Chapter 11: Contest Showtime!
Serena scowled at the sight of her best friend and his Pokémon running laps around the battlefield of the Pokémon Center at six in the morning. Her arms were folded with a finger tapping on her left bicep. The water-type drama queen probably woke up half the building with her screaming and yelling.
Bad enough Ash had to endure her wrath for one battle, but enduring at least six others seemed like torture that Serena couldn't watch. Angrily, she closed the drapes and marched off to take a long, relaxing shower. Still, the honey-blonde couldn't shake off what she had seen on the battlefield so her shower was cut short.
She journeyed to the cafeteria with Eevee. Surprisingly, there were many people already eating alongside their Pokémon. The majority appeared to be women compared to men. It baffled her as to why they were all up at six-thirty in the morning. Nonetheless, she browsed through the selection of food and picked out some specific flavors of Pokémon food as well as a fruit salad for herself and found a circular table.
Her team ate the food around the table. Eevee and Nidoran were quieter than usual. Ledyba pretended to eat slowly when it secretly scarfed down its food. Cleffa sat on the table eating happily as Serena browsed through her phone for the latest news.
The only piece of news that caught her eye was Aria winning her second Contest in the Galar Region. The Kalos Queen did an interview segment afterward with a reporter that Serena viewed.
"How does it feel to win your seventh Contest in a row?" The reporter asked.
"Wonderful, but I didn't do it alone," Aria winked to the camera. "I have my awesome Pokémon to thank for their exceptional hard work. They deserve a lot of the credit."
The reporter laughed. "Spoken like a true Pokémon lover. You've inspired an entirely new generation of Coordinators. What advice do you have for them, especially rookies?"
"Follow your dreams!" The Coordinator said with a big smile. "No matter what they may be. Don't be afraid of the challenge, roads, and obstacles you need to take to ensure you accomplish them."
Serena paused the video, placing her fork down onto the plate, and sighing over the advice. Not that it was bad, but rather it didn't help her. How could it help her when she didn't have a greater goal in mind?
Being on a journey had been wonderful as she had gotten a chance to see new places and be on an adventure with Ash. Compared to him, he wanted to be on a journey to help fulfill his dream of being a Pokémon Master. Gary went on one to become Champion and Leaf went on hers to become a Professor. Brock was trying to fulfill his dream of being a Pokémon Doctor through being on a journey with them. Even loudmouth was fulfilling her dreams by helping Ash.
Aside from the nightmarish first day and Mt. Moon, traveling with Ash had been some of the best moments in her life. Sure, she was going to be participating in a Contest to make Eevee happy and fulfill a hidden desire but what was she going to do beyond her first Contest?
Miette pulled up a chair, leaning into the table with an elbow and her head resting upon a hand. Her eyes demanded attention as she eyed the honey-blonde.
"I'm quite surprised to see you awake," the Kalos native giggled. "Looks like you're a Coordinator after all."
Serena took a deep breath, lifting her fork to take a bite of her food. "What do you want?"
Miette glanced over Serena's Pokémon. "Oh, nothing. I just wanted to be entertained until the Contest. I can't concentrate on my craft with the water-type drama queen outside with Ash. Say, don't you agree that he deserves better for a coach? Not that he needs one if he did most of the hard work in that battle."
"While I happen to agree, it's his call if he wants to suffer while helping that witched woman to become a Trainee," Serena retorted. "Besides, don't pretend to care about him when all you can do is eye him like candy."
The Seasoned Coordinator scoffed. "What makes you think all I see is a hunk? Even you have to admit, he's handsome beyond most people you meet around the world."
Serena's cheeks flushed while she played with her food.
Miette shook her head. "He's passionate, caring, and kind. Who wouldn't fall for his charms? Isn't that why you're into him?"
"He's just my friend," Serena whispered and tightening her grip on her fork. "I like him as my friend for those reasons and I rather not see him get hurt by people who are only into him because of his fame by name or his looks. He deserves much better."
"Keep telling yourself that." Miette lean backed while drawing circles on the table with a finger. "You're not going to get anywhere by just being the girl next door. Men like him need a neon sign with fireworks to get any sort of clue. Obviously, he's not interested in you or else why hasn't he asked you on a date yet?"
Steam popped from Serena's ears. "Like you're doing any better."
