Thanks everyone, for tuning in for our 50th chapter! We appreciate your attention and feedback tons, and would love to hear what you think of this update! Unfortunately, real life events have made writing a little difficult, so chapter updates might be a bit sporadic compared to our usual schedule. Not to worry, though, the story's still being written and the uploads will still continue! We hope you enjoy what we have in store.
The day of the Wallace Cup had finally arrived. With triumphant fanfare and streamers abound, the city was alive with celebration. Dawn and Ash walked among the crowd of contestants headed into the stadium that would serve as the battle grounds for today's contest. The crowd was amassed behind Wallace. Whoops and cheers for the Contest Master made Ash swear he was going to go deaf.
As Pikachu stood atop Ash's head, trying to keep a good eye out on everything that was happening, Ash grabbed Dawn's hand.
"You ready?" he double checked.
Dawn nodded, catching a glimpse of Ciara and Kenny walking together out of the corner of her eye. "I am." She grinned upon seeing Ciara duck and blush at something Kenny had said, the boy laughing at her reaction.
"A lot of people from your other contests are here," Ash noted, pointing blatantly at Quixote who was marching a few paces ahead of them.
Dawn looked out for Ember since she seemed to trail behind the guy, but didn't see the girl. "I wonder who's gonna show up."
Soon, they were entering the arena. A gaggle of Nurse Joys-some rather young looking, reserves perhaps?-stood there, ready to register everyone for the Wallace Cup. Dawn spotted Larkspur among the crowd and felt a little comforted. That little fellow had done his best before.
"Well, I guess this is it." Ash patted Empoleon on his chest before giving Dawn a thumbs up. "I'll try to get a seat up close, okay? Do your best!"
"No need to worry!" Dawn assured. With that turned around, ready to register-
-And, came face to face with her least favorite rival.
"Maddox."
The man seemed rather unbothered by her callous tone. "Hey! Little blue. Still rumblin' to your own rhythm?"
"..." What the heck was he asking?
The man laughed. "Aw, I see! Fat cat's stage game's got you all riled up. Don't worry none. Whether or not the man sees it, you're what you are." He waved at Dawn before moving towards the backstage area. "Rock what you've got!"
"... Weirdo," Dawn muttered before walking to the counter to register.
The spotlights focused in on Lilian as she gestured to the crowd. It was necessary in the coming darkness of sunset. From where Ash sat, second row but dead center to the action, he grew anxious with eager anticipation.
"And, now-the man, the myth, the miraculous: Wallace!" One of the screens which would later enlarge the stage's contenders for the audience flashed with a particularly well staged photo of Wallace. He looked to be in the middle of a gym battle. "A gym leader!" Another photo flashed of him, this time holding a ribbon; particularly, it was the Aqua Ribbon. "You know him! You love him! Now, help me greet him. Here's-"
The audience finished for her. "WALLACE!"
With a terrific Dragon Pulse, Wallace's Milotic arose from the water. The crowd grew even wilder. This prompted Milotic to use Safe Guard and then Twister. Just as the water was whipped up into a fury, so was the crowd. The serpent finished up its introduction with Aqua Ring. The move circled it before being burst. This ring of water hit the Twisters, quelling them as well.
At some point during all of this, Wallace had replaced Lilian on the stage. He drew back the crowd's attention just by being there after the water settled. With the sunset's orange light glinting off the water, it only added to his dazzling appearance.
"Good evening, Kanto!" Wallace greeted.
The crowd yelled back fondly.
"It is my pleasure to host this year's Wallace Cup on Cinnabar Island!"
Meanwhile, behind the stage, the coordinators all reacted.
"Oh, isn't he a dreamboat?" Ember cooed.
For once, Dawn was in agreement with her. "His Milotic's graceful as ever…!"
Quixote nodded in agreement. "Truly, Wallace is the epitome of machoness with grace! Class with power! Action with aesthetics!"
Back on stage, Wallace was beginning to wrap up his introduction. "I am here to find out who has the most appeal in all of Kanto. Won't you show me?"
Lilian jogged back onto stage. "Thanks, Wallace! Now, contenders and audience, Wallace will be one of our guest judges for the evening! He will be joining Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, and the breeder Suzie!"
All three of the other judges waved.
"Now, let's begin!"
"A breeder named Suzie!?" Ash's eyes turned from Wallace at the mention of the name. "That sounds super familiar… Lemme see." Trying to ignore the waving hands and ear-splitting cheers, Ash narrowed his eyes to peer at the judges' stands. "Wallace, Contesta, Sukizo… Aha! It is her!"
