Summer realized she need more training when Clair and her Dragonair, Saphira, almost destroyed Rocky in a practice battle. The Dragon Elder offered to assist her with battling against Dragon types, and Summer trained with Aurora, Flower, and Rocky. After learning Rocky needed a new move to defeat Clair, Summer called the person who can help them master it in a short amount of time. Meanwhile, Yuki is making last minute preparations for what will hopefully be her last Johto Pokémon Contest. Who is coming to help, and who will Yuki choose for the doubles format?

Chapter 44- A Stellar Contest

Lightning and I waited outside the Blackthorn City Pokémon Center, watching the sky. It was a partly cloudy morning, but it was starting to warm up.

The Raichu asked, "Is she here yet?"

I squinted at an approaching object from the southwest. "I think that's her."

We waved at Jasmine and her Skarmory, Aldebrand, who landed in front of us.

"Summer!" the Olivine City Gym Leader cheerfully greeted. "It's great to see you again."

"You too, Jasmine. How was the flight?"

"Pretty smooth. Luckily, there were no Pokémon flying around today, so the trip was quick."

"Do you want to come inside for breakfast?"

"Sure, I haven't eaten yet."

She returned her Pokémon, and we entered the cafeteria. Trainers enjoying their meals gasped when Jasmine walked past. Yuki and Ichigo were sitting near a dragon sculpture by the start of the buffet.

Yuki stood up. "Hello, Jasmine!"

"Hi, Yuki. You look like you're doing well."

"Thank you…" the Coordinator muttered.

Jasmine became worried. "Oh, did I say something wrong?"

"Oh no! My Contest is tomorrow, and I really want to win this one."

"I understand! I know the pressure of doing well before a Contest. Although I'm here to help Summer, I'd be glad to help you train too."

Yuki's eyes sparkled. "Really?"

"I'm always happy to assist Trainers and Coordinators."

A familiar voice scolded, "You're getting help from a Gym Leader? What a cop out."

Azura walked to us, glaring at her rival.

"Azura!" Yuki gasped. "Don't tell me you're here for the Contest too?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" She crossed her arms. "Besides I only need one Ribbon left. The whole double Ribbon change the Association made is pointless."

Yuki took a deep breath, trying to contain her fear. "I think it's a good idea because of what happened."

Azura could barely contain her laughter. "Don't tell me… You...You have less Ribbons than me?"

"It won't matter after this Contest!" Yuki shouted. "I will win!"

"Ha! We'll see. After all, you have a horrible record against me. Now, I need a healthy meal before preparing for my final Contest."

She bumped me and Yuki aside and helped herself to some berries. I felt a very strong hatred emanating from the Coordinator that I hadn't felt before. Was this because my recognition ability got stronger?

"She's just as unpleasant as she presents herself on television," Jasmine said with disdain. "I'll help you win for sure, Yuki!"

Yuki was slightly taken aback, but she smiled. "Thanks, Jasmine. I appreciate it."

The smell of Chansey eggs wafted towards us. The Gym Leader said, "Let me get something to eat, then we can head to Route 45 for training."

I nodded. "Those pancakes are tempting too. I'll just get one more…"

We laughed and continued our breakfast. A few people came over to get Jasmine's autograph, which she happily obliged. Afterwards, we headed south of the city to a valley in between the Dark Cave mountain range and the mountainous edge of the region. The terrain was slightly steep, with ledges scattered throughout.

Jasmine stretched her arms and said, "Now then. Summer, why don't you let Rocky out so he can see Òrd use Stone Edge? I'll use him to help Yuki as well."

"Sure, Jasmine."

We let out our Steel types, who acknowledged each other with a respectful nod.

The Gym Leader looked at Yuki. "Go ahead and choose the Pokémon you want to use for your double battle."

"But Jasmine, won't you be at a disadvantage?"

She smirked. "We can handle multiple opponents at once. It's part of the Gym Leader requirements."

"All right." Yuki took out two Pokéballs. "Ume, Mikan, it's performance time!"

The Swellow and Cyndaquil appeared, though they were a little unnerved by the Steelix towering over them.

"Don't worry, guys," their Trainer reassured. "Jasmine and Òrd are here to help us train."

Feeling a little better, they nodded and turned to their opponent.

Jasmine giggled. "I haven't seen this Cyndaquil before. Is this your most recent Pokémon, Yuki?"

Yuki blushed. "Yes, Jasmine."

"Interesting. All right, Yuki. Let's see how much your Contest battling has progressed."

My friend regained her composure. "Sure. Ume, Swift! And Mikan, use Flamethrower on the stars!"

