"Alright, another gym badge!" Ash cheered as he gazed upon the bolt badge he had recently received from the Nimbasa city gym.
"Well ash, it's a miracle you won that badge since you went into their without a plan" said Iris, feeding Axew an apple. Ash huffed and looked away, Iris doing the same.
"Now, now, let's not start another fight…" Cilan said stepping between the two. The two calmed down and they continued walking around Nimbasa city.
"So what do you guys wanna do? We have a while before the Driftveil bridge is up and running" Cilan asked the two.
"Well I was really hopping to check out the contest hall. Their holding the Wallace Cup there this year ya know" Iris declared. "It's tomorrow actually"
"Aw cool, I'd like to see that too!" Ash exclaimed. Iris and Cilan were taken back by Ash's statement.
"You wanna go see a contest?" Iris asked surprised.
"Of course, when I traveled in the Sinnoh region I competed in a few contest, including the Wallace cup" he explained. "I also competed in a contest when I traveled in the Kanto Battle Frontier"
"Why would you be interested in contests Ash? I thought you only liked gym battles?" Cilan asked, confused.
"Well I competed in a contest in Jubilife City in Sinnoh because one of my Pokémon wanted to, and again at Lake Valor because Wallace recommended me. And I competed in the contest in Kanto because I wanted to try a contest since I saw May do it so many times and it looked really awesome"
"Who's May?" Cilan asked.
"She's a girl I traveled with in Kanto and Hoenn, she's a great Coordinator and she's known as the princess of Hoenn" Iris's eyes shot open after Ash finished talking.
"YOU MEAN MAY MAPLE?" she exclaimed. Ash nodded slowly. Iris suddenly squealed in delight. "I've always wanted to meet her! She's the one who got me interested in contests!" she said with a dreamily sigh.
Both ash and Cilan sweat dropped. Cilan turned his attention back to Ash. "So ash, did you travel with anyone else during your travels?"
"Well let's see, I traveled with Misty in Kanto and Johto, I traveled with Dawn in Sinnoh, oh and I traveled with Brock through every region so far" Cilan screamed.
"YOU MEAN BROCK THE PEWTER CITY GYM LEADER?" Cilan exclaimed. Ash nodded slowly again. "He's my hero! I learned all I know about cooking and Pokémon care from listening to his lectures!"
Ash sweat dropped again and stood there staring at his two friends in hyper-fan mode. Ash then felt his stomach rumble and he laughed and blushed.
"Can we got to the Pokémon center and get something to eat before we head to the contest hall?" he asked, slightly embarrassed.
"You're such a little kid…" Iris said, before her stomach rumbled and she too blushed. "But a quick snack break couldn't hurt…"
Cilan and Ash laughed and the three headed to the Pokémon center. When the three walked into the center they saw to people talking to nurse joy. One was a mid-sized girl with chestnut brown hair that grew into two long bangs on each side of her head. She was wearing a green bandana with a white symbol of a Pokeball on it, an orange and black tank top, a green fanny pack, black bike shorts and red shoes. The other was a tale man with spikey black dark brown hair, dark skin, a green t-shirt under an orange and black vest, beige pants and blue shoes. Pikachu and Ash recognized them right away and ran up to them.
"MAY, BROCK!" he shouted to them. May and brock turned around and smiled, then ran straight to Ash.
"Ash!" May said excitedly before hugging Ash, causing his cheeks to turn red. Brock coughed, grabbing the attention of the two.
"Hey Brock, it's been way to long" said ash as May let go of him. "What are you guys doing in Unova?"
"I came here to compete in the Wallace Cup again" May said happily.
"And when I heard she was coming to Unova, I decided to come with her in hopes of meeting up with you" Brock added.
"Sweet! Oh by the way, this is Cilan and Iris, their traveling with me now" Ash said, pointing to Iris and Cilan, whose eyes were filled with joy.
"It's you! The princess of Hoenn!" Iris shouted before running up to May and hugging her, very hard.
"Brock! I'm your biggest fan, please give me your autograph!" Cilan said running and handing him a booklet and pen.
May and brock sweat dropped. Brock took the book and wrote his name in it and then handed it back to Cilan.
"There you go…"
"I have "The" Brock's autograph! This is the best day of my life!" Cilan screamed in joy.
"Uh, Iris… could you let go of me? It's getting hard to breathe…" May asked politely, sounding slightly in pain.
Iris quickly let go and took a step back. "I'm sorry… it's just so great to meet you May, you're a real role model to me" she said happily.
"Well it's great to meet another of Ash's girlfriends" Brock said teasingly. Ash, May and Iris all blushed.
"I'm not his girlfriend!" Iris yelled.
"And Ash never had a girlfriend Brock!" May shouted.
"I know, I know. So how about we go to the cafeteria and I make everyone some lunch?" Brock suggested.
"C-Can I watch you?" Cilan asked hopefully. "I'm a chef as well and it'd be an honour to watch you cook"
"I have a better idea. We'll both cook, and Ash, Iris and May will be the judges to see whose food is better. That ok with you guys?"
"Of course, I love me a cook off, especially when I'm a judge" Ash cheered.
"It sounds like fun and this could be interesting" May added.
"And if May's in I'm in" Iris finished.
"Then it's settled then…" Cilan pulled out his ladle and did a dramatic pose. "It's COOKING TIME!" he shouted with stars in his eyes. Brock and May sweat dropped and turned to Ash and Iris.
"Is he always like that?" Brock asked.
"You have no idea, let's go…" Iris said, pushing the posing Cilan into the cafeteria.
1 hour later, May, Ash and Iris were sat down at a table with Pikachu and Axew next to them, eagerly awaiting Cilan and Brock's food.
"Hey May, did you catch any Unova Pokémon since you got here?" Ash asked curiously.
"Actually I caught 2. Wanna see um?"
"Sure, let's see!" Iris and Ash cheered.
May stood up and took out 2 Pokeballs. She then posed and threw the balls.
"Lillipup, Zorua, on stage!" she shouted. A girl Lillipup and a boy Zorua appeared from the balls and gave a few happy barks.
"Aw, they're so cute!" Iris squealed.
"When did you catch them?" Ash asked.
"I caught both of them yesterday. I saw them injured and I had Brock heal them. After that they came with us and I caught them" she explained.
Zorua began to rub its head up against Ash's leg affectionately.
"Looks like Zorua likes me" Ash said picking up and holding him in his arms. Zorua cuddled in his arms and instantly fell asleep.
"Wow, even I can't get Zorua to sleep that quickly" May said, astounded. "Zorua Really likes you. I wonder if Zorua wants to be ash's Pokémon..."
"Well how about this?" Iris jumped in. "Why don't all three of us enter the contest together and Ash can see how compatible he is with Zorua, and if he and Zorua do great than you can trade Zorua with one of Ash's Pokémon"
"I think that's a great idea! Hey ash, can I see your Pokémon? So I can think over which Pokémon I'd like to trade?" May asked.
"Ok, hold on…" Ash stood up and placed Zorua on the table, then took out his 5 Pokeballs.
"Come on out everyone!" he shouted as he threw his Pokeballs in the air and Oshawott, Snivy, Tepig, Scraggy and Swadloon all popped out of them.
"Aw, they're all so cute!" May squealed. She took out a Camera and took a picture of each of them. "This way I won't forget them while I think" Ash returned all his Pokémon to their balls and sat back down in his chair.
Suddenly, Cilan and Brock walked out of the Kitchen, each carrying in a large tray with plates of food.
"Lunch time" they both shouted and then placed a plate of food in front of each person and a bowl of Pokémon food in front of Pikachu, Axew, Lillipup and Zorua.
"Enjoy everyone" Brock said before taking his own seat.
"With food like this, you can guarantee it!" Ash cheered.
Everyone laughed and began to dig in to Brock and Cilan's food while the two watched. 10 minutes later, all that was left was some empty plates and 3 full, and happy, stomachs.
"Man I never get tired of your cooking guys…" Ash said before he started to rub his stomach. "Alright, who wants to judge first?"
"I'll go" said Iris. "I give my vote to Cilan. His food was sweet with just the perfect amount of spicy"
"Thank you Iris" Cilan said, bowing in gratitude.
"My vote goes to Brock. His food was crispy on the outside yet Moist on the inside" said May.
"Thanks a lot May" Brock replied.
"Well I think that you both made equally delicious food! I can't choose a favorite" Ash exclaimed.
Everyone laughed at him. The Pokémon seemed to agree with him.
"Well if it isn't Ash and May, it's been far too long…" said a voice behind them. The five looked behind them and Iris and Cilan got star struck. It was none other than the Hoenn region Champion, Sootopolis gym leader and Top Coordinator Wallace!
"Wallace!" Ash and May cheered. "How's it been?"
"It's been great. What a cute little Zorua you have their Ash, are you using it in the contest tomorrow?" he replied.
"Yep, I really liked the Wallace Cup last year so I really wanna do it again this year"
"Well then that's excellent. In fact, I think ALL of you should compete, you're all glowing with potential and it's a beautiful sight"
Brock, Cilan and Iris were taken back by Wallace's suggestion.
"Y-You want me to compete? But I've never been in a contest before in my life!" Cilan exclaimed.
"I've seen May and Dawn in a lot of contests so I think I'll try it" said Brock. "I'll help you if you want Cilan"
"And I watch Contests on TV all the time so I think I know what to do so I'll help too" Iris added.
"Perfect, so will I see all of you at the Wallace Cup tomorrow?" Wallace asked.
The five looked at each other and nodded at the same time.
"Yes!" they all answered.
"Excellent, be sure to sign up at the contest hall" He says before turning around and walking away.
"Wow, being asked to compete in a contest by Wallace himself… I think I may faint!" Iris squealed.
"I know right? Guys, can we please go to the contest hall? I'm dying to see it!" May exclaimed.
"Alright, let's go everyone"
Everyone grabbed their stuff and headed out on their way to the Contest hall.