a little at her analogy as I walked up beside the boy and girl that were watching. They gave me weird looks when the green haired man started talking.
"We'll just see," He said with a small smirk.
He then announced it was evaluating time. I mentally listed the possible reasons for him sending out a dwebble to face a dewott when I finally came up with the answer.
"You sneaky man," I said smiling. The two kids next to me looked at me with confusion apparent on their faces. "You'll see what I'm talking about soon enough," I told them.
Umbreon smiled and jumped on my shoulder.
"Well," the woman, whose name I figured out was Burgundy, started talking again. "If you're so sure, then promise me that if I win, Ash will replace all of his pokemon." Ash looked taken aback as Iris had a similar expression.
"Hey," Ash said. "Hold on! This has nothing to do with me!"
I gave him a look that said 'chill out' when he looked at me. When he saw me, I think he recognized me a little bit at least.
"You hold on!" Burgundy said. "Cilan said that you had a good relationship with your pokemon, oui? But, according to my evaluation, the compatibility between you and every one of your pokemon is the worst of the worst!" I chuckled as she said that. "WHAT'S SO FUNNY STRANGER!?" She yelled at me.
"Nothing," I said. "Except for the fact that, even when I can't see all of Ash's pokemon, they have some of the best relationships that I have ever seen. Trust me. I'm an A-class connoisseuse too." They all looked at me with wide eyes. "But please, Burgundy, continue to vent." Ash then decided to jump in.
"Come on, Burgundy!" He said. "That's nuts! Cilan, could you please jump in and say something?" Cilan just stood there as he talked to Ash.
"It'll be fine," He told him. "Right, Burgundy, I'll accept your battle challenge!"
"What?!" Ash exclaimed.
"Ash calm down," I told him. "Cilan knows what he's doing."
Ash didn't seem to be calmed down at all. I knew he didn't want to change his pokemon, but that wouldn't be necessary.
"I'll put my A-class connoisseur rating on the line." Cilan told Burgundy. "I'll take full responsibility if I lose and Ash's pokemon will be replaced!"
I smiled at the thought of Burgundy's smug smirk wiped off her face when Cilan beat her.
"But you can't just promise that for me!" Ash yelled from behind Cilan. I grabbed Ash by the shoulders to stop him from moving.
"Calm down." I told him again. "Cilan knows what he's doing and he won't be beaten easily."
Ash did calm down enough to where I didn't need to hold onto him anymore.
"Come on," Ash said. "Did you have to drag me into this?" Iris let out a giggle as she started talking.
"Our Cilan becomes a totally different person when it comes to evaluating time," she chuckled. I smiled at her.
"He's not the only connoisseur that does that," I told her. "The excitement just gets to us when we battle." She smiled at me and I smiled back.
"Yeah, but what happens if he loses?" Ash asked us.
"Don't worry, Ashy Boy," I told him with a smirk. "Cilan has a foolproof plan. He won't lose. Trust me on this."
I smiled as Burgundy started talking again.
"There are never mistakes in my pokemon evaluation," Burgundy told Cilan. "I'll show you the true power of a pokemon that has fully matured."
I chuckled again and this time, it was Cilan who looked at me. I hid my face for fear that he might recognize me from posters and such. I could tell he turned back to the battle because I could hear Burgundy ordering dewott to attack.
"Dewott, water gun, let's go!" She said.
I turned back to the battle to see dewott do as told.
"Use protect!" Cilan told dwebble.
Dwebble went inside his shell and used protect, which blocked out dewott's water gun.
"Now use fury cutter!" Burgundy yelled. Dewott's claws lit up as it used fury cutter.
"Protect again!" Cilan yelled. Dwebble used protect as dewott attacked it's shell.
"Wow," Iris said. "Dwebble's only defending." I smiled as dewott kept using fury cutter.
"Oh man," Ash said. "A bug and rock type pokemon like dwebble's no good going up against a water type like dewott." I smiled and looked at Ash.
"Oh ye of little faith," I told him. "Cilan's got a plan, whether or not you guys realize it yet." They just looked at me really confused.
"Only defense?" Burgundy asked Cilan. "That strategy seems awfully dull for an A-class connoisseur like yourself. Choosing dwebble to go up against dewott is the worst choice you've ever made." I gritted my teeth in annoyance. This girl was starting to get on my nerves. "We'll finish this with our next attack! Water pulse!" She told dewott.