The Swallow Pokémon flapped her wings, releasing a shower of spiraling stars. Mikan then unleashed a stream of fire at the stars. The stars glowed orange and sprayed embers as they spun towards the Steelix.

Jasmine waved her arm forward. "Òrd, Stone Edge!"

Numerous shards of stone spun around his body in two elliptical rings. When he roared, the shards collided with the flaming stars, not only neutralizing them, but also creating a shower of orange sparkles that gently cascaded over us.

"Wow," I said, impressed by the usage of the move. "I never knew Stone Edge can also be shards too." Rocky gaped in agreement.

"That was a good combination, Yuki," Jasmine praised. "You just need to follow up on it if your opponent blocks the Swift attack."

The Coordinator nodded. "Okay, thanks for the advice."

The Gym Leader smirked. "Now let's see how you defend against it. Òrd, Stone Edge!"

She thrust her right hand towards the ground, and Òrd slammed his tail. Instead of shards of stone, rock pillars sprung out and traveled towards the pair.

Yuki responded, "Mikan, get on Ume's back!"

The Cyndaquil hopped onto his partner, and she took to the skies. She dodged the spikes, but was caught off guard by one suddenly striking her from below. Ume dove to the ground, and Mikan desperately tried to pull her up.

Their Trainer, however, didn't panic. "Ume, Roost! Mikan, block Òrd's sight with Smokescreen!"

The Swellow's eyes focused, and she bathed herself in a green light as the Fire type coughed a thick smoke in front of the Steelix. The large Pokémon was choked up and temporarily blinded. When it cleared, Ume and Mikan were still in the air, the former looking better.

Jasmine beamed. "I think that's enough. I don't want your Pokémon to get so tired that they can't perform their best tomorrow."

Yuki sighed in relief. "Thank you, Jasmine..."

Ume landed on the ground, panting slightly. Mikan climbed off her back, and Yuki petted the two.

"You two did great," the Sinnoh native praised. "Are you two ready for tomorrow?"

Ume smiled. "Of course."

Mikan was especially excited. "Finally!" he exclaimed. "I get to be in a Contest! I can't wait to battle!"

Yuki giggled. "I know, Mikan. Do you also remember the appeals combinations?"

He peered at the sky. "Most of it. Can we do it again?"

"Of course."

Jasmine then said, "Why don't you work on that while I help with Summer?"

"All right. Thanks again for the training, Jasmine."

"No problem, Yuki." The Gym Leader then turned to me and asked, "So, any questions, Summer?"

As Yuki and her Pokémon moved a distance away, I inquired, "How did you get that Stone Edge to become shards?"

She giggled. "It's all a matter of the bond between you and your Pokémon. Stone Edge typically involves the stone pillars, but if you keep practicing it, it can also become those shards."

I stroked my chin. "That would be really great to have, but I think we just need to focus on the first part of the move."

"Of course. The trick is to focus your energy on the ground to form the rocks. Then, release it in one powerful blow!"

I nodded. "Okay, let's try it, Rocky!"

He smiled and closed his eyes.

"You need more energy," Òrd advised. "I can feel it's weak."

Rocky took a deep breath and tensed up his tail. The ground slightly shook, and soon, one thin pillar emerged. Rocky quickly exhaled and panted.

Jasmine examined the result. "Hmm… A good start but you need to add more energy behind it."

I stepped forward. "Rocky, let's do it together."

"Are you sure, Summer? I don't want to add more strain to you while battling."

I clenched my fist. "I here to help you succeed, Rocky. I'm willing to put more effort if you do the same."

He leaned down and smiled. "Let's beat that Dragon Master."

We turned to Jasmine. "All right, let's keep going, Jasmine."

We continued to train, and once the sun started to set, we headed back to the Pokémon Center to rest for Yuki's big day.


Inside the Blackthorn City Gym, Clair vented to her cousin on the videophone. "And then, he decides to use a Water Pulse on Saphira! Water type moves aren't effective against Dragon types! I mean, what kind of strategy is that?!"

Lance rubbed the bridge of his nose. He thought he was used to her monthly complaints sessions after giving him so many all these years, but he was definitely wrong.

{Clair, maybe you should, I don't know, help the Trainers defeat you?}

She scoffed, "Are you crazy, Lance?! I am the best Gym Leader in the world! They should take every precaution before challenging me."

Lance rolled his eyes. {Then, have any Trainers given you trouble recently?}

She leaned back in her chair. "Well, there was this one kid who challenged me today. Weldon Leland."

{Really? How did he do?}

Her eyes narrowed. "He was definitely tough. His Gyarados defeated Saphira, despite her knowing Thunderbolt. He'll go pretty far as a Trainer, especially since he's from a battling family."