Miette laughed followed by a smirk. "I've already kissed him on the cheek. I still remember the flustered look in your face while waving goodbye. That's further than anything you have gotten to in your time knowing him. If that orange blob hasn't been hogging his time, I could have easily gotten him to be mine."
Serena pounded the table and stood up, pushing her chair away. "In your dreams!" People around here quieted down and looked at him. The honey-blonde quickly pulled in her chair, pretending her outburst didn't happen; however, she could still feel others giving her looks.
"Bravo!" Miette mockingly clapped. "I hope you manage to embarrass yourself in today's Contest like that. Then Ash will never want to be associated with a loser like you."
As if Ash would ever abandon her for such a shallow reason. Serena could never imagine abandoning him if he had embarrassed himself in a Gym Battle.
"Cleffa!" The Star Shape Pokémon wailed before Serena could provide a counterargument. It hopped into her lap with a stream of tears coming from its eyes.
Serena shifted gears, worried about why her Pokémon was crying. She lifted her legs up and down while gently petting its back. "What's wrong?"
"Cleffa!" It continued to cry.
Miette stood up with a chuckle. "Your outburst must have startled it. Most baby Pokémon are sensitive to sound. If you can't even take care of your Pokémon, how do you expect to take care of Ash?"
Serena pouted while rocking Cleffa. "Like taking care of Pokémon equates to being in a relationship with a human."
"There are some similarities if your brain is creative enough to see," Miette smirked. "Don't you dare leave here without me." She turned around with a small wave.
The honey-blonde did everything that came to mind to calm Cleffa down. Despite her best efforts, it continued to cry. When Serena was about to give up and rush towards the front desk, she heard a tapping of a beat followed by a man's voice, singing in a sweet, lullaby tone.
"Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high. Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are!"
With each word being uttered, Cleffa stopped crying to listen. When the song was over, it began laughing. Why didn't she think of a song? She hated to admit that Miette was right about some similarities.
Turning around, she saw a man in a stylish, fancy white suit. He had dark blue hair, round glasses, and a violet scarf around his neck. In his right hand, he had a baton like an orchestra conductor. His entire appearance looked familiar to her. Several people around him clapped with him giving a bow.
"Uh, thank you," Serena uttered.
The man straightened himself with a smile. "Not a problem. The power of music can have all sorts of wonderful effects on Pokémon. I figured since Cleffa is associated with stars, it might like a song about them."
"Cleffa!" It wagged its stubby little arms.
"Looks like you're right…um…"
He extended his hand. "I'm Clark. And you are?"
Serena stood up with Cleffa wrapped around one of her arms to shake the hand with the other. "Serena. It's nice to meet you."
Clark guided her hand and kissed it. "The pleasure is all mine."
The honey-blonde quickly retracted her hand, embarrassed by the gestured. Sure, it was sweet but she wasn't interested in a stranger. Every romantic gesture that anyone could image, she had imagined them with Ash. Now there's one less gesture he could do. Her head was in pain so she sat back down on the chair, rubbing her head.
"Are you alright?" Clark asked with a hint of concern.
"Just fine," she lied. "I think I stood up too fast a moment ago."
Clark closed his eyes, nodding slowly. He placed his baton in his pocket. "In any case, I'm sure the people here can now enjoy their meals in peace and I'm glad Cleffa seems to be doing well. I have to get going, but I hope we get to see one another later on."
"Me too," Serena grinned, curious about his amazing singing skills.
After breakfast, she headed to her room to pack what she needed: her dress, makeup, and accessories. She tripled checked everything before heading down to the lobby where Brock and Misty stood near one another with Ash sitting down on a couch. His head faced upward, catching his breath.
Poor Ash. He must be tired from his unnecessary workout. Now, he might dose off in the middle of her performance. If only Misty was someone different.
If it wasn't already bad for Misty to have stirred her sleep, she wore poor Ash down that he might sleep during Serena's performance.
"Morning, Serena," Brock said. "Did you just get up?"
She shook her head while leering at Misty. "Thanks to a certain coach, I've been up since Ash was running across the field."
Misty adjusted her sunglasses. "What did you expect? That's how my mom trained me when I expressed interest in battles."
