It looks like we've hit 500 followers! We couldn't have gotten to that milestone without you guys, so thank you! There's plenty more where this came from, so stay tuned! Feedback is always appreciated, so please drop by in the review section if you can! Now, time for the next chapter.
Just three o'clock, the trio arrived in Celadon City. Skyscrapers towered over crowded streets. People and Pokémon alike scurried around, running their errands and talking amongst themselves. Even the occasional car could be seen, though bikes were much more visible. Numerous shops showed off their various good and services. The delicious odors of spas, restaurants, and home goods stores beckoned out to the travelers as well.
Ash's stomach rumbled. "Man, I could go for some chow… You guys wanna stop in somewhere?" Ash inquired.
"Let's go to the Pokémon Center first," Dawn insisted. "We need to rent a room so Todd can drop off his stuff and we can heal our Pokémon."
"I dunno, it won't kill us to get a snack," Todd disagreed, eyes glued onto a shop that boasted organic goods. He breathed deeply. "They've got apple chips."
Snickering, Ash clapped Dawn on the shoulder. "You heard him!"
Dawn rolled her eyes as the boys headed into the shop, following them. While Ash loaded up on goodies such as cauliflower mash and fried mushrooms, she settled for a simple cucumber sandwich. After paying her share and waiting off to the side while Ash tried to decide which drink combination he wanted from their fancy soda machine, she noticed an intriguing sign.
"Celadon City Game Corner… Anyone can be a winner," she trailed off. The coordinator cocked her head, nibbling on her sandwich as she read. Empoleon likewise nibbled on his half of the sandwich. "Oh! They've got a special set of items in! Smoke balls, silk scarves, and even those gorgeous mystic water necklaces!" Her eyes were practically gleaming.
Empoleon cocked his head. Weren't those Pokéemon items? He supposed a trainer could wear them, too, though.
"Oh, man, that's gross, Pikachu!" Ash laughed as he walked over, a bag of treats slung over one shoulder while Pikachu dug apple chips out of his bag. He'd smothered them in ketchup and the little rodent was quite enjoying himself.
Seeing that Ash had gotten his fill, too, Todd stood up from where he'd been reading the paper. The contest was still set for the same time as before, which would be good. "Alright, to the Pokémon Center we go! Dawn's contest is tomorrow and I've got to submit these photos before then!"
"Right!" the two trainers agreed in unison.
As they entered the Pokémon Center and approached the counter, Ash's mind began whirling. There was someone he ought to call… With all the milestones and updates he had to offer, he couldn't just keep his mouth shut!
After putting his Pokéballs on the tray and saying a hasty goodbye to Pikachu, the trainer excused himself. "Gotta call someone," he said. "Dawn, Todd, will you book the room?"
"Sure!" Dawn said as he retreated, headed to the video phones. "Hm, that was sudden. Guess he forgot about something important," she supposed. Dawn shook her head as she put her whole party's Pokéballs on a tray. "You're lucky you're still small, Pikachu. I kinda miss carrying Empoleon," she admitted before scratching the electric type's back.
The little electric type leaned into Dawn's touch. "Cha~!" Empoleon's loss was his gain, it seemed. Poor guy.
Todd grinned as he got the card key from Nurse Joy. "Well, let's put our stuff down, huh, Dawn?"
"Actually," she trailed off, "I was really inspired by, uh… what happened today." Secrecy was still necessary. "So, once Absol's healed, I'm going to go train with her! Ash should be off the phone by the time you're done putting your stuff down. Just give the keys to him. I'll wait in the lobby and then go to nearest training field."
"If you're sure," Todd relented.
The Celadon Contest Hall was relatively new and it was very green. Erika's influence as gym leader stretched out even this far. The Contest Hall had an opera house feel, surrounded by a lush garden which trailed into the woods outside of town. Lining the way to it were tall palm trees. The ambience was paying off, though. Numerous peddlers of official merchandise and some custom items had booths set up outside.
"I'd like to get on a notebook or something, one day," Dawn mused. Maybe if she did well enough in her second run, she could. "Oh, wow, I think I see something with Zoey on it! That's quick! I'll have to grab it after the contest."
"Already?" Ash remarked. "She just won like… what, not even half a year ago?"
"Yeah, she became a Top Coordinator around half a year ago, I think. Hehe, I'll have to send her a picture!" Dawn chirped as they walked into the Contest Hall.
"The lighting in here's marvelous!" Todd enthused. "They really set up this place well." Unable to hold himself back, Todd got out his camera. He spotted a Raticate drinking serenely from one of the provisional water troughs before the registration and seating entrance counters.
As soon as the click went off, Ash, Pikachu, Dawn, and Empoleon's attention was drawn to Todd scrambling back from a shrieking Raticate while its trainer tried hard to calm the poor rodent down.
They'd drawn quite a bit of attention in the crowded lobby.
"Todd, what are you doing?!" Ash yelped.
"Getting shots," he answered as if it were the most obvious answer. Spotting a Venomoth flying above, likely attracted to the beautiful chandelier, he went for another shot. The loud shudder startled several Pokémon, but the sudden flash made the Venomoth shiver and drop down some of its scales. Thankfully, they didn't do anything. This time.
"Aw man, I gotta get you seated…"
"Nope! I have a photography pass!" Todd bragged.
Sweat dropping and crossing his arms, Ash frowned. "You're gonna get yourself whooped."
Pikachu chattered in agreement. "Chu…" Todd was kind of bad at respecting other's privacy like that.
"Well, you two go get seated. I'm gonna go get registered," Dawn interjected.
"Huh? You never did tell me what you were gonna do!" Ash complained. She was getting awful bad about being secretive.
The bluenette winked. "It's a surprise. You'll find out in the contest." With that, she and Empoleon headed to the registration counter.
"... I guess I'll have to keep an extra eye out for her, then," the trainer decided. With that, he left Todd to do what he would. Ash would get a good seat even if Todd decided he was going to piss off the wrong Pokémon.
The appeals went by rather slowly. There were numerous coordinators in this contest, though not quite as many as the last contest. It was a big city, after all. However, Erika's influence was evident. Many of the coordinators were girls and even more of them used grass types, a clear homage to the gym leader. As such, their appeals were languid and, quite frankly to Ash, a little cumbersome.
The first girl to go out had a Bellsprout. Starting off with Sweet Scent, she lulled the entire audience into an easy comfort. In the thick haze of the pink aromatic clouds, the Bellsprout used Growth three times in a row to triple in size, temporarily of course. As the Sweet Scent's pungent odor faded to a faint flowery scent, the Bellsprout released Poison Powder. The air turned stale, almost powdery. However, when the Bellsprout belched up an Acid attack and shed its excess height for it, the entire audience gagged for the sharp, disgusting scent.
"I hate to say it, but I hope they don't make it through," Ash whispered to Pikachu.
The mouse nodded in agreement. If it had to smell that super strong Acid again, he was gonna be sick!
The next person on stage was a young girl with, of all things, a Pikachu! The Pikachu started off her appeal with a Play Nice followed by Quick Attack. She seemed exceptionally playful, having gone from winking and twisting in the air to dashing around. The fun only increased when she used Double Team, making it seem as if there were many yellow bundles of joy dashing across the stage. The appeal ended with the Pikachu racing back to her trainer and jumping into the trainer's arms with a Nuzzle. Though the trainer seemed to be moving more stiffly, the smile on her face sold her to the judges.
It probably helped that her appeal was so cute after everyone had been disgusted.
"That was really cute, huh, buddy?" Ash chuckled.
"Pika." Personally, he thought the younger Pikachu's movement was a bit delayed. She was probably newly evolved as she didn't take full advantage of the easier change of direction her tail could provide. Pichu were clumsier than Pikachu, after all. But, he was no evolution enthusiast, so he'd keep his comments to himself.
A few more coordinators went on, but Ash didn't really find himself interested in all of them.
A boy who walked onto stage with a Tangela did catch his eye. The Tangela started off with Ingrain and the boy seemed enthused that this even worked. It then used Growth, which was quickly shaping up to be a popular move among the grass users. That would probably cost them with the judges. However, this Tangela used Grassy Terrain, a move yet to be seen in this appeal round. Finishing off with Natural Gift, the whole appeal had a very natural and earthy tone the others had lost in trying to be showy. On top of that, the boy was so humble and proud of his Tangela.
The next coordinator to catch Ash's eye was a guy with a Nidoking. Hadn't he seen the fellow somewhere before?
"Our next coordinator is a native of Vermillion City! Everyone give a hearty round of applause to Quijote Mancha!"
Stepping onto the stage with his absolutely massive Nidoking standing behind him, Ash realized he recognized the guy from one of Dawn's previous contests! Back then, he seemed a bit too conceited to get far, but maybe things were different now? "This guy had some talent. Let's see how he does this time!"
"Nidoking, show them the power that lies in your Poison Tail!"
Bellowing and stepping to the front of the stage, the monstrous brute whipped his tail to and fro. The crack of the muscular appendage against the contest stage echoed throughout the arena. It was clear that the last thing anyone wanted was to get in the way of that massive appendage.
"Now, raise your noble head to make the might of your Poison Jab known!"
Tossing his massive head back and forth as well, the whole appeal had a feral feel. The Nidoking invoked the primal aggression of a warrior.
"Venom Drench!"
The quills and ridges along Nidoking's back fluttered, oozing and flinging Venom all over the stage. Hazardous purple liquid puddled around the brute.
"Earth Power."
Releasing one final bellow, the Nidoking sent the puddles of venom up in smoke. The fire from the Earth Power took on a short lived green hue before the tremors set in. Quijote was not asking for their attention; he and his Nidoking were demanding it.
Satisfied with his performance, the young man bowed before returning his Pokémon.
"Well, that certainly was an exciting performance from Quijote Mancha!"
As the appeals went on, Ash's mind stayed on the Nidoking. That thing was strong. Could Dawn's Pokémon stand up to it? What Pokémon was she even using? Todd told him that she was training with her Absol last night, but he missed what she was actually doing. If they both ended up using those Pokémon during the battle rounds, Dawn might have some trouble… He was never one to underestimate the underdog, but Absol hadn't been on the team all that long.
When Ash finally came to, Pikachu was nudging him.
"Pikaka!"
"Dawn's on!" Ash realized. Indeed, he'd actually missed her introduction. Absol was already out of her Pokéball.
Meanwhile, under the spotlight, Dawn steadied herself. "Okay, Absol, you know what to do. Future Sight!" Both arms were crossed before being thrown upward, hands outstretched as if calling upon a heavenly power to assist her.
A growling crescendo came from Absol's maw, eyes falling shut as psychic power was conjured from the Pokémon, acting upon its signature ability of goading the future. A series of colorful orbs launched into the air above, seemingly disappearing into a black hole above.
"That's weird… Future Sight takes a bit of time to activate," Ash noted from the stands. "I wonder how she's gonna use that during the time she has for an appeal."
"And, Dawn's Absol starts out with a Future Sight! Very pretty, but when will it strike? I'm sure the audience will keep their eyes peeled for that!" Lilian narrated, her own blue orbs having followed the attack's ascent. Mutters among the crowd confirmed her observation.
A smile picked up on Dawn's lips. Now she had them interested. Time to captivate! An arm was thrown outward to mimic the arc of the coming move. "Great. Now, Razor Wind!"
The white furred dark type jerked her head to the side and then up. Violent waves of energy sent the air churning. At first, it was a light breeze, as if fans were blowing. Then, it grew more violent until there was a virtual windstorm onstage. Absol's thick mane was tossed about in it, as was Dawn's hair along with the coattails of her pink vest.
The gales were so strong it almost took the coordinator's breath away, but the dark type's appearance made it all worth it. A beast that was known to be an omen was made even more terrifying, ghostly white fur fluffed and billowing in the eye of the storm. Red eyes and a wavering horn stood out among the chaos, worthy of a shiver down the spine or two.
This satisfied Dawn. While she hadn't enjoyed every moment of the haunting she'd been through, a racing heart was plenty for this scenario."Now, add Night Slash!" Her voice could barely be heard by Absol over the winds, but the Disaster Pokémon obeyed.
Tossing her head again, Absol released sickly purple blades from her horn, allowing its evil influence to meld with the air currents. What had merely been a howling wind turned to a ghastly, foggy moan, crowding the contest hall in a haunting motif. Certainly a large step away from the traditionally calm appeals that had preceded her. How that would go over was anyone's guess, but for now, they had hearts racing, and children clinging to their parents.
"Oh man, this is… Greaaat!" Snap yelped, struggling to hold onto his camera as he took shot after shot. The whirling winds… The threatening, bristled Absol in the center… Though Dawn wasn't the focus, she did make it in a few of the shots. "These'll make great sho- ah!"
In his haste, Todd felt the camera slip right out of his hands, much to his heart-stopping horror - much more striking than anything Dawn was conjuring, for sure!
Fortunately, Ash's quick reflexes allowed him to snatch it, handing it over. "Might not be the best time to be doing this… You oughta be more careful."
"This is the best time!" Snap countered, clinging to his camera.
A sweatdrop rolled down Ash's head as he turned back towards the stars of the show. Even he was starting to feel tense, waiting not-so-patiently for the follow-up.
An uncomfortable silence overcame the arena, Lilian included. All eyes lay upon Absol.
A fact that would soon prove itself ironic, without a doubt.
"That really set the mood," Dawn spoke aloud, lauding herself and Absol with a bit of praise for their efforts. "Now, let's make things really frightening! Use Leer, now!"
The menace at the eye of the storm complied. Ruby hues lit, consuming the Pokémon's eyes with an eerie, devilish red glow. Bared teeth and furrowed hues made Absol nothing short of a real life monster. Of course, the fun didn't stop there.
The dual lights were projected, launching from Absol's face into a quickly growing gaze that glared daggers at the crowd. Glowing, mean-spirited slits circled the spinning winds, giving every section of the audience a chance to hold their hearts.
Time for the grand finale.
Above the haunted arena, space itself parted for an all-too-familiar attack. Orbs of telekinetic energy rained down from above the storm, crashing down upon none other than the leering red eyes that had been terrorizing the crowd.
The dual projections flashed all sorts of colors before bursting in an ear-ringing explosion. Along with it, the storm reached its peak, dispersing under the duress of the terrible Future Sight.
The dramatic jump-scare sent the audience into frightened yelps and screams. One of the judges even fell out of their seat and another clutched their chest out of fear.
Satisfied with her results, Absol grinned a bit before trotting back to Dawn's side. The coordinator smiled sweetly, her hair billowing in the remains of the wind, and waved to the audience before heading back stage.
"Oh, man… That was really something else!" Ash slumped into his chair, holding his chest. He could still feel his heart racing - and Pikachu's, too! "I guess Dawn's really scary when she wants to be…" He shuddered. Hopefully, that ferocity would never be turned on him.
"Pikachu…" The mouse sighed, sitting securely in Ash's lap. He wasn't looking for anymore jump-scares after this; that was for sure.
It was a rough go for the coordinators who came after her. The audience was still too shaken up for the most part to pay attention.
"Probably a good thing I didn't let Rosa out," Ash mused. "That woulda scared the pants offa her!" That was, if Pokémon wore clothes at all.
"Pika," his companion agreed. That definitely would have had bad results.
"Come to think of it… I'm sure nothing's gonna be half as scary as that. Maybe she'd like to see the rest!" Ash grabbed a Pokéball from his belt, clicking the button to release a small flash of light.
It took shape atop his shoulder in the form of the Riolu, who looked about, a shiver running down her spine. Try as she may, these big events still gave her chills. ~Still too many people… Oh! What's that?~ She gawked, mesmerized at the latest appeal. While it was underwhelming to most, the preceding events were lost on the easily amused pup.
Her distraction earned a gentle smile from Ash, who reached to pet the back of her head. "See? It'll be fine. Just keep focusing on the fun!" Keeping the Pokémon comforted was an ongoing effort, but it was very much worth it.
Unfortunately, those efforts didn't go without their hiccups.
Countless snaps of a camera could be heard as the remaining appeals went by, much to the annoyance of those immediately surrounding the eager cameraman. Rosa in particular yelped, distancing herself from Snap further.
"Hey Snap, do you really need those? After what Dawn did, these probably aren't gonna get much better." Ash frowned, consoling the uncomfortable Pokémon.
"Maybe, but the more the merrier! This'll be great for my latest… Huh?" The overzealous artist would find that his lens was becoming distorted, much to his dismay. "W-what the!?"
The aura of a certain disgruntled fighting type emanated in a blue glow, expelled in something just short of a burst. If the startling snaps didn't stop soon, there'd be real trouble!
"Hey, hey, easy!" Ash swallowed, scratching the Pokémon behind the ear. "If you wanna keep any of those shots, ya'd be better off calling it quits now!"
"If you say so… I guess I've already gotten plenty for the appeal rounds!" Todd declared smugly, much to the exasperation and relief of his companions.
Stepping onto the stage, Dawn saw her opponent. It was an ornately and traditionally garbed young man. His hair was coiffed and slicked to the side, a single blossoming lily tucked behind his ear.
"Let the match between Dawn and Larkspur begin!"
"Leafeon, let the show begin!"
"Mamoswine, spotlight!"
The tank of a pig-mammoth landed with a heavy thud at the same time as the magnificently plumed forest-fox touched down on the stage.
The opponent frowned before clicking his tongue. "Leafeon, use Sunny Day."
The judges seemed impressed with the brilliant shining pseudo-sun the little grass type created. They deducted a few of Dawn's points for it. The Twinleaf native didn't let it get her too bothered, though. She had a plan, after all.
"Mamoswine, Hidden Power!" she said with a smile.
Snorting, the big ice type blasted a bubble of energy forward. Given his unique personality and nature, the Hidden Power turned into a watery orb. It splashed forward, leaving a trail of puddles behind it.
The Leafeon was hit by the splash, though it sparkled over the Pokémon's fur under the sunlight, costing Dawn more points.
"What is she up to…?" Larkspur wondered before deciding he should go on with the battle. "Leafeon, use Swords Dance!"
The grass type stepped forward, dancing across the watery puddles and being followed by the illusions of swords it had created. A few more points were lost on Dawn's part for this.
Still, she seemed unbothered by this. In fact, she was absolutely beaming. It was probably making her opponent very confused, but things were going her way. Of course she should be happy! "Mamoswine, use Ice Fang on the ground and then get going, Freight Train style!"
"Freight Train what?" Larkspur parroted.
However, by the time he realized what was going on, it was too late to do anything. The minute Mamoswine's icy tusks hit the ground, the puddles nearest him froze over, creating a slick rail way of sorts for him. When the massive brute launched himself forward, it was too late for Leafeon. Caught up in its dancing, it didn't move out of the way fast enough. On top of that, the creature was absolutely covered in the water droplets from earlier. The super effective move went absolutely critical.
"Great job, Mamoswine!" Dawn cheered.
When Leafeon stood up after being slammed into, it was obvious that had taken a lot out of the little grass type. Furthermore, Dawn more than made up for the points she'd lost earlier with the points she had cost Larkspur. Aside from marking the stage as hers in the most beautiful and powerful way for combining the beauty of ice with Mamoswine's raw power, she'd also proven she could play her opponent right into her hands. The brilliance of that was not lost on the judges.
Nor, her opponent, who was now looking rather nervous himself.
"Synthesis!" he commanded. Luckily, the Sunny Day wasn't close to running out yet. As such, Leafeon was able to recover quite a lot of energy.
They were going to have to wait out the Sunny Day, then, Dawn realized. As strong as Mamoswine was, they weren't going to be able to make enough critical, super effective hits to cancel out a Sunny Day charged Synthesis being spammed. Though, the judges would eventually take off points for that. Still, they were racing against the clock.
Knowing she had to keep Mamoswine's new move hidden, Dawn pointed down. "Mamoswine, Dig!" Though her smile wasn't as wide now, it was only because she had her game face on. Brows furrowed, she still looked to be enjoying the match immensely.
The Pokémon disappeared under the stage. Well, they were going to have to do some cleaning up after this, huh? No matter; if they could clean up after that Nidoking's Earth Power, they could handle this, too.
"Leafeon, stay on guard! Use Leaf Blade as soon as it comes through!"
"Lea!" the Eeveelution barked back.
Soon, Mamoswine burst out of the ground right under Leafeon. However, the little grass type braced against it, ears and tail glowing green in defense. Mamoswine's tusks couldn't break through the Leaf Blade used defensively, unfortunately, so the two moves canceled each other out. However, Leafeon did have to propel itself up and away from Mamoswine.
That left it open to attack.
Dawn didn't miss her opportunity. "Ice Fang!" She pumped a fist into the air out of enthusiasm.
Mamoswine, not about to give Leafeon one moment of rest, tossed the grass type back into the air with his tusks.
The bluenette crossed her arms, a little confused herself. "Huh… I thought for sure it would have frozen by now."
"Leafeon can't! She's got Leaf Guard! As long as Sunny Day's going, we're fine! We can outlast you!"
He might be right about that, Dawn supposed. However, upon looking up, a smug grin crept back onto her face. She pointed up, a hand on her hip. "Yeah… Probably. But, can you outlast your Sunny Day?"
Larkspur's face paled as he looked up. The Sunny Day was fading.
"Hidden Power," Dawn commanded with glee.
"Dodge it!" Larkspur cried.
Leafeon did so successfully, though it was clear the grass type was strained once more.
"Synthesis!"
Dawn noted the way Leafeon stood still. Time to attack. "Ice Fang! Bear down on them!"
Mamoswine did as told, approaching the Leafeon at the end of its Synthesis and pinning it under his icy tusks.
"Leaf Blade for defense!"
The limbs went up just in time to keep Mamoswine from about crushing the smaller Pokémon. However, the sunlight was fading and frost could be seen traveling down those glowing green limbs. With Larkspur just barely behind points in Dawn and falling as Leafeon turned into an icy statue, was there any hope for recovery for him?
Well, the time running out settled that. Just as Leafeon's head was beginning to frost, the match ended.
"She's become quite the wily Vulpix, folks, but she's our winner for this match! Give a big round of applause for Dawn and make sure to cheer her on in the next round!"
"Dawn came out of that without breaking a sweat," Ash noted, looking on in awe. "The guy wasn't bad, but he wasn't getting anywhere staying on the defensive." One thing was for sure, though. The girl that had at one point been a greenhorn herself had come a long way in coordinating.
Lillian raised a fist. The first battle rounds had gone by swimmingly. Particularly, two contenders had really caught the audience's eye: Dawn, who had originally started off as a fireball of energy in her first contest, was now looked upon as a cunning and elegant coordinator; and, Quijote, who was previously known for his narcissistic nature but who, in this contest, was proving that every inch of his pride was well earned.
"Let's get excited, folks! The Sly Vulpix from Sinnoh will face off against the Full Force Fighter of Vermillion! The match between Dawn and Quijote Mancha will now begin!"
Dawn wasn't sure how she felt about that title. Still, at least she was getting recognition, now. Kanto would know her name by the end of this. "Mamoswine, spotlight!" she began, tossing her Pokéball up.
"Seaking, time to rule the stage!" Quijote called. "Give 'em a Waterfall!"
He wasn't waiting around! Dawn's eyes widened in slight panic as a torrent of water was summoned, slamming down onto Mamoswine before the ice type had really oriented himself on stage. Seaking's entrance had been very flashy, and the judges didn't forget that. Dawn had points deducted.
It didn't help that Dawn saw Mamoswine flinch. He'd need a moment to recover...
Quijote was all too happy to take advantage of that. "Megahorn!"
"Mamoswine, use Hidden Power!" He would be slow to recover, but she wasn't going to be a sitting duck for anyone!
The Hidden Power transformed into water and didn't do much to slow down Seaking. The Goldfish Pokémon burst straight through the bubble.
However, it cost Quijote a few points. The sparkling water splashing over Seaking won the judges over a bit.
More importantly, it bought Dawn the time they needed to get a breather. "Ice Fang!" A bit of relief went through her. There was no way the Seaking could slow itself down right now. It had flung itself right at Mamoswine, after all.
"Hmph. Use Scald instead!"
