"There… Now, why don't you give us a little spark? Nice and gentle." A soothing, deep voice coaxed, belonging to a man who held a tiny conductor to both of Pikachu's sunset-colored cheek pouches. The ball-ended tips were gently pressed to the mouse's fur.
"Pika," he nodded, shifting a bit atop the coffee table in the middle of the Ketchum home's living room. He tensed his little paws, channeling a small gathering of golden sparks through his electric sacs. "Pi," he muttered, sending a charge through the unobtrusive electrical coils. His ears perked at the quiet, but persistent beeping of Brock's device that sat upon the table.
A tiny red needle bounced and favored one measuring line after the next, indecisive in its movements, like a disoriented Tauros fooled by the tail end of a Thrash attack. Pikachu's black beady eyes followed the measuring tool, though, he had no earthly idea what its readings meant.
"All done," Brock hummed, retracting the coils from Pikachu's personal space, greatly putting the mouse at ease. A loud huff said as much, and his body language loosened.
"Sorry about that, Pikachu. We're done, now. You've been good," Brock reassured, gently stroking the mouse.
Whatever had gone down had left him positively panicky around medical instruments.
"Pika-Pika," Pikachu acknowledged, rubbing the back of his head. It wasn't Brock's fault, and he knew that well. But, his pounding heart rushing blood through his body said otherwise. He retreated into Ash's lap, nuzzling into his shirt. He was satisfied to feel Ash cradling his yellow form.
"Hm…" Brock hummed, his brows furrowing at the Voltammeter that sat before him. "That's odd, though."
"What's odd?" Ash challenged, securing Pikachu in his grip. Nothing else could be bothering Pikachu, right now. Any health issue that threatened his companion would have to come through him, first!
Brock's lips pursed. Ash's aggressively defensive behavior was unsettling. "Pikachu's charge. It's unusually intense."
"Well, we know that," Ash scoffed, making a face at the notion. "Pikachu's super strong, you know that!"
"That's not it. I'd expect his output to be on the high side, but his total output isn't the issue. His discharge was erratic, even in a tiny, controlled dose of electricity. Unless it's an entirely inexperienced electric type, like a Pichu, an electric type shouldn't have that kind of trouble."
"Pikachu's plenty good at controlling his attacks," Ash vouched. "So, what're you saying?"
"Pika-Pika!"
"It just means that he's anxious," Brock explained. "His heart rate was bit high, too. That nightmare must've given him a real scare."
"Pika…." Pikachu agreed, sitting down atop the smoothly furnished table. Another unpleasant dream housed by dimly lit hallways and haunting figures boasting bold, red "R's". Waking up in Ash's arms did help, as did breakfast. But, the consistent haunting dreams still left him jittery.
"I've had a few of 'em, myself," Ash complained, folding his arms behind his head.
"I could imagine." The eldest of the three nodded. "Well, that's no fun. I could at least give Pikachu a therapeutic massage. C'mere, and I'll help you calm down."
"Chu!" Pikachu quickly brightened up to the idea, walking over and plopping himself down in Brock's lap. He was content, as the doctor began to gently massage his scalp. A gentle coo was his note of approval.
"Now, there are some foods that help with controlling moods, so that could help in the long run…" Brock mused. "Ash, do you know if your mom keeps any avocados in the house?"
Ash shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure, but I can check!" He stood, walking into the kitchen before checking the fridge.
"You've had a hard time, huh, lil' guy?" Brock turned his attention back to his patient. "Don't worry. If I know you and Ash, you'll come out strong. These kinds of things aren't easy, but you handle it better than most."
"Pika-Pikachu," the mouse exhaled. "Chu." He sure hoped Brock was right. He didn't want to be unfit to work with Ash forever.
"We've got a few!" Ash announced, holding one in each hand.
"Great! Then, I'll make some guacamole after our exercises. Just hang on tight, you two."
"Exercises?" Ash tilted his head.
The doctor-in-training nodded. "Us aspiring doctors to learn about anxiety in pokemon, but it should work for humans, too. There are a couple mental exercises you can do to soothe your thoughts, and your body with it. If you ask me, you both could benefit from that."
"No arguments there," Ash nodded. "So, shoot, Brocko. What do we have to do?"
"First, I'm going to ask both of you to get comfy and close your eyes; tune out your surroundings."
"Mhm," Ash hummed, leaning back into the sofa. His lids fell shut, and he took a deep breath.
Pikachu mirrored his trainer, leaning into Brock's torso. His massage made that rather easy.
"Now… When it comes to trauma, a big part of what makes you anxious is not having control of a situation. So, let's kick that to the curb. At least, for the moment, for now." Rome wasn't built in a day, and scars didn't heal that quickly, either. "Give yourself control, in your thoughts; think about things and situations that'd make you happy. Keep your mind focused on that."
"Sounds simple enough," Ash supposed. He exhaled again, letting his mind wander off. The satisfying 'ping' a pokeball made upon a successful capture came to his mind quickly. A rush of pride, and the excitement to engage a new friend always had him feel like he was on top of the world.