"That maybe you'll have some common decency to not wake up half the building with your yelling and screaming," Serena stated. "Some people need their beauty sleep and that includes Ash."
Misty crossed her arms. "Waking up early to train is a sign of an upcoming champion or Pokémon Master in his case. Besides, I don't see how Ash waking up early should make you mad."
Ash leaned in while sighing. "Sorry, Serena. I know today is an important day for you and Eevee. Next time, we'll find a different place to train. Right, Misty?"
"Whatever," Misty shrugged.
Serena would be surprised if Misty lasted being Ash's coach for more than a Gym or two. She barely got him through the Cerulean Gym after all.
Brock scratched his head. "Speaking of the important day, are you ready for your first Contest?"
The honey-blonde nodded. "Ready as I will ever be. I just hope the category is one where I can show off Eevee. Regardless, I plan on doing my best!"
"Vee!" The Evolution Pokémon wagged its tail.
"That's the spirit," Brock said.
"As your number one fan, I'll be cheering for you the loudest!" Ash exclaimed.
Miette suddenly sat by Ash. "Oh? Won't you be my number one fan too?"
Serena couldn't believe that girl just appeared out of nowhere. Let alone she just flat up asked Ash to root for her. The honey-blonde's body stiffened with her hands forming fists. She wants to meet Miette in the second round just to humiliate her in front of a crowd.
"Uh…" Ash frowned while scratching his head. "I'll definitely wish you the best, but I already decided that'll be Serena's number one fan. Sorry."
Serena's heart melted. She couldn't believe Ash just stood his grounds for her. Her body relaxed as she stared in admiration.
Miette frowned before glancing at Serena. "I suppose I'll have to change your mind somehow. Beating Sugar Cookie should do the trick."
"The only person whose going down is you!" Serena stated.
Misty and Brock looked at one another. They did subtle gestures to one another while Ash rubbed the temples on his forehead. It looked like he wanted to say something when the PA system called for his name.
"Ash Ketchum, please pick up your Pokémon at the front desk," the person said.
Ash rose from his seat and did a series of little stretches before heading to the front desk. When he returned, Pikachu was on his shoulder that prompted Miette's Pikachu to pop out of its ball. Ash's Pikachu hopped down to converse with Miette's Pikachu. Then Eevee joined in. It did not take very long before Eevee put Ash's Pikachu under its spell.
"Seriously?" Miette pouted. "When are you going to have a serious talk with your Eevee that using Attract on a Pokémon isn't true love?"
"Whenever your Pikachu stops it too," Serena crossed her arms.
Misty sighed. "You might want to double-check your facts because clearly, only Eevee is doing the horrible act. Poor Pikachu."
Serena looked down to see Miette's Pikachu just glaring. It was not moving an inch nor appeared to have any intentions on using Attract. The honey-blonde didn't understand how Miette was able to get her Pikachu to stop while Serena had a hard time making Eevee stop.
"Humph, it goes to show you how I'm the better Coordinator than you," Miette smirked.
Serena sighed. "We'll see at the Contest."
The group followed Misty through the city. Serena and Miette were on opposite sides of Ash while Brock was next to Misty. They arrived at a park-like area with playgrounds and beautiful gardens surrounding different pathways. In the center of the area was a large circular building with a huge sign saying 'Contest Hall'. Lots of people were gathered outside at the different food trucks and stands.
Upon entering the building, Serena was in awe. She had no idea there were so many shops inside of different accessories and clothing options. If she had some time, she wanted to browse through the selections.
Just before she was going to split up from Ash and friends, the honey-blonde girl released Cleffa. Coyly, she asked, "Hey Ash, can you watch Cleffa for me? I just know it'll enjoy seeing all the different performances." She did not intend on using Cleffa considering it hardly knew many moves to make great combinations from. It also had less time to prepare compared to Eevee, Ledyba, and Nidoran.
Ash held the Star Shape Pokémon. "You bet! Good luck out there. I know you'll be amazing."
"Cleffa!" It cheered happily.
Brock provided a thumbs up. "Remember that it's important to have fun too."
Misty nodded. "The pressure is on everyone else considering this will be your debut. Good luck."
Serena beamed and surprised at Misty's comment. "Thanks, everyone! I'll do my best!"
"Doing your best might not be enough," Miette chuckled.