"Pika-Pika~!" Pikachu jumped up on his trainer's head, prompting a yelp as the latter's red cap was pushed down over his face. His eyes sparkled at the sight of their old friend. A tall, porcelain-skinned, green-haired woman, wearing what he could only assume to be the highest fashion.
"Heyyy! Suzie!" "Pika-Pikachu!" The two shouted, waving over their heads to the judge.
Needless to say, they were drowned out by the crowds.
"Aw, she'll never hear us from here." Ash folded his arms over his chest. "She must've come a long way to be a Wallace Cup judge, though… We'll just have to catch up once things calm down, later!" Satisfied with his plan, the trainer smiled widely to himself. "For now, let's watch Dawn whoop some butt!"
"Aaand, we'll be starting with a familiar face at the Wallace Cup! Our first contestant is a former winner of the Aqua Ribbon from the Sinnoh Region: Dawn!"
The curtains began to part, and the crowd erupted in cheers. Fans of the contest scene, old and new, were riled up for the hype of a former winner. Here and there, cheers of the Sinnoan girl's name erupted amongst the noise. For sure, it was a strong note to start on.
Just as Ash was shouting himself hoarse, a rattling pokeball on his hip catching his attention, followed by a bright burst of light in his face. The shine took the form of a Riolu in his lap.
Rosa gawked with glee as she spotted the bluenette on stage. She'd popped up the second she heard the girl's name from inside her ball. Dawn was doing something, she was doing something!
Which brought something to mind…
She spun back to Ash, bearing a look of hurt. ~Hey! Why didn't'cha tell me Dawn was up, huh!?~
Looking uneasy, as did Pikachu, Ash scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry, but… The thing is…"
The pokemon blinked, feeling the color leaving her face. Or, at least it would, if it weren't covered with fur. All those raucous cheers and obnoxious shouts… All those countless faces… Her tiny heart began to pound, her head spinning with an overflow of sounds and images.
"That's why," Ash stuttered, lightly stroking her ear with his thumb. "You're fine, you're fine… Those people aren't important. All that matters is Dawn. Try to focus on her and the stage, okay? Just watch her do her appeal and have fun!"
"Pika, Pika. Pikachu." Pikachu, who had been forced to share the space in Ash's lap, lightly stroked her with the broad end of his tail. Nothing else mattered right now. It was just time to enjoy the sights of all of these appeals!
Rosa's eyes fell shut, a deep breath leaving her. She turned back towards the stage, just in time to watch Dawn reel back her pokeball. If she could just focus on this… ~D-do it, Dawn!~
She clutched pokeball tightly, walking into the bright circle of light on the stage. "Spotlight, Clefairy!" Dawn called, tossing the pokeball up into the air. The fairy type appeared in a burst of energy before Dawn caught the pokeball again. The coordinator focused on smiling as Clefairy landed before her on the ground, both of them waving to the audience. Still, how bright the sky was still even as the sun was finishing setting was concerning. Would Clefairy's Moonlight be effective?
She couldn't let that deter her. "Let's take a stroll with Magical Leaf!" she ordered, raising her hands up.
Clefairy stood before Dawn, mimicking the motion. A flurry of leaves darted in from the left and right of Clefairy, parting around her. The muted iridescent sheen over them reflected the fading light of day ever so slightly, making them look as if they were purple and red.
No slouch, Clefairy began walking after her leaves. She eventually stepped off of the platform and onto her leaves. In reality, she was just floating as Clefairy were known to do, but between her careful choreography of the Magical Leaf attack and her foot placement, it did look as if she were riding the leaves over the water.
A surge of relief rushed over Dawn as she noticed the water only barely reflected the show above. It was dark! The contrast could only work in her favor.
"Now, use Moonlight!"
Clefairy twirled, creating an artificial moon. The light of it followed the tiny pink dancer as she stepped from one cluster of leaves to another.
By now, the crowd had become completely silent. The sun's light had, thankfully, completely faded away. Aside from the dimmed lights of the stage Dawn stood on, there was nothing to distract from Clefairy's moonlit dance. A slightly chilly evening breeze only lent to the appeal's serenity. Dawn could see Clefairy's wide smile and hear her soft singing even from here.
"Clefairy, Clefairy!" she sang, recalling the full moon festivities of her clan back in Mt. Moon.
Dawn stepped to the edge of the platform. "Now! It's time for the finisher! Use Moon Blast!"