Lance smiled. {I'd figure he would. Weldon's a great Trainer. I suppose Summer will be challenging you next?}

"Don't make me laugh, Lance. She's weak. Her Steelix barely did anything to Saphira. I don't know how she got into Dragon's Den without the Elder's permission, but I'll make her pay for dishonoring us."

{I'm sure there's another reason why Summer entered without having a Dragon-like Pokémon. Besides, aren't you taking this a little too far, Clair? You're not like this with other Trainers. Why her?}

"Those are my reasons, and my reasons alone, Lance."

He looked at her stoic face, but he could tell she was hurt about something. {This is about your parents, isn't it?}

"I'm hanging up. Bye, Lance." She slammed the receiver and sighed. Why do only the best things happen to those who don't deserve it?


Jasmine, Lightning, and I filed into the Blackthorn City Contest Hall, a large building constructed from black oak. The crowd was in a buzz about the revised format for the remainder of the Contests.

"I hope Yuki wins this one," I told Jasmine.

"Why does she want to win this Contest so badly?" the Gym Leader asked.

"Well...she's not a fan of the special appeals rules at the Ecruteak City Contest."

"I see. She has a good shot. She trained hard, and I think Ume and Mikan make a good team."

"Yeah. Let's hope battling Azura doesn't make her lose her focus."

The lights dimmed in the hall, and the spotlights brightened on the dirt stage. Jadrian, wearing a smoky grey short kimono with purple trim and silver plum blossom details, shouted, "Welcome everyone, to the fourth day of our week here at the legendary Blackthorn City Contest Hall! I'm your hostess, Jadrian, who will be providing not only commentary, but also this beautiful Blackthorn City Ribbon!"

She showed everyone the smoky gray ribbon accent with gray swirls. "You may be wondering, 'Aren't there supposed to be two Ribbons?' And the answer is, yes, there are. The second Ribbon is determined based on the remaining Ribbon or Ribbons needed for our winning Coordinator. Because of this, these Contests are now in the doubles format! Our Coordinators will have two Pokémon to use during the appeals and battle rounds, so this will be an exciting preview of the Coordinators who will potentially be in this year's Johto Grand Festival. Here are today's judges: Mr. Contesta, the President of Contest Activities and head judge of this group, Mr. Sukizou, the President of the Pokémon Fan Club, and our guest judge, Nurse Umebara from the Blackthorn City Pokémon Center!

Now, let us welcome our first Coordinator, Azura Columba from Tangelo Town!"

Azura dashed onstage, this time in a flowing white silk dress with sky blue trim. Her outfit, wispy cloud earrings, and blue high heels, complemented the highlights of her hair.

She threw two Pokéballs into the air. "Nuvola, Amora, time to shine!"

The Altaria appeared in a cloud of white smoke, and a pink heart that was tilted sideways burst out of a shower of pink hearts. The crowd was entranced, including the judges.

[Luvdisc, the Rendezvous Pokémon. Luvdisc make the branches of Corsola their nests. There is a custom from long ago of giving a Luvdisc as a gift to express one's feelings of love.]

Jasmine whispered, "Those Seals really compliment Nuvola's wings and Amora's shape. Azura definitely has a strong Contest IQ."

Knowing she had everyone's attention, the Coordinator began her appeal. "Amora, Aqua Ring! Nuvola, Mist!"

Two blue rings surrounded the Water type as the Humming Pokémon wafted a wispy cloud at her partner. Although the Luvdisc was shrouded in the mist, her shape was still visible.

"What an intriguing combination," Jadrian stated. "What will Azura do next?"

"Amora, Attract!"

The pink Pokémon wiggled in her translucent barrier, and five large hearts collected the Mist and Aqua Ring's essences. This made the hearts glow blue and release mist, which then floated over the audience.

"Nuvola, Aerial Ace!"

With her wings glowing white, the Dragon type slashed the hearts in half, showering us with smaller hearts that were cool to the touch. The crowd was amazed by the small tokens of love.

Azura waved her right hand into the air. "Finish with Water Pulse and Dragonbreath!"

Amora launched a swirling orb of water while Nuvola aimed the green flames downwards. The Water Pulse absorbed the Dragonbreath, and the orb exploded into green and blue fireworks. The crowd applauded, some gave a standing ovation.

The three bowed, and Jadrian said, "What a dazzling set of combinations from Azura, Nuvola, and Amora! Let us hear what our judges have to say."

Mr. Contesta replied, "Although we weren't sure what you were planning with Mist and Aqua Ring, the result was truly spectacular. The contrast of cool and warmth was on full display here."