Serena ignored the comment to follow the Kalos native to the front desk while Ash, Brock, and Misty went to find some seats. After showing their Contest Passes, they were directed backstage. The first stop was at the changing stalls so they could change into their performance dresses. Serena wore the dress Delia had created for her while Miette wore a sea-blue ball gown. After that, they went to an area full of mirrors to do some light makeup and their hair. Serena had her hair up in a high ponytail while Miette added a couple of red ribbons to the side.
The girls then met up in the large waiting room that was packed full of people and Pokémon alike. Many Coordinators were grooming their Pokémon while others were waiting impatiently and staring at the multiple flat screens. Serena checked her phone to see when she was going to be performed. It showed the number 50. Since she had some time, she decided to find a quiet spot to brush Eevee's tail. Miette joined her in brushing her Pikachu's fur. The two had a silent staring contest until the start of the competition.
On the TV screens, it displayed the stage with spotlights shining down upon a woman. She had apricot-colored hair with a little blue hat, crop top, and skirt and she carried a microphone in hand.
"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the following Pokémon Contest in Cerulean City! I'm your master of ceremonies, Lillian Meridian." The audience applauded and cheered. "Joining me today is our panel of judges!" Spotlights shine down upon three people behind a desk. "Our first judge is Mr. Contesta!"
A middle-aged man waved to the crowd in a red blaze and black bowtie. "It's great to be back here in the beautiful sea-side city. I can't wait for what Cerulean City has in store for us this year."
"Next up is Mr. Sukizo!" Lillian introduced.
He was a bald man in a business suit. "It's simply remarkable to see a record-breaking amount of participants today."
"Lastly, it's an honor to have Athena Sham!" Lillian said. "Famously known for coverage of different Contests."
Athena was a woman with crimson hair and huge round glasses. She wore a beautiful pink dress. "Unfortunately, Dr. Joy suddenly received many injured Pokémon. She's working aimlessly to get them back into perfect health. Let's pray for them to have a speedy recovery."
"Indeed, let's pray that Dr. Joy's patients will recovery!" Lillian said with everyone in the audience and backstage quieting down to do so. When the moment for silent prayer was over, the MC presented a blue ribbon for everyone to see. "Without further ado, in today's Contest, Coordinators will be squaring off to earn themselves the Cerulean Ribbon!"
The crowd cheered and looked in awe. Serena found it to be beautiful.
"In order for a Coordinator to win this fabulous ribbon, they need to get by the first round of performances followed by winning a single-elimination battle tournament in the second. As Mr. Sukizo alluded to earlier, we have a record number of contestants with a total of one hundred and twenty-one. Due to this amount, we had decided to split the competition over two days with only the top thirty-two people being able to advance to the second round."
Serena's eyes widened. She never would have guessed there were over a hundred people in the backstage area. No wonder it feels so crowded. Could she stand out with this amount?
"Time to present today's theme for the performance round!" The TV screens showed options of Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Toughness, and Cleverness with Beauty enlarging to take up the screen. "It had been determined last night that it was going to be Beauty! This means during the performance stage, Coordinators need to show off their Pokémon's beauty. Only one Pokémon may be used for this competition!"
Serena bit her lips. She had hoped the theme of today was Cuteness. Her Pokémon line-up and routines worked better for that category as Water, Ice, Electric, and Fire moves or types had an advantage of showing off beauty. Her heart started to race with the number of nerves building up.
"Too bad, I guess you won't even make it past the first round," Miette mocked.
"I still have a chance!" Serena growled.
Miette shook her head. "It's a very slim one given the odds. You might do better than most other rookies that are here."
Serena focused on brushing and the TV to see Clark walking out onto the stage. Her eyes widened as it was no wondered she recognized him earlier.
"Our first Coordinator comes from Florando in the Johto Region!" Lillian said. "He has participated in the Johto circuit and lost in the first round of the Grand Festival. He's hoping to make a comeback in the Kanto region! It's an honor to introduce to you all Clark Williams or should I call him Clark the Conductor?"
Clark waved to the crowd before tossing out his purple-colored Pokéball. "Quilava, on tempo!" Popping out of its ball in an explosion of fire was the Volcano Pokémon. Already, the flames showed the beauty in the Pokémon. He had five minutes to dazzle the audience.