Dewott did as told and started up water pulse. When it was fired at dwebble, Cilan made no move to tell him to dodge. Dwebble was hit and encased in the blue water bubble. Eventually, the water pulse stopped and dwebble fell to the ground. Burgundy had a look of satisfaction on her face until dwebble popped back up.
"How did dwebble handle that water pulse?" She asked in annoyance. I started to laugh a little at her dumbfounded face. "AND YOU!" she said pointing at me. "STOP LAUGHING!"
I made a failed attempt to stifle my laughter as Cilan explained.
"Easy," he said. "This dwebble's special ability is sturdy!" Burgundy looked super shocked that she didn't think of that.
"So that was his plan!" Iris exclaimed.
"Yep!" I said beaming from ear to ear.
"Hold on," Ash said. "What's going on with dewott?" We all looked at dewott to see that he was completely exhausted.
"It's completely exhausted," I told him. "He used up too much energy attacking." I looked around as the battle finished. "We better go, umbreon." I told my pokemon on my shoulder. "Bye guys!" I said as Burgundy and Cilan returned their pokemon.
"Good riddance!"Burgundy yelled after me.
I smiled, because if she knew who I really was, she would be acting a whole lot different. Umbreon and I made it back to my house without being stopped by fans.
"I kinda want to go traveling with Ash, umbreon," I told him as I packed up some supplies in a black backpack. "I think it would be a great opportunity for us to travel again." Umbreon nodded in agreement with me. "Alright!" I said as I put my hat on. "Let's go buddy!"
Umbreon and I ran out to where the battle had taken place to see them watching Burgundy run away from them.
"To be honest," Cilan said as I approached. "Passing the C-class Pokemon Connoisseur evaluation is no walk in the park." The other two looked shocked at this.
"Really?" Ash asked him.
"Yeah," I said walking up to them with my bag slung over my shoulder and umbreon walking next to me. "It's actually a pretty hard test to pass. By the way she ran off, I'm assuming you beat her, Cilan?"
Iris and Cilan looked at me with complete awe as they recognized me, since I no longer had a disguise.
"I knew you were famous!" Iris exclaimed. "You're the girl from earlier!" I chuckled a little.
"Guilty as charged!" I said cheerfully.
"Um umbreon!" Umbreon said happily next to me.
"I was wondering if I could join you guys on your journey," I told them. "You see, it's been a while since I traveled and I would love to do it again!" Cilan still stared at me with his mouth wide open. I walked up to him and closed his mouth. "Wouldn't want to catch flies now would we, Cilan?"
"Uh, no, no!" Cilan stuttered. "It's just that it's amazing to actually be meeting you in person!" I chuckled a little as my eyes fell on Ash.
"Who are you?" He asked me. I put on a fake pouty face.
"You really don't remember me, Ashes?" I asked him, using the old nickname I gave him when we were little. His eyes widened as he finally recognized me.
"You guys know each other?!" Iris and Cilan asked at the same time.
"She's the greatest pokemon trainer in all of Unova, possibly the world! How do you know her?!" Cilan asked Ash, gripping his shoulders and yelling in his face.
"Easy," Ash said. "She's my sister!" I smiled even more when Ash said that. "Good to see you, Hill." He said as he came up to hug me.
"You too, Ash," I told him as I hugged him back. We pulled away from the hug as I restated my question. "Can I go with you guys on your journey?" I asked them.
"Of course!" Ash said excitedly. "It'd be awesome to travel with you, sis! Wouldn't it you guys?" Ash asked Iris and Cilan. I smiled as they both nodded vigorously.
"Cool!" I said. "Let's get going then! You're on your way to Castelia City next right Ash?" I asked him. He nodded yes in response. "Okay. It just so happens, my house is on the way there. If you guys want, we can stay there for a little on the way there. The city is within walking distance of the house! I'm also going to a party that I really don't want to go alone to." They all smiled and chuckled a little.
"That would be awesome sis!" Ash told me. "Thanks!" I smiled and started to run in the direction of Castelia city.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" I called behind me.
They all started running frantically after me, since they didn't really know where they were going. This was going to be a very fun journey indeed.