"Yes, truly remarkable!" Mr. Sukizou added.

Nurse Umebara remarked. "What a great start to this Contest! You and your Pokémon make an excellent team. I can't wait to see what everyone has in store!"

Jadrian beamed. "What wonderful praise coming from our judges. One more round of applause for our first Coordinator, Azura!"

Another round of applause, then the Coordinator returned her Pokémon and went backstage.

Jasmine stroked her chin. "Azura took a chance with that Mist. You normally would lose points for hiding a Pokémon from view, but she was able to show Amora's silhouette to still count. I can see why she is a favorite."

"Wow," I said, impressed. "You show really be a Contest commenter, Jasmine."

She giggled. "Thanks for the compliment, Summer, but I don't know if I can be in front of a camera for long periods of time. Too much staring from an inanimate object for my liking."

We laughed then continued to watch the other Coordinators. Everyone was performing to the best of their abilities with their Pokémon pairs, but I knew Yuki would still do well.

After half an hour, Jadrian announced, "Now for our final Coordinator. Please welcome Yuki Mizu from Snowpoint City!"

Our friend ran onstage in her usual light blue dress to the cheering of the crowd. Feeling confident, she threw her Pokéballs into the air. "Ume, Mikan, performance time!"

The Swellow and Cyndaquil materialized in a spiral of blue stars and yellow lines respectively, captivating the audience.

"What a unique and fun way to show them off together," Jasmine mused. "It's a little like a party popper without the use of the Party Seals."

I nodded, eager to see how much my friend's training has paid off.

Yuki waved her hand forward. "Mikan, Smokescreen!"

The Cyndaquil aimed his head upwards and coughed out a large puff of dark smoke.

"Ume, Quick Attack!"

The Flying type darted around in a streak of white light, shaping the smoke into a sphere. Meanwhile, Mikan braced himself for the next move.

"Now, Mikan, Flame Wheel!"

The Fire Mouse Pokémon curled inward, and his back extruded a burst of flames. The wheel of fire ploughed into the smoky sphere, creating a comet with Mikan as the nucleus. We gasped in awe as the Cyndaquil zoomed over us. When the flames and smoke dissipated, Ume caught him on her back. The crowd applauded as the two returned to their Trainer.

Yuki, beaming from the crowd's reaction, exclaimed, "Ume, Swift! Mikan, Flamethrower!"

The streams of stars and fire created a starry explosion, where the embers and miniature stars fell onto the audience. Once they disappeared, the crowd gave other roaring applause, most of them on their feet.

Jadrian remarked, "What a truly stellar display from Yuki, Ume, and Mikan! Let us hear what our judges have to say."

"What a wonderful theme for a doubles appeal!" Mr. Contesta praised. "The smoke, fire, and stars truly made us feel we were in outer space. A difficult feat to achieve in the Contest setting."

Mr. Sukizou added, "Amazingly remarkable!"

Nurse Umebara smiled. "The bond and trust between you and your Pokémon really shined through with your appeal. I just can't stop smiling!"

"What wonderful words from our judges!" Jadrian shouted. "Please give a warm round of applause for our last Coordinator, Yuki Mizu from Snowpoint City!"

Yuki and her Pokémon bowed to the adoring audience, then she returned them and retreated backstage.

Jadrian announced, "We will take a thirty-minute break while we wait for our judges to select which eight Coordinators will advance to the battle round. Please enjoy the refreshments in the lobby, and we will call you back for the announcement. Thank you."

After she bowed, everyone slowly headed out to the lobby. Jasmine and I waited a bit before joining the crowd.

Summer's Pokémon:

Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut

Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, moves: Psychic, Confusion, Hypnosis, Air Slash

Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Aqua Ring

Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, moves: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch

Flower (Ivysaur, female): Gentle Nature, moves: Sludge Bomb, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Sleep Powder

Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, moves: Rock Slide, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail

Yuki's Pokémon:

Momo (Wartortle, male): Quiet Nature, moves: Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Blizzard, Aqua Tail

Ume (Swellow, female): Adamant Nature, moves: Roost, Wing Attack, Quick Attack, Swift

Ichigo (Minun, male): Sassy Nature, moves: Discharge, Hidden Power, Helping Hand, Spark

Kiui (Skiploom, female): Jolly Nature, moves: Bullet Seed, Mega Drain, Tackle, Sleep Powder

Mikan (Cyndaquil, male): Bold Nature, moves: Tackle, Flame Wheel, Flamethrower, Smokescreen

Questions for the Chapter:

What did you think of the appeals round?

What happened to Clair's parents?

Who will win this Contest?