The burning hot water melted off the sheen of ice that Mamoswine had built up. The Ice Fang was nullified and Seaking bounced off, mostly unharmed. The ruined Ice Fang cost Dawn points.
This was too unpredictable, she decided. She needed to see what her opponent could do. He was strong, sure, but how strong? What were his tactics? "Mamoswine, use Dig!"
Happy to get some relief from his fast, fishy assailant, Mamoswine dug under the stage hastily.
"You're using all the same moves! You've got to attack me head on, stupid! I know all your tricks!" Quijote boasted. "Seaking, flush 'em out with Surf!"
"Why, you…!" Dawn hissed, seething momentarily before remembering where she was. She had to hold her tongue, and keep her cards hidden until the last minute. She watched silently as Mamoswine's Dig was spoiled. He had to come up for air, not really aiming to attack.
Besides, right now, they were on the defensive.
"Megahorn!"
"Counter with Ice Fang!"
Though his breathing was labored, Mamoswine was able to fend off Seaking's threatening horn with his tusk. Thankfully, the judges seemed impressed this time. Even as the ice coating his tusk cracked under Seaking's pressure, the shimmer of it cost Quijote some points.
Waterfall, Megahorn, Scald, and Surf, Dawn counted off. That was four moves! None of those could stop what Dawn had planned. She just had to goad Quijote into using Surf again. Until then, she had to keep Mamoswine moving so he wouldn't be an easy target. Thankfully, the last Surf left plenty of puddled water on stage.
"Mamoswine, same as last time! Use Ice Fang on the floor!" she cried.
Mamoswine nodded before touching down, creating numerous ice paths for himself.
"Gonna meet us head on, huh? Fine! Seaking, use Megahorn, again," Quijote growled.
"Haha, whoa, no," Dawn chattered nervously. "Mamoswine, use the Freight Train style to dodge it."
Sending himself sliding, Mamoswine's speed vastly outdid Seaking's. The big ice type glided out of the way thanks to his ice.
Quijote gritted his teeth when he saw his opponent smile in satisfaction. Even worse, the judges seemed to think that big lummox sliding around was cute! "Seaking, hit 'em with a Waterfall!"
"Freight Train out of the way," Dawn called, throwing out an arm in a suggested direction. Her smile was up. She could see Quijote getting pissed. Hopefully the goading was working. Even better, the judges were still taking points from him since Mamoswine was lifting his legs at her encouragement, mimicking Buneary's usual gracefulness on the ice.
He'd had enough. "Seaking, Scald those paths. This isn't a circus."
Dawn gulped. Oh, boy. They were in for it now. Ignoring the points the judges awarded Quijote at her expense for how cool the steam from all of that looked, Mamoswine was cornered now!
"So clever you turned out to be! How's it feel to be cornered?" Quijote taunted. "Seaking, use Surf!"
Dawn let out a huge sigh of relief upon seeing the massive wall of water starting on Quijote's side of the stage, Seaking riding it all the while. "Heheh," she chuckled. "I wouldn't know." Pointing forward, she suddenly looked fierce and commanding. "Blizzard!"
Mamoswine's fur bristled and he braced himself, eyes shut tight from effort. Opposite side of the Surf headed for him, a massive ice storm brewed on stage. The audience shivered a bit. However, the real trouble was headed for Seaking. The storm and the sea met in the middle. The waters slowed, ice chunks forming in them. The further into the Blizzard attack that Surf and Seaking ventured, the more ice developed. Soon, even Seaking was feeling the effects!
The tidal wave finally stopped just inches short of Mamoswine's snout. The brute was very pleased with himself upon opening his eyes, snorting.
Quijote's jaw dropped. A Blizzard that strong… What did she do for training? Who did she train with?! Where?! "Argh! No matter! Seaking, use Scald aga -"
"That's the match!" Lillian interupted. "Quijote, you're out of points," she said apologetically. It was true. The huge, glimmering ice sculpture on stage settled it. They'd been battling each other intensely and all the little exchanges had added up, but Dawn's gutsy risk paid off big time.
With that awkwardness handled, Quijote finished his order. "Seaking, use Scald." Though the battle was over, Quijote still needed to return his Pokémon. He did so quickly, walking off stage in embarrassment.
Dawn ran over to Mamoswine, petting him atop his snout and sneaking a poffin out of her pocket. "Act right," she hissed when he got overzealous eating it.
"Dawn!" Lillian called out.
The coordinator jumped out of her skin, not wanting her partner's snacking to be seen. "Y-Yes?"
"Why don't you come over so you can accept your ribbon. After all, you're our winner! You and Mamoswine did wonderfully together, and we can't forget that Absol you started out your appeal with!"
Mr. Contesta walked up, ribbon gleaming from within a velvet presentation box. "Dawn, it is with great pleasure that we of the Celadon City Contest Judgement Committee award you this ribbon! Please keep giving us thrills and chills!"
"Thank you!" she said, graciously accepting her award. She looked back at Mamoswine. He was too large to stand on the end of the stage with her, but he winked at her. If this performance didn't get her merchandise, she didn't know what would. "It's been a pleasure competing here!"