"Pikachu…" Pikachu drifted into his own thoughts. The gentle nudging of a current, carrying him along in a comfy inner tube. The sweet taste of a fruity drink meant for humans, non-alcoholic in his case, poured out of a tiny glass suited for his paws.
Ash began to sink into the cushions, envisioning one of his mother's scrumptious, welcome-home meals. The loving hospitality and savory morsels always put him at ease, no matter the adventure that preceded it. And, on that note…
Laughing with his pokemon. Swinging Infernape in his arms, embracing Meganium after she'd saved him from a poisonous doom. Watching his Butterfree find love… No, his lips pursed tightly at that one. It was bittersweet. He'd been happy, but… He'd had to let a dear friend go.
Brock raised a brow. "Ash? Did you run into something nasty?"
He shook his head. "It's nothing." He did his best to return to the good times. Watching Butterfree save their hides… That was better. Turtwig chomping on his arm. A flurry of other positive memories. Rosa curling into his chest to nap, when she was just a pup…
When their worst fear was getting chewed out by Riley. That was nice. He was pretty sure he'd let a belly-laugh slip through, when he recalled one of the wisecracks he'd made that turned the guardian's face sour. Heh. 'Sir scolds-a-lot.'
Pikachu's ear bounced, his heart light with memories of his secret escapades with wild pokemon, who dragged him and his companions along on mysterious adventures. When they'd bounce and prance along, only to feign innocence in front of their trainers, as if they hadn't budged an inch.
Ash's mind moved on, then, to more recent endeavors. Playing on the beach with Pikachu, and of course, Dawn. When they scavenged for sea shells, competing for the most interesting find. When what Dawn thought was a beautiful crimson slab was a Krabby's claw, and it spit out a startled Bubble in Dawn's face.
He recalled laughing at the mishap. He remembered Dawn's feigned threats, and her heavy pout. He recalled thinking her angry pout was actually pretty cute, as quickly as that was shoved away. That bold fire in her eyes, pushed down by furrowed blue brows. That intense look gave him butterflies.
Then, that night, after they'd come back from that catastrophe of a date, and she left him with a playful peck on the lips while the pokemon weren't looking. She'd looked so…
"Ash… Ash!"
"Huh, wha!?" Ash lurched forward, startled. "What'd I miss!?"
Brock was giving him a scrutinizing gaze. "That look on your face… I know that look! It's the look of a man made helpless by a woman's beauty," he whispered, careful to keep Delia out of the conversation, should she be browsing about the house. "Those weren't just pleasant memories."
While Ash had been caught in a blissful daze, moments before, his face was heated with shame, now. "Was it really that obvious?" He shrunk into the sofa. "Well, not all of my good memories are about pokemon, y'know," he protested. "Just almost all of them."
Pride swelled in the heart of the former breeder, but for once, he kept his feelings hidden. He had to be responsible. "No one understands you more than me, Ash. But, if you start making expressions like mine, someone's going to catch on! I don't want to get chewed out for being a bad influence."
"Ahaha," Ash laughed, too amused at Brock's fretting to be embarrassed. "Sure thing, man. I'll be careful… But I can vouch that this one's not on you." He reclined back into his thoughts, chasing away any suspect ideas.
In the meantime, Pikachu had gotten a jump start on his daydreaming He thought of omelets with ketchup, a fresh cut berry split by his tail, successfully solving conflicts between other pokemon… And, settling his own. He could never forget the satisfaction, the complete freedom of triumphing in his hardest battles. Edging out over Regice… The thrill, and the pride in his and Ash's work.
Looking into the indiscernible face of the golem, maybe things weren't so…
Things began to shift and squirm, the formidable Regice taking the form of a terrified Sandslash, backing into a corner that they'd both been forced into. His tail twitched as Brandon's sure, strong gaze turned into the demented leer of an overly curious scientist hungrily studying his every move. He began to tremble, and his breaths began to pick up.
A gentle stroke of what he could only expect to be Brock's hand brushed those thoughts aside. Bad idea. He wasn't ready for that, just yet.
Oblivious, Ash had gone back to his own thoughts. Fighting passionate battles with Pikachu at his side, whether it was a haughty Raichu or a legendary pokemon whose presumptions were justified, started as a nice, cozy place. Until he also recalled Pikachu's new reluctance to fight. It saddened him, until he changed his own course. 'Forget battles… We've been through a lot.'
Pokemon and trainer alike had turned their thoughts to the purest topic - their time together.
Befriending one another under Ho-oh's rainbow. Desperately sharing rations when things got tight. Huddling for warmth in unforgiving snow storms. Riding together on Lugia's back. Playing 'Go Corphish' with a worn deck of playing cards on Mt. Silver, viewing the cards at just the right angle via moonlight. Counting and pointing out patterns in the stars.
...Were they both reclining into these thoughts? Ash seemed to feel that his thoughts weren't entirely his own.
Pikachu felt the same.
~Hey, buddy. You thinkin' what I'm thinkin? 'Cause I think you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin'.~
Pikachu's tail twitched. ~Say that three times fast,~ he quipped. But, in all seriousness… ~I think so… Weird, huh?~
~Sure is,~ the trainer quietly agreed. A lightbulb went off in his head then. ~Hey, buddy. You up to cheat this exercise a little? I have an idea.~
A quick vibe of affirmation told Ash all he needed to know.