Raising her hands once more, Clefairy swayed back and forth over her ever tightening collection of leaves. Her mini moon above, however, began to descend. Hushed whispers and oohs could be heard from the crowd as the attack fell faster and faster. Soon, it crashed into the water. The light of it lasted for moments more, making the water that splashed up glitter like milk over ink. The dying light of Clefairy's false moon was forgotten as the crowd looked back to Clefairy.
In the time the attack had taken to execute, the fairy had flown back over to Dawn. The coordinator held Clefairy closely, winking at the crowd in time with the pink pokemon.
There was a brief pause before Lilian spoke up. "What truly inspired performance from Dawn and her Clefairy! I couldn't tell what was brighter-Clefairy's smile or her Moonlight attack!"
Mr. Suziko clapped adamantly. "What a positively pleased pokemon! Remarkable!"
"I could tell this routine was tailored to this pokemon," Mr. Contesta commented.
Suzie nodded her head. "Clefairy seems well taken care of, with her needs and wants both valued by her trainer."
Wallace smiled up at Dawn. "She certainly knows how to work the water. Impressive, but I think I should expect that from her!"
"That's a favorable review from the judges there!" Lilian concluded. "Alright, Dawn, thank you for your appeal! Let's let you and your Clefairy have a rest."
Smiling from ear to ear, Dawn dipped her head to bow dramatically to the crowd, turning to make her way backstage next. With all of that positive fervor, she was satisfied.
"We made a huge impression, with that one! You were amazing, Clefairy." Free of the public's eye, she pulled the tiny pink pokemon into a hug. "I'm glad we got to discover the way you want to do things."
"Clefairy!" The pokemon threw her stubby arms around Dawn's neck, elated. Throwing the full influence of the mood over her head and dancing below it, especially with all of the warm, welcoming applause… Truly, it'd been exactly what she'd wanted!
"Now, let's get backstage and watch the rest of the appeals. They'll have to be pretty amazing to win the spotlight back from us." Dawn winked, walking the pokemon back towards the locker room.
The master of ceremonies spoke up again over the microphone. "Up next is the unmatched Maddox!"
The crowd seemed to give a mixed reaction. Hardcore fans of the man and his scene reacted with jubilation. Others who had no idea who he was only seemed confused. People who knew who he was but resented his rebellious ways dared to even hiss or refuse him applause in a chilly act of disapproval.
Not that Maddox minded, of course. He stepped onto the stage, releasing his Granbull. "Alright, let's rock and roll with Outrage!" he yelled.
As quick to act as he was prompted, Granbull threw his fists, sending off brilliant blue bundles of energy with fiery yellow centers. The energy balls were flung into the night sky rapid fire. Granbull tittered for a moment after firing them, almost confused.
"Play Rough!"
As the dragon type move began falling down, Granbull was ready. With playful kicks, punches, headbutts, and even hip thrusts, the fairy type knocked the Outrage balls back up so that they burst into the air.
"Now, bring it home with Payback!"
The Granbull stomped down, a dark aura overtaking his body before he thrust it out towards the crowd.
Lilian spoke up once it was obvious the coordinator was finished. "Well, there we have it! An explosive performance from Maddox and his Granbull!"
Mr. Contesta shook his head. "It was a very energetic performance, but it was a little dry."
"Granbull sure seemed to be enjoying himself!" Mr. Suziko praised.
Suzie frowned. "Granbull seems a little roughed up…"
Wallace sighed. "While the appeal had the energy we're looking for, the water element wasn't incorporated at all. It's not much of a Wallace Cup without the water."
Maddox seemed shocked as Lilian took over the stage again.
"There you have it, folks! Give a round of applause for Maddox and Granbull!"
"Next up is Ember!" Lilian announced. "She's a petite pink princess!"
As the tall and slender young woman stepped out onto stage to a muted but positive reaction. She wasn't particularly well known, but the audience had no dividing views on her like they had against Maddox.
"Cherubi, let's go!" Ember sing-songed, releasing the little grass type.
"Cheru~bi!" it chimed.
"Alright, Cherubi!" Ember gleefully said, pointing towards their audience. "Use Sunny Day!"
Golden, glimmering sunlight formed over the dark waters, causing it to sparkle where the water crested. Cherubi stepped to the end of the stage, basking in the sunlight.
"Beautiful!" Ember squealed. "Now, go ahead and use Growth!"
Cherubi twirled, its leaf and smaller head swaying in the motion. As it did so, it also grew larger. In fact, Cherubi doubled in size just as quickly as it had spun around! The audience cooed at it, impressed.
"Now that you're large and in charge, give 'em a Solarbeam!"
Singing as it fired the attack, Cherubi stood before a pillar of light. "Cheru~bi!" The water sizzled, superheated by the sudden Solarbeam firing down at it. Through the steam, a faint rainbow could be seen from Cherubi's Sunny Day.
Ember rushed forward, scooping Cherubi up before waving at the audience. "Hehehe, yeah, you did it, Cherubi!"
Lilian took over here. "Well, what a sunny disposition for a summery appeal!"
Suzie furrowed her brows. "That's a petite but pretty Cherubi to go with an equally petite trainer…"
Mr. Contesta crossed his arms in satisfaction. "You've got my blood boiling, but in a good way!"
Suziko picked up on the puns. "I'm simmering with a certain excitement at what else you'll show us."
"Sun and surf are a classic combination, though your routine is a bit, well, routine," Wallace said, his praise mixed with criticism.
"Well, Ember and her Cherubi certainly warmed up to the judges. Let's give them a round of applause!"
"Next up is the daughter of some of Kanto's fire specialist breeders: Ciara! Let's give her a warm round of applause!" Lilian introduced.
Between Ciara's sweet disposition and her slowly blossoming title among her peers, she had gained some fans. They clapped for her, delighted that she was participating despite her clear disadvantage on the stage. The claps turned to coos when the girl walked onto stage.
"Now, Ponyta, charm up!" she half-whispered, releasing her fire type with minimal fanfare.
The crowd's collective smile turned to confusion upon seeing Ciara's Ponyta. The poor pale colt's flames burned low, completely yellow. His knees shook and he looked weak. Despite this, Ciara smiled at him. Whispers began to spread throughout the crowd. Even the judges look worried.
Ciara remained calm, though. "Use Fire Spin!"
Mustering up strength that betrayed his fatigued looks, Ponyta stomped down. A spiral of flames jumped up from his hooves, cloaking him in it. The wall of fire roared loudly in the midst of all the silence in the contest hall on water.
It erupted into applause once the Fire Spin was snuffed out by none other than Ponyta himself-or, rather, what he had become: Rapidash!
"Good job, boy!" Ciara praised. That had been risky, asking him to hold off on evolution like that, but the wear it took on his body to hold back the transformation was worth it. Would anyone else be able to pull off such a feat during the appeals? She was certain to pass onto the next round, she knew it! "Now, use Agility!"
This was the move they had spent so long trying to master. The judges looked on with worry as Rapidash ran straight for the pool-but kept above it! For those that looked closely, they would see a pink glow under Rapidash's hooves. He had mastered the psychic element of the move and used it to propel himself over the water as well as increase his speed.
As a result, the magnificently new stallion was able to canter over the water in long, graceful strides.
"Flame Charge!"
The speed was increased and Rapidash was bathed in flame. Bursts of embers fell behind him, sizzling upon coming into contact with the water. He ran around and around, kicking up water behind him as his canter turned into a full gallop.
"Poison Jab!"
Flexing his muscular neck, the stallion tucked his head in, jabbing at the water he had kicked up. It immediately turned purple. He skidded, causing a crest of water to trail after him. He quickly turned and used his new horn to stab at it, turning that purple as well. It stood between him and the audience and glowed for it, his mane and tail illuminating the brief display.
With that finished, Rapidash quickly cantered back to Ciara side. The girl pet her fire type's muzzle as the crowd whistled and cheered.
Suzie spoke up first. "That was a little risky for the pokemon to restrain evolution through sheer force, but his strength and energy really show you made sure to make sure he was safe!"
Suziko was practically standing in his chair. "Magnificent! A fiery, passionate performance! You and your pokemon have shown your growth!"
Mr. Contesta was a bit more conservative. "I worry this might start an unfortunate trend, but you're extremely talented. I'll warn those not as skilled to not try this maneuver and praise you for it, instead."
Wallace nodded. "Mr. Contesta is right. What you did is risky-only a trainer with a deep bond with their pokemon and knowledge of their limits should try." The man cocked his head and laughed. "Luckily, Suzie and I both see that you fit that category!"
Ciara blushed and bowed before hurriedly leading Rapidash off stage.
Lilian spoke up once more. "Well, the competition is heating up! Let's have one last cheer for Ciara and her Rapidash!"
"I think it's safe to say our contestants are giving us a night to remember!" Lilian shouted, rallying the crowd with the hand holding her microphone thrown in the air. Echoed by a chorus of cheers, she continued. "Now, we'll continue with another coordinator all the way from Sinnoh! Introducing, the suave and sturdy, Kenny!"