Todd clicked away through all the pictures he'd taken with his digital camera, eager to see what would turn out to be a good shot. Dawn, meanwhile, hovered near him, trying to see herself or her Pokémon in his shots.
"Well, that was sure something!" Ash cheered, stretching his arms. Rosa clapped in agreement on his shoulder while Pikachu chirped from where he made himself cozy on Empoleon's head. "That Quote-y guy was intense."
"There were a lot of good scenes from the contest. The end of your match is probably going to be my crown jewel," Todd noted as he looked down on the phone.
Dawn let out a happy squeal. "Oh, there I am, in the corner!" The coordinator finally backed off, pumping both fists. "This has got to be it! I'll be well known for sure!"
Ash couldn't help but chuckle. "Well, you took a risk and it might be worth it. But, didn't you say you wanted to pick up some merch with Zoey's face on it?"
"Right! Oh, and I wanted to go visit the Game Corner… How about after your gym battle?" Dawn suggested.
"Yeah. We should practice for Rosa's contest soon, too, right?"
However, their conversation was broken by a jingle. Ash looked around before realizing it was his cell phone. No one ever really called that. "Uh, sorry guys, I wanna take this. I'll catch up, alright?"
"If you're sure. Well, come on then, Todd! Maybe they'll have some stuff for you, too!" Dawn enthused, pulling the man along.
"I would like some Smeargle stuff," he supposed.
Empoleon waved to Pikachu as the little electric type hopped back to his trainer. With that, Empoleon waddled off after Dawn, too.
After watching his friends run off, Ash picked up his phone. "Hey! How was your trip?"
Todd hummed as he looked through the plushie booth next to the stall selling all of the coordinator goods. Empoleon was looking hungrily down the rows at a food vendor; it smelled briney down there.
"Hm… Todd, would it be creepy if I got a notebook with my friend's face on it? Maybe I should just get a keychain… Then again, I really only have a key to my house," Dawn mulled.
"It's your choice," he flippantly replied before finally spotting what he'd been looking for. "A Smeargle!"
She put her hands on her hips, a little insulted he'd ignored her question for his own obsession. "Why don't you just catch one?"
Todd gulped. "... Uh, don't wanna."
"What?! You're clearly enamored with them." She paused. "... Hey, I haven't seen a PokeDex on you. Todd, are you even a trainer?"
"Hey, we all have our secrets!" he snapped, slamming the money for his plushie down on the table before snatching it up and heading off.
Dawn rolled her eyes, picking up the notebook before deciding to grab a set of Pokéball polishing rags with various Champion's primary Pokémon on them. "Not all of us have secrets!" she argued as she trailed after him.
"Yes, everyone does," he insisted.
"Nuh-uh. Ash and I tell each other everything."
"Everything?" Todd inquired, turning to look at her while raising a brow.
"Yes, every - " She paused, thinking about the secret she was keeping. But, that was fair, right? He wasn't keeping any secrets from her and she was only waiting for the right time to tell him that she liked him. That was completely fair! Still, now she was blushing. "... I guess you've got a point."
Unsure of what he'd done to shame her, but glad she let his own issues go, Todd focused on more important things. Raising his camera, he snapped a photo of Empoleon eating a very salty looking riceball.
"... Where did you get that?!" Dawn shrieked. "Did you pay for it?! Now we've gotta go back and apologize and pay for it!"
"Empooooo!"
"... Say, where's Ash?" Todd realized. "I've got to get going, and I wanted to say goodbye."
As Dawn tried to snag the half eaten rice ball from her now very tall starter as his punishment, she grunted out an answer. "Probably battling someone. He'd let us know if something came up." Giving up, she shook her head. "I'll tell him you said goodbye, if you want."
"That works. Alright, see you, Dawn! Good lu-"
"Back!" A familiar voice called, followed by a cry of "Pika!" to greet the group once more. Ash dashed in before coming to a halt, growing conscious of the fact that he was yelling rather loudly in public. "Sorry 'bout that. Did I miss anything?"
"Well, Empoleon here decided to have a snack without paying for it." Dawn deadpanned, eyeing her shameless starter. "I'm gonna go handle that at the register." With that, Dawn turned to approach the cashier, planning to beg for their forgiveness.
"And, I was getting ready to leave, just about now. I've got to submit these pictures soon, if I want them to be the ones used as highlights!" Snap added. "It's been really nice getting to catch up with you, though, Ash. And, your friend."
Ash's eyes followed Snap's, a chuckle leaving him as he watched Dawn try to goad her starter into an apology. "Yeah, you, too! Shame ya have to go so soon, but it's been fun!"
Snap!
The sound of a shutter went off, along with a bright flash. A startled Pikachu's heart jumped, ears shooting up, and cheeks crackling with electricity.
Try as he may, Ash could do nothing to hold off the electric onslaught.