"Pi! Pika!" Pikachu cried, hopping out of Brock's lap. He stood on the coffee table, exclaiming something or another.
"Huh? What is it, Pikachu?" Brock tilted his head at the mouse. "Did something get to you?"
"Pikachu," he shook his head, before dashing off towards the stairs. "Pika-Pika!"
"I wonder what's up with him," Ash questioned aloud. "Guess we should check it out."
Brock nodded, humming in agreement before following Pikachu, who'd already started to run up the stairs. "Does he have anything up there that keeps him calm? Like a security blanket?"
Ash shrugged as he tagged along. "Not one I've ever seen."
By the time the two humans had caught up, Pikachu was standing in Ash's doorway, waving his paws. "Pikachu!"
"Alright, Pikachu. Show us what's on your mind," Brock coaxed, following him into the bedroom.
Pikachu now stood atop Ash's bunk bed, frantically waving his arms, speaking his own language to the duo. "Pi! Pika-ka! Pikachu, chu!"
"I wish I could help," Brock frowned, scratching his cheek. He was lost. "But I can't understand exactly what you're saying. You think you could give me a hint?"
"Hey, Brock? You might wanna check this out."
"What is it, A…. Aaaahhhh!" Brock yelped, his face quickly becoming pale as he fell back on his rear.
Was that a Gyarados!? No, it was…. "...A mask," Brock huffed, less than amused. Ash was wearing a Gyarados mask.
He turned in a fret, and there was… a Magikarp!? No, that was Pikachu squishing his face flat, imitating the dimwitted chant of a Magikarp.
And, now, Ash and Pikachu were both laughing hysterically. The former bumped fists with the latter. "Ahaha, oh man. We really got you good!" Lifting the mask, he leaned to offer Brock a hand. "That was priceless."
"I'm sure it was," Brock grumbled. He took Ash's hand, nonetheless, pulling himself to his feet.
"Pi-Pika…!" Pikachu quieted in his laughter, rubbing the back of his head. He felt just a bit guilty. A little.
"Man, Riley would chew us out if he saw this," Ash chuckled, leaning against his bunk.
"Pikachu."
"Riley…?" Brock cocked a brow. "...Of course. Now, that makes sense. I was wondering how you two cooked that up without a word." So, now Ash had a real command of aura? Enough to collude silently with Pikachu, even? "I'll be keeping my eyes on you two." Brock feigned vigilance, pointing between his eyes, and his companions' with his index and middle finger.
"You missed a lot," Ash boasted. "We used that power for good; no reason we can't goof around with it, now!" He exchanged a mischievous grin with Pikachu.
Brock's expression softened into a smile. They'd certainly grown calm, compared to just a few minutes ago. Pikachu especially, who showed no signs of tension, now. Maybe having them in cahoots with one another wasn't such a bad thing.
"Hey, speaking of aura. Are you sure we shouldn't'a had Rosa involved with our routine? She's seen a lot, too; I feel kinda bad."
Brock shook his head. "Having you all anxious together could lead to that stress snowballing for everyone. Particularly with a Lucario, with their affinity for picking up on thoughts and feelings. I'll be better off working with her alone." Besides, he'd hardly gotten the chance to spend some quality time with the pup! "She's better off having some girl time with Misty and Dawn, right now."
"Gotcha." Now, Ash felt the guilt lift off his shoulders. "I hope they're having' a good time."
"I wouldn't worry about it. Now, how about we head back downstairs? I can make you both some of that guacamole."
"Sounds good!"
"Pika!"
Meanwhile, outside, a battle was happening between Dawn and Misty. And, it wasn't exactly powderpuff stuff, either.
"C'mon, Dawn!" Misty teased, a hand thrown out. "Show me some struggle!"
"I'll show you a struggle, alright!" Looking towards Typhlosion, who was covered in an inky variant of Smokescreen rather than the sooty variant, she nodded. "Swift!"
Growling deeply, the partially blinded fire type let the fire along her shoulders blaze up. From it, tiny sparks grew into massive stars. The stars formed a flurry which flew true towards Seadra.
Misty watched with a tilt of her chin as Seadra was struck. "Hm. Bubble Beam." She lifted her hand to her hip, wondering if Dawn was growing desperate or if she was planning something.
Seadra's attack, in turn struck true on Typhlosion.
But, Dawn only smiled.
"... What've you got planned?" Misty asked.
Dawn shrugged. "Just needed you to give your position away. Now, Double Edge!"
Typhlosion rushed forward, remembering the direction the Bubble Beam had come from. Slamming into the evolved water type, Typhlosion felt content when the other pokemon was sent skidding backwards. Though the attack had hurt her, it had hurt her opponent more!
For now, anyway.
Misty, quick to retaliate with action and with words, stomped a foot. "That was dirty!"
"Was not!" Dawn shot back.
"Seadra, use Dragon Dance and then Twister!"