Serena refreshed her memory on the Pokémon with her Pokédex. Quilava, the Volcano Pokémon and the evolved form of Cyndaquil. This Pokémon is covered in nonflammable fur. It can withstand any fire attack.
Clark started to wave his baton like a conductor. "Let's start with Flame Wheel!"
Quilava summoned flames on its head and tail. Then flames consumed its body while rolling like a wheel. The Volcano Pokémon rolled along the ground in a circle, leaving a trail of flames behind.
"Repeat and then crescendo!" Clark said.
After completing its circle, it rolled inside and made another smaller circle before completing another line. It was a Pokéball shaped fire. Once it completed the picture, it hopped into the air, disbanding the fire. Tiny ember shards sparkled as it landed in the center of the Pokéball sigil.
Serena held her breath and couldn't take her eyes off the screen. Millions of possibilities could lead to a good score. How was he going to take everyone's breath away?
"Sunny Day into Eruption!" Clark continued.
Quilava called forth the power of the sunny with the sun's beams strengthening beyond the glassed ceiling. The flames on the ground appeared to have grown in intensity. Then the Volcano Pokémon sent a geyser of flames into the air with fire raining down onto the field.
The usage of fire amazed Serena. If she didn't know any better, she would compare his style and usage to Aria. Eevee wagged its tail on her lap.
"Time for the big finale, Flame Wheel into Flame Burst!" Clark directed.
The Volcano Pokémon used Flame Wheel to ride up the remainder of the geyser to appear as a molten rock shooting out of a volcano. At the peak of its height, it disbanded the flames once again before summoning an orange ball of fire. It was launched into the air before exploding into a series of embers. Quilava landed gracefully onto the stage with those ember shards falling.
The audience cheered loudly that the entire backstage could hear. Clark with Quilava bowed on the TV. Serena looked to Miette who had a similar look to her. They focused on the TV for the feedback.
"What a wonderful way to start this heated competition!" Lillian said. "Let's see what our judges have to say."
Mr. Contesta spoke first. "What an amazing way to showcase Quilava's beauty as the Volcano Pokémon. I can't imagine a better way than surrounding it by flames and replicating a volcano eruption." On the screen showed his scoring on the performance to be a 10.
Mr. Sukizo spoke next. "Contrasting flames with a fire-type was simply remarkable." His scoring of the performance was a 10.
Athena was the last to speak. "Everything from start to finish blew my mind. Even the way you commanded your Pokémon was perfect." Her scoring of the performance was a 10.
"Incredible, Clark the Conductor has started us off with a perfect score," Lillian said with excitement. "That'll guarantee him a spot in tomorrow's battle competition. This also means the pressure is on for those backstage to dazzle the judges. Let's give Clark another round of applause and then we'll introduce our next contestant."
Serena couldn't believe that the man that helped her calm down Cleffa was also a Coordinator. She wanted to go congratulate him on a stunning performance, but with the number of people in the room, it was hard to see where he would show up until a wide range of women cheered his name.
"He's not a bad catch as well," Miette nudged Serena. "If Brock's not your type, is Clark the Conductor?"
The honey-blonde glared. "Not in a million years."
"You're probably right," Miette chuckled. "So many of the girls in here are already charmed by his performance. You probably won't stand a chance."
"Remind me why you're sitting right next to me?" Serena growled.
"Because there's nowhere else to sit. Good luck finding a spot if you want to leave."
Serena hung her head low as the day went on. Slowly, but surely the backstage was becoming breathable. Many Coordinators came back proud while others did not. Others decided to leave before they even performed. No matter what the performance looked like, Miette always had to rub it into Serena. Eventually, Miette was the one heading out onto the stage at number 47 that Serena watched from the TV.
"From Cyllage City in the Kalos Region is Miette Fournier!" Lillian introduced. "She has already won one Contest in the Kanto Region and she had previously participated in the Kalos circuit. What does she have to show everyone today?"
"Cubchoo, beauty time!" Miette tossed out her Pokéball. Appearing was a bear-like Pokémon with little bubbles surrounding its entrance.
Serena scanned it. Cubchoo, the Chill Pokémon. It sniffles before performing a move, using its frosty snot to provide an icy element to any move that needs it.
"Hail!" Miette commanded.