"Chu!" Pikachu shrieked, the startled mouse unleashing a torrent of electricity upon Ash and Snap, pained yelps gaining the attention of the entire store. As if the flashes of gold weren't enough.
"Huh?" Dawn craned her neck, just barely catching the end of the Thunderbolt. She shook her head, exasperated. "Unbelievable… Looks like you actually did me a favor, Empoleon."
"Pol!" The Pokémon chirped, proud of himself.
"That doesn't mean you're off the hook."
Meanwhile, a soot-covered Ash groaned in pain before shooting a look at the cameraman. "What's the big idea, huh!?"
"You've gotta understand… That was a perfectly natural shot of Pikachu! He didn't see it coming; I just had to take it!"
"Yeah, no kidding, he didn't… Way to get us roasted. You alright, buddy?" He reached to scratch behind his companion's ear, soothing his shaken composure.
"Chu…" Pikachu sighed, neglecting to glare daggers at Snap. Seems some things never changed.
"Yeah, well… Ah! My camera!" Snap gawked in horror, his device crackling with leftover static. "If this is ruined, I'm finished…! Uh, I'll see you guys later! I'll send you the pictures! Adios!" The overzealous teen sputtered out, rushing out the away from the stall-lined boulevard before the contest hall with nary a moment to spare.
"Uh… See ya," Ash trailed off, exchanging a smile with Pikachu. Spotting Dawn then, he let out a sheepish chuckle. It was painfully obvious that the group had attracted some attention. "Eheh… You ready to go?"
"We are. The cashier was pretty understanding; he even let us buy a few more snacks for Empoleon!" She rested a hand on her hip, giving the teen a sly smile. "The better question is, are you alright to leave?" Ash's blackened figure was obviously noted.
Coughing up some soot at quite an inopportune moment, he nodded. "I'll be fine. Let's head to the Pokémon Center! I wanna see what Snap sends us when he gets the chance."
Without further incident, the group made it to the Pokémon Center. After grabbing some grub that was being offered complimentary to their stay, the duo relaxed for a bit. Ash polished off both his portion and Todd's, since the photographer never actually checked out, in between tending to the Pokémon in his party while Dawn decided to turn them over to the nurse for group feeding, given that Mamoswine wouldn't fit in the room at all.
"I'm going to go check my email," Dawn announced as Ash took care to keep Rosa's Pokéchow separate from the poffins Dawn had given her. "Maybe Todd's pictures will be there."
Lo and behold, with a bit of poking around, she'd come across a message from the eccentric photographer. "Hey, there it is!" The bluenette beamed, clicking on the files that had been sent along with it. Along with a few shots of other competitors were shots of Dawn and her Pokémon - during both the appeal and the battle rounds! Absol's round was every bit as spooky and chaotic looking as she'd hoped, and the battle shots were rather dynamic. He'd… Even gotten a snap of her fury from when Quijote had insulted her. How embarrassing…
Fortunately, fixing up the pup's meal didn't take long. "Hey, let me see!" Ash chimed, running over to peer over his companion's shoulder. "Hey, check it out! He did a really good job. The contest looks great!" Ash leered through some of the more action-y shots, satisfied with Mamoswine's successful attacks, along with the devastating Blizzard counter he'd pulled off.
Beyond those were the appeal shots. Absol looked absolutely - Ash belly-laughed at the play on words - terrifying! With wild snow-white fur, leering red eyes, all amongst the storm, it was a sight he knew he'd never want to meet face-to-face.
Up next was a shot that captured both Absol and Dawn, towards the beginning of their combination. Razor Wind had just begun to stir, Absol's horn letting loose a shining gust. Next to her was Dawn, standing firm with an arm out and a bold expression. Her blue locks, normally carefully managed and hanging, were thrown about by the gust. That bold confidence… It looked cool on her, Ash couldn't help but note. "Hey, you look pretty damn good here," he remarked without a thought.
Dawn at first accepted the compliment with her typical vain flair. However, after a second, her brain processed who had said it, she barely muffled a squeak and turned her head so fast to look at him that her hair whipped around her. "You mean it? Thank you!" Her gaze lingered on his, her cheeks lightly dusted with a faint tinge of rose. Her lashes fluttered, eagerly awaiting his response with baited breath.
Likewise, it took Ash a few moments, and a bit of extended eye contact for him to reach the same realization. "Uh… Yeah, well…!" Had he really just said that out loud? That wasn't like him at all! His shoulders locked, eyes wide and breath hitched as he scrambled for a proper response. "Oh, right! There's someone we gotta see now, c'mon!" He scrambled to attend to Pikachu and the others, who'd thankfully finished their meals by now. Lest he had to explain that conversation. "We gotta get moving, guys. C'mon, Dawn! We're gonna be late!"
"Late for what?" she squeaked, a bit upset that he'd blown off their moment, if it even counted as a moment, but all the same rushing out of the room and towards the counter. She had to have her Pokémon, after all!
Ash chased after her, all his Pokémon returned except for Pikachu. "You'll see!"