Writhing in a mystically charged dance, Seadra gathered energy. It felt stronger, fleeter, more ready to do battle! When it released the swirling blue cyclone of Twister, it caught Typhlosion up in it, forcing the fire type to flinch.
That was all the opening Seadra needed.
"Bubble Beam!"
As Typhlosion recovered herself, another volley of exploding bubbles was sent her way. These, however, went critical. Seadra's Sniper ability had been activated thanks to the time he took to aim while Typhlosion flinched, and it was all that was needed to finish off the match.
Dawn sighed. "Well, dang," she said. "Good match, Misty! Thanks, Typhlosion."
"You're welcome. Thanks, too, Seadra!" Misty said. Returning the water type, she walked over to Dawn. "So, you learned some, didn't you? You've got to make sure you don't take the brunt hits. Defensive attacks, always."
"Yeah…" Dawn mumbled. "But, it's just gonna steam. And, a Bubble's steam isn't-"
"Make it work!" Misty interrupted.
Dawn pouted before shrugging. "Alright." With that, she broke out her brush and began pulling the bristles through her hair. "Ugh, the humidity is awful…! I'm gonna need some sun ASAP."
The water specialist was tempted to say something, but Dawn had waited until the end of the battle. "It's dumb that you're that worried about humidity," she said, because her own hair was almost always either wet or at least damp, "but, like, this is a good time I guess."
Rosa, who had been lingering nearby for the battle, spoke up then. ~Mama Dawn's always responsible like that!~
Humming, Misty tilted her head. "W-Would… You play with my hair?"
The coordinator's eyes seemed to glitter. "I haven't played with short hair since grade school with Leona!"
"Who?"
"My best friend growing up," Dawn quickly explained.
Soon, Dawn was slathering Misty's hair in moisturizer and braiding it in a thin crown around her head. Rosa wagged her tail, offering Dawn dandelions and clovers she'd plucked to be inserted into Misty's hair. Misty, meanwhile, admired herself in Dawn's hand mirror, blushing a bit.
"This is actually really cute… Do you wanna go shopping sometime? My dumb sisters are so impractical, they're always like, let's get some heels, let's find contour your face! I just want a cute dress, you know? Maybe a little blush…"
Dawn held Misty's hands, cooing in joy. "I can't walk in heels, so, like, trust me! I know all about cute and casual looks!"
Rosa whimpered, nosing Dawn's cheek. ~I wanna be pretty!~
The coordinator giggled. "Sounds like someone might do good in the appeal rounds!"
Hopping up and down, the jackal-like pokemon giggled. ~Yes, yes, yes, get me ready for appeals!~
"Alright!" Dawn agreed. "Let's get you beautiful!"
Rosa's tail wagged happily as Dawn brushed and trimmed her fur. She tried to tolerate the odd sensation of having her nails clipped and filed. The gleam her metallic spikes gave off once they were polished was fantastic, too. Once Rosa was done, she and Misty admired each other, thoroughly appreciative of the makeover.
Empoleon, meanwhile, had been sulking in the shade of Delia's back porch. It was a little hot out, and somehow, he felt out of place among all the girls.
Dawn was happy to include him, though.
"Hey, big guy! We still got some metal buff! Misty, wanna try putting a shine on Empoleon's crown?"
"Would I!" Misty gleefully answered.
By the time Brock walked outside, he caught a makeshift beauty parlor in the backyard. Misty was toweling off Starmie's jewel, grinning happily. Dawn was circling around Rosa as the fighting type posed, her muscles bulging while Dawn took pictures with her Pokédex.
Startled, it took the doctor a moment to react. "This doesn't look like training," he said.
All guilty parties blushed, caught in the act.
"I-It is!" Dawn insisted.
Misty gestured to Starmie with both hands. "It's more aquadynamic like this!"
Deciding to ignore their excuses, Brock shook his head. "Anyways, there's a contest in Cerulean in a few days. We just saw the ad on TV. I thought Dawn should know."
The girls took one look at each other before giggling like school girls.
~So, I get to appeal, right?~
"Definitely!"
"You can't lose in my home city, Dawn. That'll be embarrassing!"
"No need to worry! I'm gonna get my fifth ribbon."
The trek took a couple of days, but the gang had made it to Cerulean City, where they stood in front of the city's Contest Hall. The large dome bordered a river that rolled past the banks bordering the city, blessed with the gentle aroma of the city's meticulously clean waters.
"You know, I've lived here all my life, but I've never taken the time to visit the Contest Hall!" Misty remarked, her index finger brushing her cheek in thought.
"Really? Not even once?" Dawn did a double-take at that. "I couldn't imagine!"
"Well, for Kanto, the contest scene is relatively new," Brock added. "The International Coordinator's Association had a hard time winning over some of the local governments; they didn't think a more traditional battle scene that's more popular here would go for it. But, they changed their minds a couple of years ago. I remember hearing the mayor of Pewter City talking about how the contest scene would bring more tourists and trainers through Pewter City."
"Well, what do ya know." Ash blinked, processing the bulk of information. "Lucky for us that they heard it out, huh?"
"You guys were missing out… They must've held this year's Wallace Cup in Cinnabar for that reason!"
