Chapter 18: Contest Project
"Attention class, you are going to start working on a project." Teacher Wallace said.
There were many groans heard from the class.
"Wow, these people really don't like doing projects, I guess." May/Daisy said.
"No they don't." Drew said. "If we have to do any assignment, everyone complains."
"And now we're starting a project which is worse than a regular assignment." Dawn said.
"Why do people hate school so much?" May questioned.
"The real question is...why do you like school?" Drew said.
May's eyebrows furrowed at Drew.
May sighed. "Because it...could be fun at times." She answered.
"Now class, the project is to come up with your own Appeal to show the class at the end of the month." Wallace said. "You will use two Pokémon for your Appeal and we'll have three judges to give you points just as if it's a real Contest. Your grade depends on your points."
"Do you know what Pokémon you're going to use for the Contest project?" Drew asked.
May and Drew are in theater class. Teacher Lisa is teaching some students about the backstage equipment.
"No. Not yet." May answered. "I have some pretty elegant Pokémon at home. It's going to be hard to decide on just two."
"Well, whatever your Appeal will be, it will never beat mine."
"Oh yeah? Is that a challenge?" May asked, eyebrows furrowed.
"Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't." Drew answered.
"Challenge accepted." May said confidently.
Drew chuckled lightly.
"What's so funny?" May asked angrily.
"You don't know this yet, but in contests at this school, I'm pretty amazing. I'm not trying to brag or anything."
"Really? Because it sounds like you are." May said annoyed.
"I'm just saying to not expect a higher score than me." Drew said smugly.
"Well, we'll see who comes out on top." May said confidently.
"Tough choice." Dahlia said.
May and Dahlia are currently in the backyard in the large grassy field, looking at May's Pokémon friends. The Pokémon that they're looking at is May's Alolan Ninetales, Glaceon, Sylveon, Espeon, Delcatty, Beautifly, Kirlia, Floette, Togekiss, and Comfey. (I decided to add some elegant Pokémon to May's team to show off the 'Princess' in her.)
"I don't know who to choose." May said. "Everyone has the ability to make everything really graceful and beautiful."
"They were raised by a Princess after all." Dahlia said.
"Yeah...but it's so hard. And I need to show Drew that I'm a good Coordinator."
"So that's why this seems so important to you…"
May blushed slightly, but quickly shook it off. "I just want to prove myself to him. He seems so sure of himself."
"Maybe that's because he's been at this for a while." Dahlia said. "And this is only your third month going to school."
"I got it!" May exclaimed.
"Huh? Got what?"
May turned to face Dahlia. "I'll just practice with all of them and then I'll decide!"
"If you say so." Dahlia said.
"Here we go! Beautifly, Kirlia, take the stage!" May said as she tossed the Pokéballs in the air.
The Butterfly Pokémon materialized in the air. "Beautifly!" It said happily, its wings sparkling in the sun.
The Emotion Pokémon materialized in the air. "Kirlia!" It said happily as it spun gracefully like a ballerina, slowly floating to the ground.
"Now Beautifly, start with Morning Sun!" May ordered.
Beautifly's wings glowed white and all around it glowed yellow. Yellow rays of light shine outward from Beautifly's body. Kirlia's skin would sparkle under the Morning Sun. Since Kirlia enjoys dancing, it started dancing like a ballerina, spinning gracefully and leaping.
"Now Kirlia, use Psybeam!" May ordered.
While spinning on the toes of one foot like a ballerina, Kirlia pointed her hands to the sky and unleashed the rainbow-colored beam of light, spiraling up at Beautifly while Kirlia spun.
"Beautifly, Silver Wind!"
Beautifly was surrounded by the spiraling rainbow beam from Kirlia. Beautifly ended the Morning Sun to spin while flapping its wings, creating a wind with silver crescents in it. The Silver Wind spiraled around Beautifly and made contact with the Psybeam. The two moves merged, turning the beautiful Silver Wind into a rainbow one, spiraling around Beautifly and Kirlia. Their bodies shimmered and sparkled in the rainbow Silver Wind.
"Wow…" Dahlia breathed.
"Now let's finish this up! Use Psychic!" May ordered.
Both Beautifly and Kirlia's eyes glowed blue. They used Psychic to make the rainbow Silver Wind poof out of existence. The Silver Wind disappeared and left rainbow sparkles floating down to the ground. Beautifly slowly floated down and perched itself on May's head while May and Kirlia were both curtsying.
"That was amazing for your first practice, May!" Dahlia said. May lifted her head up and walked to Dahlia, Beautifly and Kirlia dancing behind her.