It began hailing onto the stage. The ice pellets sparkled in the spotlights.
"Powder Snow!" Miette snapped her fingers.
Cubchoo jumped into the air while releasing a mini snowstorm onto the stage. Snow accumulated that the little Pokémon dove into the snow. It grabbed some of it to toss into the air that glittered in the light.
Serena held Eevee tightly and at the edge of her seat. Her rival managed to rub it into her with her performance mixing cuteness with beauty.
"Now Icy Wind!" Miette ordered.
The Chill Pokémon expelled an Icy Wind over the snow to create a little frozen road. It skated back and forth gracefully.
While watching, Serena felt as if she understood how Miette managed to win in Pewter City. Every single move she made had a purpose and it flowed brilliantly.
Miette performed a twirl. "End with Surf!"
Cubchoo summoned a wave of water that if surfed upon. The entire wave sparkled as the Chill Pokémon hopped up and down. The wave crashed down onto the stage, washing away the excess snow with the little Pokémon doing a little dance. Water particles and ice pellets glittered with the crowd clapping loudly.
"What another incredible performance mixing ice and water," Lillian said. "What do our judges have to say?"
"A stunning performance indeed," Mr. Contesta said. "Cubchoo not only looked beautiful playing into the snow and ice, but it looked cute as well." He gave a score of 9.3
Mr. Sukizo nodded. "Stunningly remarkable at how you managed to make use of the environment." He gave a score of 9.5.
"Unfortunately, the theme is Beauty," Athena said. "While I found your performance incredible, I mean Cubchoo froze my heart over, it does not change the matter of you relying too much on the cuteness of your Pokémon." She harshly gave a score of 7.5.
"Miette received a grand score of 26.3," Lillian announced. "She managed to eliminate another Coordinator to sit comfortably in the middle of the leaderboard. Will that be enough given what we've seen so far? Only time will tell."
Miette nodded before returning her Pokémon. Then she walked backstage on the broadcast. Serena waited by the tunnel for her return. The Kalos native shook her head.
"That Athena is one tough cookie," Miette sighed before grinning at Serena. "I can't wait to see how she judges you."
Serena wrinkled her nose. The blue-haired witch had been taunting her all day with how Athena makes or breaks a Coordinator's score. Considering she wasn't going to be showcasing beauty, the magenta haired woman would have a field day. The honey-blonde looked at the ground with feelings of despair washing over her.
She felt like she was letting down her team who had worked so hard. The only thing she had to show was a potentially bad score and outing. Her friends and family were also watching. What would they think if she made a complete fool of herself?
The next couple of performances went by quickly. Serena stood in the tunnel before the stage. Her heart pounded with her arms shaking as Lillian called for her name.
"Our next contestant is making her debut and from Pallet Town," Lillian began. "Let's give a warm welcome to Serena Paschell!"
Serena walked out onto the stage where the spotlights were blinding. The crowd applauded lightly. The realization that everyone was staring caused the honey-blonde to freeze. Everything that she had prepared in her head was gone and it frightened her. The judges and Lillian quietly stared, waiting for her to do something.
The audience began whispering to themselves. It caused the honey-blonde to closed her eyes, wishing this had all been a dream instead of a nightmare. Her heart started to pound with her eyes wanting to form tears. Suddenly, she felt Eevee nuzzling her face follow by it licking.
"Vee," The Evolution Pokémon said.
Serena looked at her Pokémon to see it frowning. It made her sad and guilty to see Eevee like that. After all, she was robbing Eevee of a chance to show off its amazing dance. She was in this Contest because of Eevee.
"Come on, Serena!" A shouting voice instantly silenced the crowd. The honey-blonde searched the crowd as she knew it was Ash. He was standing in the center with Cleffa raised above his head and Pikachu on his shoulder. "You'll do great! I believe in you!"
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.
"Cleffa!" The Star Shaped Pokémon yelled.
Standing next to her best friend was Brock. "Show them all the hard work you've done!"
"Oh my, it appears Serena is receiving support from her friends and Pokémon," Lillian said. "Will that be enough for the rookie to overcome her fears or will she be disqualified for being unable to participate? We're giving her one more minute to make a move and hopefully, it's for show."
Serena blinked many times, wiping away a tiny tear off her cheek. The support from her friends was touching, especially from Ash. She looked at Eevee, remembering why she wanted to participate in a Contest. Not to win or for the glory, but so she could make Eevee happy. Guess it was time to go for broke!
"Eevee, it's showtime!" Her five-minute timer began.
The Evolution Pokémon grinned as it ran along Serena's back and left arm to get a running jump. It performed several mid-air flips.
"Swift!" Serena snapped her fingers.
Eevee fired off a series of star-bolts into the air that slowly descended downward. It landed gracefully and started to skip in a circle with every third step hopping with a little twirl. Once in a while, it mixed up the twirl with a summersault.
"Quick Attack and Swift!"
The Evolution Pokémon quickened its pace in dance movements while flicking Swift into the air. The stars rained down slowly providing a space-like aesthetic.
"Finish with Bite and Attract!"
Eevee jumped in the center of the stage to bite into one of the star-bolts like a cookie. As it descended, it winked at the crowd with tiny hearts flying outwards. With one last flip, it landed on its feet and immediately went into a bow.
The crowd started to clap and cheer. Some people whistled to Serena's delight. However, the audience had no say in the scoring, so she turned her attention towards the judges.
"After a shaking start, it seems the power of friendship helped the rookie overcome her fears!" Lillian commented. "What a stunningly cute performance, but how will our judges score?"
Mr. Contesta sighed with a discontent appearance. "Not a bad performance. It fact it was wonderful to see a Pokémon enjoy making people happy; however, nothing about it screamed beauty. It was mostly cute. I'm sorry, but…"
"Hold on!" Athena stood up. "I challenge you Mr. Contesta on the very definition of the word, beauty. In my book, there are two types of beauty. One that presents itself on the outside, which we have seen many participants today demonstrate while there's also inner beauty and personality. That is something I've noticed in Eevee's performance. It wanted to showcase its beautiful dance for everyone's enjoyment. It didn't need to be flashy. It simply needed to be itself. While I agree overall the aesthetic was cute and cool, I have to rate that dancing as beautiful." On the scoreboard, it was revealed that she provided an 8.3.
"Nevertheless, it was simply remarkable," Mr. Sukizo said. "Regardless of the final scoring, you and Eevee should feel proud as it takes a lot of courage to perform. I can see you have a bright future." He scored the performance with 7.5.
Mr. Contesta scratched his head before finally speaking again. "Athena is right. I've been judging everyone's performances based on outer beauty while ignoring inner. Still, you stepped into the territory of cuteness, but my score is higher after Athena's watchful eye." He scored the performance a 7.
"That's the first time those three have debated with an interesting point today," Lillian followed up. "Serena managed to score 22.8 which is not bad for her debut. Unfortunately given our current rankings, she is eliminated from the competition, but let's give her another round of applause for a great performance!"
Eevee lowered its head and returned to Serena's side. The honey-blonde crouched down to pick it up. Then she started to pet it while walking back through the tunnel. The audience were whispering amongst themselves while clapping.
"It's okay Eevee," Serena told it. "You were amazing out there…"
The Evolution's Pokémon ears were down with a giant frown on its face. It buried its face into Serena's body.
Miette mockingly clapped as Serena entered the waiting area. "Bravo. You practically embarrassed yourself, but I'm surprised with the scoring given how they've been rating performances today. Dumb luck if you ask me and probably pity after your terrible start."
Serena ignored her and continued onward to the changing area. Behind closed doors, she looked at her phone to see a variety of messages from friends and family.
Gary: Tough break, but a good show. You'll get them next time.
Daisy: Bummer, but it was wonderful to see Eevee dancing! Love the flower on its ear! I hope your other Pokémon have been enjoying the accessories!
Mom: I'm very proud of you, honey!
The honey-blonde blinked rapidly, unsure of why her mother was proud of her. She had failed in the first round, which was understandable but not worthy of such praise. Hesitantly, she called her mother.
Upon appearing on the screen, Grace frowned. "Why are you giving me that kind of a face?"
"I'm just confused…why are you so proud?" Serena sniffled.
Grace shook her head while a light chuckled. "What kind of a daughter did I raise if you don't know?" She paused. "Despite being eliminated from the first round, you gave it your all. I can tell you've been practicing considering you hated training with me when you were younger. For those reasons, I'm proud." She then giggled. "Not to mention you took my advice to go for broke."