"I bet that made 'em even more popular," Ash added. "After seeing your matches, at least a few people'd have their minds open to contests!" He lightly nudged Dawn with his elbow, who flicked her bangs with pride.
"If I can get more people interested, then I'm doing my job as a coordinator!" Dawn postured, glowing with pride. That couldn't hide the blush dusting her cheeks, though. For someone who could hardly be seen as romantic, Ash sure knew how to play up a girl's confidence!
~Can we go in, now?~ Rosa whined, tugging at Ash and Dawn's jackets. ~We're not gonna win this contest by just standing around!~ Truthfully, she was getting antsy, just listening to the group talk. Were all adults like this!?
"Hah, sorry!" Ash apologized, patting the back of her head. "You must be gettin' bored, huh?"
A sheepish nod was his answer.
"Well, then, let's get to it!" Dawn announced, walking in the double doors.
Rosa quickly regretted her goading.
"Holy cow… This place is packed!" Ash gawked. The lobby was densely crowded with spectators and applying coordinators alike.
The Lucario whined, clinging to Dawn. ~Too many people…~
"What's wrong?" Misty crouched, leveling with the Lucario. "You a shy gal?"
The pokemon hummed a non-committal note, no longer using telepathy.
"She's bad with crowds," Dawn explained.
"Always been overwhelmed by a lot of people and commotion," Ash explained. "With aura sensing, you can imagine what that's like. It took her a while to get used to contests."
Misty tutted. "Poor thing. Well, forget about them! You get out on that stage and put their eyes on you! You're the star of the show!
~Y-yeah!~ The Aura pokemon perked up. ~I'm the star!~
"How about you get in your pokeball for now?" Dawn suggested. "I'll call on you when it's your turn to appeal!"
~O-okay!~
Ash handed Dawn Rosa's pokeball, and the girl quickly recalled the pokemon.
"Now, to get past that line…" Dawn groaned. "It's gonna take forever… Someone up at the front is making a scene."
Indeed, the front of the line was swarmed by what could only be spectators, cooing over someone or another.
"Break it up; break it up!" The registrar scolded, clapping her hands. "If you want to speak to the competitors, you can do so after the contest!"
"Are we sure Drew isn't here?" Ash deadpanned. He always was swarmed by enthusiastic fans…
"If he was, May would've told us," Brock reminded Ash. "I think we should go get our seats."
"Good call," the trainer agreed. "We wouldn't wanna get caught standing up. Well, good luck Dawn! We'll see you on stage!"
"Don't tell me you're going to leave me on this line?" Dawn pouted.
"Don't worry." Ash winked, holding his hand up high. "You'll be up dazzling us in no time!"
Dawn's enthusiasm returned, easily enough. "You can count on it!" With that, she slapped her hand against his.
Brock and Misty exchanged a look, then smiled.
The latter hummed a tune of disappointment. "Aw, but I wanted to check out the pokemon! I bet they're all precious!"
"You'll see them on stage," Brock reminded her, while he and Ash pushed the Gym leader along.
"Aww, but look at that Pikachu and its heart-shaped tail! And that Seaking! Its horn is so well-polished! Ohhhh, and that Golduck! How darling!"
Dawn couldn't help but chuckle as he watched her older friends struggle to escort the redhead.
"What a line…" Dawn whined, finally having slipped through the death trap that was the registry line. She'd made it past the first trial, and had managed to enter the locker room, where other competitors had gathered.
"Talk about a full house…" Dawn marveled, eyes caught on the monitor hanging from the locker room's ceiling. The stage was on display, the slowly rotating camera showing off the huddled masses of spectators. Some of the crowded shifted and fussed, squeezing in to watch the upcoming show.
Dawn's expression lit up when familiar faces dotted the crowd. "There's Ash and Pikachu! And, Misty… And Brock!"
"A-a lot of familiar faces are showing up…!"
"You know people who are in the audience, too?"
"Huh?" Dawn jolted, caught off-guard by the familiar voices. When she turned, they were identified quickly. "Paige? And Larkspur!? It's been a while!" She flashed a jovial smile at the two coordinators.
"It sure has… I haven't seen you at any contests lately. I thought you'd already finished getting ribbons." Larkspur tilted his head.
Dawn frowned, quickly avoiding eye contact. She tugged at the collar of her vest. "No, I… I've just been really busy! You know how it is," she dismissed, plastering on a forced smile. "But, hey, you said that you know people in the crowd, too?"
"Oh! Um, yes…" Larkspur folded his arms behind his back, turning his eyes to the screen. "That older coordinator, Glenda is watching."
Dawn was happy to be off the subject, but she tilted her head, all the same. "Hold on, how do you know who Glenda is?"
The boy went silent, save for a quiet, dragging hum. His foot brushed against the floor. "I lost a contest to her, recently. Pretty badly, too."
Dawn hummed a note of sympathy, quickly putting another smile on. "Hey, that's nothing to be embarrassed of! She's crazy strong; who knows how long she's been a coordinator!"
"Probably a very long time," Paige ventured to guess, barely audible. "I'm kinda glad she's not competing… The competition is rough enough!" She pouted, idly adjusting the bow in her golden hair.