The chestnut-haired teenager ran onto the stage, earning a muffled, quiet reaction. No one in Kanto had even seen this guy before. It seemed that, unless you had history at the cup, coming from another region didn't do a coordinator any favors.
But, Kenny wasn't about to be deterred. Holding a pokeball in a tight grip, he grinned before tossing it with all the conviction one would expect of someone who hadn't walked into a silent stadium. "Go, Empoleon! Stir things up with Mist!"
The Emperor pokemon, tall and proud, emerged from his pokeball, parting his beak wide to spray a vast, frosty cloud of mist across the large body of water. Water vapor blanketed the pool, obscuring the arena much like a foggy lake. Without a doubt, it was a potent start.
A few cheers and some chatter could be heard. That display certainly required a good deal of power!
"Now, blow that away, with Flash Cannon!" Kenny ordered with a wide smile, pointing forward.
"Pol~!" Empoleon cried, throwing his wings out as he fired a booming ray of silver, metallic energy from his mouth. A wide sweep of his head blasted the mist from the pool, quickly clearing the arena in an impressive burst of power. Meanwhile, the clearing water glistened from Flash Cannon.
"Good! Now, follow up with Bubblebeam!" Kenny followed, throwing a hand upward.
Empoleon began to spin, firing a dense, swirling cluster of glistening bubbles into the evening sky. Residual glitter from Flash Cannon lived on in the bubbles like a gigantic kaleidoscope.
Kenny watched on with confidence, a fist clenched tight. Everything was going according to plan. Of course, now it was time to wrap things up and really win the masses' favor. "Don't put all of your effort to waste, Empoleon! Get up there and have some fun!"
The water/steel type did just that. With an impressive leap, Empoleon soared into the midst of the bubbles, popping them along the way and twisting through them as he pleased. It was like soaring through a net of bubble wrap! Already enjoying himself, he indulged by spinning through the center of the cluster as he fell back towards the ground. Bubbles were burst and dispersed, finally popping in rapid succession after Empoleon landed.
Pokemon and trainer alike then bowed.
"What an exciting performance from Kenny and Empoleon! Let's hear what the judges have to say about this determined duo!" Lilian announced, lending a raised hand to the judges' table.
Suzie gave a nod of approval. "Kenny's appeal really showed off Empoleon's shiny coat! It's clearly fit, well cared for, and happy to be part of this appeal."
A smile picked up on the creases of 's cheeks. "Plenty of power and passion in your display!"
Suziko picked up on the puns. "Enrapturing, and remarkable!"
Wallace clapped, a gleam in his turquoise eyes. "You did an excellent job of showing your Empoleon's strength, shrouding it in mystery before truly showing its appeal! An excellent use of the arena, as well. Well done."
"Even as an outsider, Kenny has generated plenty of favor from the judges! Let's hear it for him and Empoleon!" Lilian concluded, followed by whoops and cheers from about the stadium.
"And now, time for our next contestant! Macho man and showman, Quixote!"
The haughty coordinator made a dramatic, dashing entrance, skidding to a halt with a self-assured grin. "Let's give them a show, Aggron!"
The gigantic steel type appeared, letting out an earth-shaking cry.
And that was just a preview of things to come. "Use Heavy Slam!"
"Gron!" The pokemon jumped above the stage, crashing back down with a thud.
The stage began to shake and tremble, sending wave after wave over the disturbed waters.
Ash clutched the sides of his seat all the way up in the stands, eyes wide and his mouth equally large. "H-hey, Pikachu… Is it just me, or is the whole stadium shaking?"
"Pika-Pika…!" The mouse's ears stood acute. He could, indeed feel the trembles.
That was worrying.
"Now, show them real power, with Dragon Rush!"
Needless to say, an Aggron launching itself across an open pool of water wasn't a terribly brilliant idea. Instead, the bulky pokemon turned to dip his iron-clad tail in the water. The pokemon let out another metallic cry, his entire body becoming coated in a blazing teal aura.
The draconian power surged through the waters, kicking up a horizontal cyclone that roared from one end of the pool to the other. It soon crested in a crash against the arena walls, parting with a boom.
Split waters ran straight across the aquatic arena, earning a combination of whoops and shouts.
"And, that's a wrap!" Quixote crossed his arms. As did Aggron.
"What sheer force from Quixote and Aggron! Let's hear what the judges think!"
Suzie went first. "A great way of showing off the brutal nature of a steel type. Not to mention, it has quite a lustrous, healthy coat!"
Then, . "A bit straightforward… But I can say for certain it'll be remembered for its strength."
, next. "Earth-shaking, and remarkable!"
Wallace hummed. "You stayed true to the nature of an Aggron. Simple, but beautiful in its strength, and you used the arena to show that quality well. Well done."
Though, the trainer could have made a bit less of a show of himself, he mentally noted.
Finding his own criticism to be the praise of Wallace himself, sheepishly adjusted his bowtie. That was at least a tiny bit humiliating.
"And, there you have it! On to our next contestant!"
"We have another trainer from across the sea! This one is actually a student of sorts under our dearest Wallace. Let's all give it up for Brendan!"
Stepping onto the stage, the trainer-coordinator waved to the audience. The dark skinned youth then released his chosen pokemon. "Rhyperior, let's go! We've got to show Wallace what all we learned from him!"
Ash squinted. A student of Wallace's? Shouldn't he have heard of him? Then again… He wasn't as interested in May's contests back during Hoenn as he should have been. Perhaps he had been there but Ash hadn't noticed.
Regardless, the audience who knew anything of Hoenn contests was excited for Brendan's appeal and the appearance of his bulky pokemon.
"Sandstorm!"
Rhyperior raised its hands, whipping up a heavy sandstorm. Soon, the audience was blinded by it, visually cut off from what was happening with Brendan and his Rhyperior. Their baffled cries were not lost on the trainer.
Unfortunately for them, it was all a part of his plan. Shrouded in his veil, he was able to work in privacy. Only thuds and splashes were able to give away the results of his voice commands. "Stone Edge! Rock Blast!"
After a short time-worryingly long for his fans, who knew it was risky to not let the judges see his pokemon perform-the sand died down.
Before him, a makeshift zen garden had been created in the water. Massive stones from the Stone Edge jutted out of the water while smaller trails formed from Rock Blast trailed between the 'mountains'. The rivers of sand flowed beautifully, clinging to the top of the water.
Most importantly, Rhyperior was at the edge of the tainted pool, carefully raking at the sand-flooded water with his claws as if he were genuinely tending to a zen garden. Brendan stood beside his pokemon, rubbing under his nose and looking proud.
Wallace looked devastated. Brendan had done this on purpose, he was sure of it! "It was a clever way to get in work and give off an air of mystery… But, it completely ruined the pool! Still… Excellent craftsmanship from your pokemon."
Mr. Suziko looked upset just because Wallace was. "It was certainly transformative."
"You took an element that wouldn't have worked with you and made it your ally," Mr. Contesta nodded before grinning. "Impressive."
The breeder looked perplexed before laughing. "Well, that's one way to make a way when there is none! It takes a very well cared for Rhyperior to pull that off!"
Lilian took over then. "Well, that was a colorful appeal from Brendan and his Rhyperior! Why don't you all give them a round of applause before we go into a short intermission. We need to clean the pool out from… All of this."
As Ash collected the trio of pokemon he had out watching the appeals with him, a team of Slowbro was let out into the pool. Some used Psychic to move the large boulders out of the water while others filtered out the sand by pulling a long strip of linen through the water.
"That sure looks like it'll take a while," Ash noted, carrying Rosa in his arms while Pikachu sat on his shoulder. Empoleon walked behind him as they followed the crowd up and out of the stadium seats. "What do you say we grab a snack before we go check on Dawn?"
The three pokemon naturally agreed. With that, they were on their way to the food court.
Meanwhile, Dawn was waiting out the downtime with Ciara and Kenny.
Feeding a poffin to Clefairy, the coordinator turned to her young friend. "Seriously, that was incredible! I can't believe you were able to pull that off with Rapidash."
Ciara blushed. "Thanks! It was really difficult, but Ponyta was the only one I knew who could handle a water challenge like that. Rapidash looked even better than I could hope."
Kenny shook his head. "I still don't know how I didn't see it coming…"
"Well, I made sure not to use Ponyta in front of anyone. Sorry! If it means anything, Rapidash wanted you to be one of the first to see him after all of this. He's really impressed with you, Kenny."
Flattered by Ciara's pokemon's admiration, the Sinnoh native smiled. "I'll praise him once I can. Sound good?"
"Sounds great!" Ciara agreed.
"What sounds great?" Ash asked in greeting before stuffing a handful of buttery popcorn into his mouth. Beside him, Rosa, Pikachu, and Empoleon were doing much the same, scooping out their share from the impossibly ginormous bucket Ash held.
"Hey!" Dawn said, standing up upon seeing them all.
"I'm gonna spend some time with Ciara's pokemon," Kenny clarified.
"Oh! Sounds good." The boy swallowed a salty mouthful. "You guys were all great out there, by the way."
They were about to respond to Ash's praise when a loud banging noise alerted them to the fact that Maddox and Brendan had gotten into it. The Hoenn native was leering up at the taller man, arms flexed powerfully from where he'd slammed Maddox into the lockers lining the waiting room.
"Show a bit of restraint, you lummox!" Brendan shouted before realizing the attention they'd gathered. Backing off, the coordinator righted himself.
It looked as if it were taking Maddox every ounce of self-control he had not to retaliate. "Chill out, bro!"
"I will not! You will keep your hands to yourself!"
Quixote stepped forward to Brendan's defense. "That's right, you brute, you ought to-"
"You be quiet!" Brendan commanded. "You riled him up. He has no sense of self control and neither do you!"
"I was just tryna say hey!" Maddox argued.
"And, I was just trying to put this scum in his place!"
As the boys bickered, Ash and company watched on along with the rest of the crowd. The verbal beat down was beginning to thoroughly embarrass Quixote before his peers while it was frustrating Maddox to be talked down to.
Ash whistled lowly. "Whoa," he muttered in awe. "Brendan's certainly rippin' them a new one."
"You're telling me," Dawn agreed.
The near fight was broken up by Ember's squeal. "Oh my gosh, guys! They're done cleaning up the pool! It's time to start the appeals again!"
"Welcome back, folks! We hope you were able to rest a little during our intermission! Without further ado, here's another Kanto contender: Larkspur!"
Walking out onto the stage, it was evident Larkspur looked a little concerned. Despite this, he tried to remain certain for the sake of his pokemon. "Bellossom, it's show time!"
Taking the stage, the little grass type curtsied after being released from her pokeball. "Lossom!"
"Let's use… M-Magical Leaf!"
Behind the stage, Dawn suddenly understood why he seemed so unsure. "We had the same idea…! Oh, no, Larkspur, don't get worried! If you act nervous, the judges will think you stole the idea!" He couldn't hear him, but she hoped he would at least know to try to remain calm.
Back on stage, Bellossom stepped onto her summoned group of glowing leaves. They bowed ever so slightly under her weight as she wasn't able to float above them like Clefairy was. Despite this, she walked out over the water, taking careful, graceful steps like a ballerina.
"Good going," Larkspur praised. "Now, use Petal Blizzard!"
Under the faint, now natural moonlight, Bellossom twirled. A thick curtain of flowing petals was brought into play. Some of the petals whisked around, playing with the edges of Bellossom's skirt. She looked merry and whimsical, like a woodland sprite!
Relief began to flood his system. Larkspur threw his arm out. "Now! Leaf Blade!"
A giant, glowing green sword appeared at the end of Bellossom's hand. She swung it, cutting through her Petal Blizzard. The pink petals fell to the surface of the water, coating it beautifully.
"Good job! Now, come back and clean up with Magical Leaf!"
Running back to her trainer, Bellossom allowed the Leaf Blade to disappear from her grasp. Underneath her, the Magical Leaves she was done stepping on scooped up the petals. As she reached Larkspur's happy embrace, her adornments flew away into the night sky.
Suzie cooed. "Bellossom's petals were so bright and lovely!"
Mr. Contesta seemed torn. "It's a good thing we had an intermission. Still, your appeal was well thought out. Great minds just must think alike!"
couldn't help but say what they were all thinking. "I must say that appeal seemed to mimic a Clefairy earlier…"
"Well, you know how to set yourself apart even when using a similar method. Excellent showmanship and environmental awareness," Wallace praised. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, as well."
Lilian rushed to manage the situation. "Well, after a classic start, Larkspur and his Bellossom set themselves apart in the pack! Let's give them a round of applause for it!"
Once Larkspur got backstage, Dawn caught his attention.
"Hey!"
He flinched. "I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to steal your appeal! We just had the same idea, and-"
"I know, it's fine," Dawn interrupted, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You did great out there." She gestured to where she was sitting. "My friend Ciara's busy with…" Well, what was Kenny to Ciara, anyway? "Prepping, so wanna hang out with me while the last appeals go by?"
Looking delighted, Larkspur regained his calm. "I'd like that a lot. It'd be most respectful and honorable to give our peers the proper attention."
The coordinator giggled as she sat down with Larkspur. "You sure talk proper!" Pointing at the screen, she watched the next appeal. "Oh, yikes. That guy's got a Rapidash, too. They gave you trouble for using one move the same way. It's gonna hurt to see this guy's review."
As the appeal went on, Larkspur similarly cringed. "Dang. Mr. Contesta and Wallace went in on him."
"Suzie wasn't too kind, either…" Dawn mumbled.
"Well, the Rapidash's mane was all red! That's not healthy!" Larkspur pointed out.
"That's true. … Oh, hey! There's a Dewgong out now!"
"Whoa, that's a powerful Ice Beam!" Larkspur looked somewhere between frightened and impressed.
"Hope you and your grass types don't run into that!" Dawn teased, watching as the Dewgong used Brine to throw water into the air. She could almost smell the salt from it backstage!
The boy shuddered. "Ugh, I hope I don't have to battle them… What if their team is all ice types?" He switched to cooing at the northern lights effect that was brought on by the use of Aurora Beam.
"What if it's all water types, though?" Dawn tried to encourage.
"What're you guys up to?" Ciara asked, sitting on the other side of Dawn.
"Just commenting on everyone else," Larkspur answered. "Splash? It's using Splash?!"
"Where's Kenny?" Dawn questioned, then pointing at the Azurill for emphasis. "It's using Charm, now. And, look, Bubble, too! They're trying to play up how cute it is."
"Suzie got onto them since Azurill needed help getting out of the pool…" Ciara noted. "Oh, um…! K-Kenny went to talk to Quixote. I… don't wanna hang out with Ember because she's mean to you and Ash, and she's always around Quixote…"
"Even after their little quarrel?" Dawn asked as a Shedninja came onto stage.
"Aw, just Shadow Sneak and Confuse Ray?!" Larkspur groaned. "That's such a basic appeal! It looks cool, but, like, that's all?! This is the Wallace Cup!"
Ciara shrugged. "I don't know. I just wanna stay away from Ember… She's loud, and pushy, and… And…" She jumped in her seat when the Wailrein roared in his entrance.
Dawn patted the girl's knee. "It's fine."
"Powdered Snow?! And, Hail?!" Larkspur practically squealed, pulling at his hair. "Aw, man!"
"Aw, don't worry, Larkspur. Ciara's a fire type specialist. Even if that thing knows… Blizzard. Wow. That looks tougher than even Mamoswine's blizzard."
Ciara tried to smile at Larkspur. "L-Leave it to me! I'll take down any ice types that get in m-my way… Definitely!"
"Yeah, but my pokemon are grass. You'll beat me, too," the boy pouted.
"Wow, that's quite the Beedrill," Dawn noted. "Maybe it's got an Ariados dad? It sure works fancy with the String Shot."
"Nah, it knows Toxic Spikes," Ciara argued. "There's other moves it could have learned from an Ariados. I think the trainer was just particular about its moves." She whistled lowly. "Quite the Fell Stinger."
"I thought they said your folks were fire specialty breeders?" Larkspur pointed out.
"Just because we specialize in fire types doesn't mean we don't know about common pokemon, too." Ciara gasped. "A Dragonite!"
"It's certainly whipping up a storm," Dawn noted. "Rain Dance made Hurricane and Thunderbolt perfectly accurate. Intense."
"I feel sorry for the first row of the audience," Ciara mumbled.
"They're probably expecting it," Larkspur argued. "I mean, check out this Krabby. It's using Bubble. Look, this kid up front is loving it."
"There have been an awful lot of water types… There's been so many I haven't even had commentary on them all," Dawn admitted. "Oh hey, it's a Pi-oh, it's not her."
"Her?" Ciara asked.
"There's this girl that I've competed against a few times. She had this Pikachu. That's not her or her Pikachu, though."
"... Are Pikachu supposed to know Heart Stamp?" Larkspur asked, raising a brow.
Dawn shrugged. "My Empoleon knows Headbutt, and I don't think they're supposed to know that."
"Ah… That's the end of the appeals. They're gonna put up the people who made it through now." Ciara crossed her fingers.
In the audience, Ash shifted. He, Pikachu, Rosa, and Empoleon all watched the big screens with anticipation. Several unfamiliar faces plastered the screen. Then, he spotted them: Ciara and Dawn!
"She made it!" Ash cheered, standing up in his seat. "I see Kenny!" His friends all made it through! Some other familiar faces did, as well, but those three were Ash's focus.
"Look at that, guys… They all made it through. That means we'll see them all in the battle rounds!" The trainer grinned, clutching the knees of his jeans.
"Pika-ka!" Pikachu gushed, waving his paws in celebration.
~Go, Dawn!~ Blue paws with grey markings were held above the Riolu's head. With all of the pretty appeals, the surrounding crowd from before had nearly become invisible!
Tomorrow, the real excitement of the Wallace Cup would be in full-swing.