"Thanks." May said once she sat on the bench that Dahlia's sitting on. "The idea for the rainbow Silver Wind appeared in my head on the spot."
"It was really good. If all of the others are that good, then you'll have one tough decision to make."
May sighed. "Yeah…"
"Today let's try…" May started as she took out two Pokéballs. "Ninetales and Glaceon!" She tossed the Pokéballs in the air.
The Fox Pokémon materialized on the ground, saying its name happily to the sky and its hair and tail are flowing behind it. The Fresh Snow Pokémon materialized next to Ninetales, saying its name happily and its fur coat is sparkling.
"So...an ice Appeal, huh." Dahlia said. Instead of on the grass and flowers, they are at one of the battlefields they have at the castle.
"Now, start with Dazzling Gleam!" May ordered.
Ninetales gets surrounded by a rainbow-colored shine. Her body sparkles in the rainbow light.
"Glaceon, Mirror Coat!"
Glaceon's body glowed a white color, sparkles showing on her fur.
"Ninetales, use Blizzard at Glaceon!"
Ninetales leaped back, away from Glaceon, while turning to face Glaceon. Glaceon turned to face Ninetales, still using Mirror Coat. Ninetales unleashed the powerful Blizzard at Glaceon. Glaceon absorbed the Blizzard and sent it back at Ninetales with double the power.
"Blizzard again!"
Ninetales unleashed another Blizzard at the returning Blizzard. The two blizzards combined and started forming a ball of ice in the middle.
"Aim it down at the ground!" May called.
Ninetales and Glaceon redirected their Blizzards to the ground and a big ice sculpture, that looks like the front of a tiara, five points at the top, was created.
"Combine Shadow Ball and Frost Breath at the sculpture!"
Glaceon and Ninetales leaped in front of the giant ice tiara. Glaceon formed a purple ball in front of her mouth and launched it towards the ice sculpture. Ninetales unleashed a Frost Breath with many sparkles in it at the Shadow Ball. The two moves combined and the Shadow Ball got encased in the Frost Breath, leaving a trail of Frost Breath behind it as it headed towards the sculpture.
The Shadow Ball made contact with the ice sculpture and shattered it, causing sparkles to slowly float down from the sky.
That was the end of that Appeal. After telling Ninetales and Glaceon to take a break, May walked over to where Dahlia is.
"So how was that?" May asked.
"It was another amazing Appeal." Dahlia answered. "You definitely will have a hard time trying to decide on who to choose."
"Comfey, use Petal Dance!" May called.
Comfey started spinning while beautiful pink petals flew out of it, spiraling around Comfey and Sylveon.
"Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!"
Sylveon pulled its feelers together and the air around them started to glow light blue. Sylveon then spread its feelers wide open, sending a strong gust of pink, sparkling wind up at the Petal Dance.
Comfey continued spinning while using Petal Dance and the pink petals caused the Fairy Wind to spiral with them. Comfey stopped the Petal Dance. They were both surrounded by the beautiful pink, sparkling wind and pink petals around them.
"Now, Moonblast to the sky!"
Sylveon forms an orb of pink energy in front of its mouth, and she fires it upward, past Comfey.
"Comfey, Magical Leaf!"
Comfey looks up, spins once, launching glowing green leaves at the pink ball of energy. The leaves make contact with the Moonblast and cause it to burst into a billion tiny sparkles, slowly falling down on Sylveon and Comfey.
"Great job, you two." May said. "Go and play."
Sylveon and Comfey ran towards the huge expanse of grass and flowers. May walked over to Dahlia, sat down next to her, and sighed.
"What's wrong?" Dahlia asked.
"Everyone is amazing at performing." May answered.
"So just choose two. There's no doubt that you'll beat Drew in points."
"But I can't decide." May said. "I like all of the Appeals we've done."
"Well, you should decide soon, so you can keep practicing with that one pairing until you show the class."
"Floette, use Moonblast!" May called.
Floette forms an orb of pink energy in front of her mouth. She fired it up at the sky.
"Togekiss, Air Slash!"
Togekiss lifts up one wing and starts waving it around. Light blue energy streaks then appear and swirl around, forming into a ball above the tip of Togekiss's wing. It then fires the ball up at the pink orb of energy. The Moonblast and Air Slash collide and explode into billions of pink and blue sparkles.
"So, have you decided which two you'll choose?" Dahlia asked.
May nodded. "I'm going with Espeon and Delcatty. Two cat Pokémon are sure to be so cute together!"
"They sure will be."