Dawn raised a brow. Was she having a hard time? She couldn't help but recall her own earlier hardships. "Hey," she interrupted, raising two tightened fists, brows furrowing into a bold, determined expression. She smiled wide. "It's easy to get psyched out on stage, but like I always say, 'no need to worry!' We're all good coordinators, right? So, let's have some fun! You've gotta just grab the time you have by the horns!"
There was a prolonged silence between the two younger competitors, who exchanged glances, looking for hints from one another.
Paige spoke up, first. "Miss Dawn? What do you mean by 'the time we have?'"
Dawn blanched, her face growing noticeably pale. Shoot. These munchkins hadn't been through anything near what she and Ash had been through… And, she thanked Arceus for that, when she waved her hands wildly. "Forget about that part, haha! Just… Focus on having fun!"
She was met with a scrutinizing, maybe even frightened gaze, before the two let it go and shrugged.
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Ma'am?" Dawn blinked. Was she old enough for that title!? She was still growing, herself! "I really am starting to feel like Mom…"
"Wow! Talk about a full house!"
Lilian's voice boomed, only barely coming out over the audience with the aid of her microphone. She stepped about the arena in circles, as if she'd been made dizzy by the overwhelming crowd. "It looks like all of Cerulean has come here today! I'm sure you all've noticed that it's getting late in the Contest season, which can only mean one thing; the competition is bound to be fierce!"
A roar of cheers echoed the emcee's voice.
"And it's not just the stands that are crowded; today, we've received an unusual number of challengers! Normally a few of you eager coordinators would miss the cut, but you were lucky to show up in just the right numbers! We have just enough competitors for a whole other round!"
Lilian winked, saluting with her index and middle fingers.
"And you know what that means, right!? It means twice the appeals, twice the battles, and twice the competition here, today!"
A bustling encore of excitement assaulted the collective ears of the stadium.
"So, if you don't mind, let's give a big welcome to our first coordinator in line! After winning the Wallace Cup, she suffered a thrashing defeat, but now she's back to rock our world! It's Dawn, from Twinleaf Town!"
Waving to the excited audience, Dawn walked onto the stage. Her warm smile gave way to the click of a pokeball, releasing Rosa. "Okay, Rosa! Spotlight!"
The young Lucario landed lightly, automatically searching the audience for Ash's face. Spotting her adoptive father, she felt certain. With Dawn behind her to give commands and Ash and his other friends to support her, there was no way she could fail!
"Alright, Rosa, just like we practiced! Aura Sphere!"
Creating a ball of energy, the fighting type nodded.
"Great! Now, Power-Up Punch and Low Sweep!"
Lobbing the ball into the air, Rosa kept her eye on the fighting type energy. Soon, she was darting to and fro across the stage. One might have described the scene as something like a schoolgirl playing with a ball, but it wasn't just like that - it was that. Rosa was youthful and sweet, a young girl doing what she enjoyed, to bring a lively performance to others. With every powerful thrust of her paw-like hands, she sent the bundle of glowing energy into the air. Her kicks kept it afloat, as well.
A glimmering, back-handed Power-up Punch performed with a spin on her heel knocked the Aura Sphere into a soaring spin.
Watching it ascend, Rosa grinned, flipping into a handstand that morphed into a twirling head spin. Meanwhile, Aura Sphere descended, locking onto the free spirit.
A fierce, upside-down Low Sweep knocked the orb sky-high.
"Now, finish it! Power-Up Punch!"
With one last slap of her paw, Rosa spiked the ball into the stage floor. With a shattering sound, the energy burst into a thousand blue sparkles. Rosa blushed as the audience cheered for her.
Mr. Contesta spoke first. "As always, Dawn, you've shown that you allow your pokemon to have a great time! And thank you, Rosa, for sharing your talents with us!"
Mr. Sukizo followed with his unsurprising commentary. "Adorable, and remarkable!"
"It's clear that Lucario is battle ready, just as ready as she was to have fun! Her athletic skills were a joy to behold!"
While the judges complimented the both of them, Rosa looked back at Dawn, awaiting approval with clasped paws.
"You did great," Dawn whispered, voice not even registering with the congratulatory speech of Nurse Joy booming over the sound system.
"Up next is Paige, the Pika-prodigy! Let's give her a big welcome!"
"Dawn's appeal was so cute… I hope we can match up," the blonde muttered, clutching her companion's pokeball clutched to her chest. She'd honestly almost forgotten she was making her entrance, but the deafening silence poked her on the shoulder, and she flushed. Oops!
"U-uh… Pikachu, let's dazzle them, darling!" Paige sputtered, chucking the capsule.
Her Pikachu appeared in mid-air, blowing a kiss to the audience before sticking the landing.
The popular pokemon's appearance spurred some hushed mutters and criticism in the crowd, among the scattered cheers for the adorable mouse. Paige swallowed, turning her eyes back to Pikachu. "Now, show everyone your Double Team!"
Dashing forward, Paige's Pikachu created a pack of Pikachu after images. A wavering in the air created a gleam of silver; all of the movement was creating visible energy paths!
"Nuzzle!"
Joining together, the little yellow pokemon and its doubles created a burst of yellow electricity.
"Tada!" Paige called.
The judges were quiet for a moment.
"Paige… This is very pretty, but you've done this before."
Mr. Contesta coughed, uncomfortable. "You've always done this, actually."
The local Nurse Joy raised a hand. "Not that you haven't gotten better at it! And, it's always a little different… But, well… Perfecting is good, but variety is better."
Not exactly enthused with the news, Paige none the less accepted it.
"And now, let's turn our attention to another experienced coordinator! Ryan, from Blackthorn City!"
A young man, likely in his late teens walked onto the stage with a bold swagger, boasting a stylish maroon jacket and spiked, navy hair. Whoops and shrieks of applause came from a portion of the audience that kept up with the current events of contests.
"Ryan was a semi-finalist in Johto's last Grand Festival! We're lucky enough to have two high placing coordinators among us today; now, let's see what this one has in store for us!" Vivian shouted, playing up the hype.
"A semi-finalist?" Ash echoed, leaning forward in his seat. "Guy must be pretty good."
"He sure looks confident," Brock observed. Would he live up to his reputation?
"Pidgeot," Ryan called, winding up his pokeball. A slick toss launched the device into the air. "Show them your skills!"
A loud, bellowing shriek introduced the large avian, who spread his wings with such force that it kicked up a light draft.
"Now, use Hidden Power! Light this stage up!"
A squawk was Pidgeot's answer, and he craned his neck, conjuring what must have been a dozen orbs of energy hanging above the arena.
"Holy cow," Ash muttered, clutching his knees. "Look at that Hidden Power…"
"There are so many…!" Misty marveled, mouth agape. "That must've taken a lot of practice."
"That's not the only hidden power we have," Ryan quipped with a grin, throwing an open palm outward. "Feint Attack!"
"Pidgoo!" A flick of the pokemon's wings scattered the Hidden Power through the air. Afterwards, she seemingly vanished.
At least, to the untrained eye. Faint traces of a blurred shadow zipped through the air, claiming its first victim when one of the orbs burst.
A booming flash turned into many, what looked like a smudge of ink zipping from one iteration of Hidden Power to the next, setting off an unrelenting chain reaction above the audience's heads. Rails and chair arms were gripped in the wake of explosions peppering the sky.
The Mach speed shadow returned to the center of the arena, revealing its identity once more.
"Great! Now, sweep it up, with Whirlwind!" Ryan commanded with a snap of his fingers.
Furious beats of the beast's wings rounded the flickering lights into a fluorescent swirl, soon fading until its only resilience laid in ruffled bangs of Ryan's, Pidgeot's, and the audience's alike.
The coordinator rested a hand on his hips, a sure smirk climbing up his cheek.
"Wow! What a performance! Now, let's hear what the judges have to say about Ryan and Pidgeot's appeal!"
"It's apparent that Pidgeot's very well trained; I'm sold on its prowess!" Nurse Joy chimed.
Mr. Contesta went next. "The emphasis was a bit heavy on the flashy explosions…" He hummed, a look of skepticism faltering quickly. "But, on the other hand, you allowed everyone to see just how swift and ferocious your Pidgeot is. That appeal was impressive!"
Mr. Sukizo was last. "Heart-stopping, and not to mention, remarkable!"
Ryan nodded, quickly thanking the judges before exiting the stage.
"And, there you have it!" Lilian concluded. "I'd say that Ryan didn't disappoint anyone today!"
Ash, finally, was left with a pretty wide smile. "I bet my Pidgeot'd love to have a go at Ryan's. It'd be one hell of a battle!"
"I'm sure it would be," Brock agreed. "But, you should probably let Dawn have a shot at them first."
Ash chuckled, playing with the brim of his cap. "I guess you're right!"
"For the love of Mew…" Larkspur whispered, eyes glued to the monitor backstage. "We're up against him?"
"Isn't it great?" Dawn gushed. Her fist was clenched tight at her side, and her eyes gleamed. "We've got some tight competition!"
An incredulous look was sent towards Dawn. The boy raised a brow. "You're not nervous?"
"Well, kind of," she'd admit. "It won't be easy, facing him. But, he's not the only one here who's placed in a Grand Festival!" The Sinnohan winked.
When she was met with silence, Dawn averted her eyes, realizing her mistake. She forced on a smile, resting a hand on her junior's shoulder. "Still, it's important to remember; rank doesn't mean everything! Even when things look bad… I remember during my first try at collecting ribbons, I faced an old rival of my mom's in a contest. The rival of a future Top Coordinator… I was pretty scared, at the time."
"You competed against someone on that level!?" The coordinator stared at Dawn, wide-eyed. "What… Happened, then? What did you do?"
"She gave me a really hard time." As Dawn said this, though, the memory put a smile on her face. "I still remember her Delcatty keeping my Ambipom helpless with status conditions. For a while, I was in a bind, but Ambipom came through for me. We just had to keep on trucking when the odds were against us. I won that contest. So, do me a favor and try not to worry about it, alright? Focus on making your pokemon shine!"