Serena wiped a tear from her cheek. "I just didn't want to let Eevee down since it wanted to participate in one."
"Vee…" It muttered.
"Eevee…" Serena frowned. "Don't worry, people enjoyed your performance. I'm sorry that it didn't work out."
"So that's it?" Her mother scolded. "You mean to tell me you spent all your time training and practicing to participate in one Contest? Perhaps I misjudged your character."
Serena blinked, unsure why the sudden change in attitude. "I thought you were proud of me."
"That is because I believed you were going to take being a Coordinator more seriously after your elimination," her mother shook her head. "I guess you're still that same girl after all. Anyways, I'm sorry that your first Contest ended so my only piece of advice to you is with your friends for the support."
"Okay…" She sighed.
Grace huffed. "If you're the person I know you can be, then sulking alone isn't going to help anyone, especially Eevee. Go have some fun with Ash to get your mind off it. Now I have to go. Promise me you'll think about what you want to do. Love you."
"I love you too," Serena replied.
The video call ended with a few messages appearing on the screen.
Ash: We're in the lobby, waiting for you….um, Cleffa won't stop crying so please hurry!
Leaf: Oh Serena, I'm so sorry about your Contest. Know I'll be here for you if needed…Good luck with your next one.
Upon seeing Ash's message, she quickly rushed to the lobby with Eevee in her arms. It did not take long for her to locate Ash and company as she followed the sound of a crying Pokémon. Brock had Cleffa and rocking it gently, but it did not seem to be helping. The coach covered her ears with Ash trying to figure out what to do with his phone.
"I'm here!" Serena told them. She immediately exchanged Eevee with Cleffa. "Why is it crying?"
"Beat us," Brock sighed. "It started shortly after hearing you were eliminated. We thought it was hungry, but that's the case."
Ash rubbed his head. "According to the Pokédex, the Cleffa line are mostly nocturnal, but it's been fine every other time during day time."
"Do something already!" Misty grunted.
"It's okay Cleffa." Serena petted its head and rocked it in her arms. Like earlier, it kept crying. "Um…do you want to hear a song? Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are. Upon above the world so high." She lifted Cleffa above her head while swaying it back and forth. "Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle little star. How I wonder what you are."
Cleffa seemingly stopped crying while appearing to be sleepy. The honey-blonde petted it gently before returning the Star Shaped Pokémon.
"That's seriously what we needed to do?" Brock quickly took out his phone to note it.
"Since when does Cleffa like lullabies?" Ash asked.
Serena lightly chuckled. "I only found out this morning when it did something very similar."
"You could have told us before you left us with it," the coach rolled her eyes.
Before Serena could apologize, a slow clap could be heard behind her. When she turned around, she saw Clark.
"That was simply beautiful," he remarked. "You have a natural singing voice. I'm a little envious of how lovely you sounded."
Serena blushed. No one had ever complimented her on singing before. "Uh, thanks, Clark. Looks like I have you to thank again considering you're the one who showed me that little trick."
Clark dismissively waved. "Oh please, it was nothing. I was happy to help earlier and it was your quick thinking that stopped it this time so you should be thanking yourself.
"By the way," Serena coyly said. "I absolutely loved your performance. It was wonderful and really beautiful. I can see why you made it to the Grand Festival in Johto and even managed a perfect score this time around."
"Thank you," the man said. "Ever since that embarrassing loss in the Grand Festival, I've worked aimlessly in perfecting my performances. This is the result of my Pokémon's hard work."
Ash stepped in, scowling. "Considering you made it to the second round early on, why are you still here?"
Clark turned to her best friend. "You must not be a Coordinator. It's common practice to stick around to watch others perform. It can inspire one to take their performances to new heights and it's a good way to know your opponents."
The coach interjected. "It's the same thing with the Pokémon League and why it's important to check up on star Trainers to see what their Pokémon can do. Speaking of that, I'm giving you homework tonight to take notes on any notable trainers. We'll start with Gary Oak as he's going to be your biggest rival."
Ash hung his head low, looking embarrassed. The honey-blonde tilted her head at the sight. He had nothing to be ashamed of considering she didn't think to observe the other performances after her own.
"In any case, Serena," