Today was the final day before the Wallace Cup. Trainers were lined up outside the stadium to get their appeal positions, and full registration. "Ash! May!" A girls voice called out. "Dawn! I can't believe you're here!" Ash exclaimed. He was sure she hadn't been registered. "Why wouldn't I be here?" Dawn asked a bit confused. "You aren't on the list of trainers, so I thought maybe you didn't know, or couldn't make it." Ash said. "I can't compete in this one sadly. But on the plus side, I get to be one of the judges!" Dawn practically squealed. "Wait what!" May said shocked. "I know, I was surprised to. But this will be my first time in a position like this, and for a Wallace Cup no less. This is a dream come true!" Dawn said ecstatically.
"Ashley? Is that you?" An all too familiar voice called out. Ash looked to see none other than Anthony running towards them. "Don't tell me…" Ash groaned. "I had no idea you were entering this too!" Anthony said, holding up his card. "Yeah, me and some of my friends are entering it." Ash said using his falsetto. "Well I wish you all the best of luck, but I've never lost a contest." Anthony gloated. "But aren't there no contests in Kalos?" Dawn asked. "It doesn't matter anyways, I'm going to win this for sure." A girl with purple hair in a bun, and glasses said approaching them. Ash couldn't shake the feeling that he'd seen her somewhere before. "Come on guys, leave it until the contest actually starts." Dawn said quickly separating them.
"So Ashley…". Dawn said with a mischievous smile. "I'll talk about it when there are less people around." Ash whispered to her. "Dawn, come here." May whispered. They began whispering back and forth making sure Ash couldn't hear what they were saying.
"Real funny you three." Ash groaned, as they walked into the lab. Dawn and May had gotten Misty to help them with their plan. Misty distracted him, while May added an -ley to his name card, and Dawn officiated it before he could stop them. "Come on Ashley, it's just for fun." Goh said with a laugh. "Watch it Goh." Ash threatened. "Come on, we need to see if you have a dress for tomorrow." Dawn said pushing Ash towards a hall. "Umm Dawn, Ash's room is that way." Chloe said pointing in the opposite direction.
"Even your room says Ashley!" May said shocked. "Oh this is going to be fun." She said with a malicious smirk.
"What about this one?" Lillie said holding up the dress Ash got in Kalos out of necessity. "It's nice, but almost too nice for this." Dawn said. "Remember the stage is surrounded by water." "How about this one?" Misty said finding the long dress from Shamouti. "No movement, plus very limited in style." May said digging through a box. "Can we not dig through my things." Ash pleaded. "I've seen your style at times, you need us." Chloe said. "What is all this stuff anyways?" May said pulling out a stone trophy. "Leave that stuff alone." Ash growled before leaping at her. "Oh this ones perfect!" May said holding up a spaghetti strap dress. It was blue with a spiral white design along the hem of the skirt. "I said don't touch it." Ash growled, having missed May by interference from Misty.
"Okay. We have the dress, why are we going out to get more?" Ash complained. "You need shoes." Dawn said pointedly. "I have shoes." Ash replied. "Matching shoes?" Lillie asked. "How comfortable are you with heels?" May asked. "Last time he wore them, he twisted his ankle. Was out for a week." Chloe said with a laugh. "I also remember running in a cave to save you and Goh!" Ash yelled angrily at them teaming up on him. Where was Goh and Gladion anyways.
"You think Ash is angry we abandoned him?" Goh asked. "If he is, tough luck. He brought this upon himself." Gladion said concentrating. "So do you have any threes?" Gladion asked. "Go fish." Goh said with a poker face.
They were on Ash's fifth pair of shoes when his phone went off. "Sorry girls, my actual passion calls!" Ash said excitedly running out of the store. "Wait Ash!" Dawn yelled after him, but he was gone.
A bit outside of the mall, Ash found his opponent, who looked more like she belonged in a music video than a battle.
"I'm Mia, are you Ash?" The girl asked, striking a pose.
"Yeah, and don't think I'll go easy on you, just because of how you're dressed.
"Come on out Flaaffy!
"Mudkip, I choose you!"
"Flaaffy use Tackle!"
"Mudkip use Mud Slap!"
Both attacks hit, with Flaaffy almost going off course.
"Flaaffy use Thundershock!"
"Mudkip use Mud Slap again!"
The mud was able to absorb the electricity and still land a hit.
"So dirty playing with Mud! I'll show you! Flaffy use Return!"
"Mudkip use Water Gun!"
Flaaffy landed its attack, and it hit hard.
"Mudkip, are you alright!" Ash shouted to his Pokémon.
"Mud!" Mudkip responded getting back up.
"Now Mudkip use Water Gun!"
"Flaaffy use Return again!"
Mudkip's water was able to hold off Flaaffy from the distance, until it was to much. Flaaffy went down.
"Flaaffy return!" Mia said with a spin. "Come on out Roselia!"
The girls finally caught up to Ash. "Oh don't tell me she's here too." May groaned. "Do you know her?" Misty asked. "Unfortunately. When May and I traveled together for a bit in Johto, she began following us, to the point it was creepy. I thought for sure she wasn't going to be here." Dawn said aghast.
"Dawn! May! OMA what are you two doing here!" Mia squealed. Turning her attention from the battle. "When I heard about the Wallace Cup, I knew I just had to participate, but I never thought us three besties would get to be together for it." She ran hugging them. The Rotom judge spoke loudly. "Competitor Mia has left the battlefield. By forfeit Ash wins." Ash was a bit shocked at this girl's attention, as he watched his number rise to 438.
"So who's your friend?" Ash mocked after they had gotten Mia to leave. "She not our friend. She's a pest." May said pointedly. "For three months she didn't leave us alone. EVER." Dawn said. "Why didn't you just tell her to leave?" Gladion asked coldly. "We did. She thought we were joking." May groaned. "And now she's here." Dawn groaned as well. "Well how'd you lose her last time?" Chloe asked. "We didn't, she just wasn't there one day." Dawn said. "By the way, I hope you like those shoes, seeing as we had to pay for them." May said pointedly. "Oh, sorry about that." Ash said sheepishly.
"Hey Dawn, speaking of people just not there one day. Do you know what happened to Serena?" Ash asked after the others had left for other things. "Last I heard, she was heading to Alola to meet back up with you." Dawn said confused. "But I'm not in Alola right now." Ash said dumbly. "This was way back, even before the Manalo Conference was announced. I was sure she'd have met up with you." Dawn said slightly concerned. "I'll have to check with some other friends in Alola, see if she ever did make it." Ash said determined.