Somehow, Dawn's optimism was contagious. Larkspur found himself smiling, nodding to the older competitor. "I'll do that, Dawn. But…"
Dawn turned her head back to Larkspur, then. What else could be wrong?
"You said that you used an Ambipom… How come I've never seen you use it in a contest?"
Dawn's lips pursed. "Well, the thing is… Ambipom did enjoy contests, but when we entered a pokemon ping pong tournament, she really liked it a lot. So, right now, she's involved in that. I do miss her… And, she used to be Ash's pokemon, so I know he does, too. But, I'm sure she's having a great time."
The boy whistled, leaning back onto the bench they sat upon. "I can't imagine doing something like that… Letting a pokemon go sounds really difficult. Do you think you'll ever see her again?"
"I did promise to see her again, someday. Once she's had her fun with ping pong." There was a short pause. Dawn's blue eyes quickly grew wide.
"Hold on… Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure they said that their training center was in Kanto!" Dawn's hands clapped to the sides of her face. How could she have forgotten!? "We've already been through Vermillion City, since then… I feel awful." What kind of trainer was she!?
"Hey, Dawn." The boy's gaze grew stern.
It actually made her a little uneasy. "Huh? What's the matter?"
"Remember what you told me? Right now, you've got to focus on your pokemon. You can go see your Ambipom the next time that you have the chance. But, you're in a contest right, now, right? So, Ambipom would want you to do your best for the pokemon with you, right now!"
After his outburst, the grass-type specialist shrunk, quickly going red. "S-sorry… I did say that I wanted you to be my mentor. Not vice versa."
Dawn shook her head, a subtle smile returning to the corners of her lips. "No, no, you're right! I'll do exactly that, for all of my pokemon. Thanks, Larkspur. Even a student can be the teacher, sometimes!" She winked.
Just then, the heart-to-heart was interrupted by Lilian's voice over the loudspeaker. "Now, let's welcome a budding competitor on the scene!" Lilian announced. "From Celadon City, Larkspur!"
"O-oh, no! I'm late!" He stuttered, rushing off towards the stage, nearly tripping over his own feet. "Sorry, Dawn!"
A bead of sweat rolled Dawn's forehead. Poor kid. "Knock 'em dead!"
Larkspur rushed onto the stage in a hurry, panting and tugging at his collar. Composing himself, he swallowed, tossing his pokeball forward. "Tangela, perform for us, please!"
The Vine pokemon appeared, and upon catching on to the emcee's pun, the audience let out a collective groan.
Larkspur kept his eyes on the prize, and pointed forward. "Tangela, use Ancientpower!"
"Tang~!" The pokemon danced about on its large, red feet, conjuring several large, glowing boulders, hovering in the air in front of it.
"Now, show your strength! Power Whip!" The green-haired coordinator ordered.
Two sturdy blue vines were launched from the bundled pokemon, boasting a vibrant magenta glow.
The first boulder was doomed to a violent pincer attack, smashed from either side into rubble.
The audience cooed, responding well to the unassuming grass type's power.
Tangela showed no mercy, one of his vines slicing through the air vertically. The whiplash split another stone clean in half.
Both tendrils smashed the remaining halves.
This process continued in quick succession until only one boulder remained.
"Tang…. Gela!" The Vine pokemon ascended with a leap, entering a somersault that brought its vines down with it. The final mysterious boulder was crushed to smithereens, only leaving sparkles and dust as Tangela landed with grace.
With that, Larkspur bowed.
"A great show of strength from Tangela! Let's hear it from Larkspur and his punishing pokemon!" Lilian concluded.
"I've never seen a Tangela hit that hard," Misty remarked. Her emerald eyes had been glued to the scene.
"Typically, that kind of prowess is more common in Tangrowth," Brock agreed. "But, this one knew Ancientpower, so it must be really close to evolving."
"Pretty impressive," Ash added. "Larkspur's really come along way. Hasn't he, bud?"
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu cheered, watching comfortably from Ash's lap. He even came off a bit more confident, too!
"Wait, you know that kid?" Misty questioned, turning to face Ash.
"Mhm." The trainer nodded. "He's kind of new to the contest scene, least as far as I know. He focuses on showing off grass types, and he really looks up to Dawn." Ash smiled to himself, folding his arms. "He's a greenhorn with a green thumb!"
That would've been enough to floor Misty and Brock, if they had the room. For what it was worth, they groaned.
"You're no better than Lilian!" Misty barked.
"And you're not even cute to make up for it," Brock grumbled.
"Says you," Ash retorted, folding his arms. "...Still. I hope the two of 'em get to battle. I bet it'd be a great match."
"Pi-Pika!" Pikachu agreed, leaning back into Ash's torso. Hearing the three of them banter made him feel so comfortably at home, too.
Backstage, a tension laced the air. All of the coordinators looked up to the black screen as Lilian spoke. Slowly, faces showed up.
Paige let out a sigh of relief as she spotted herself. The coordinator named Ryan nodded as he saw himself. Larkspur nodded to Dawn as he saw her, and the coordinator clapped the kid's back as she saw his face.
"Maybe I'll have a chance to battle you again," Larkspur teased.
To this, Dawn only smiled. "We'll see."
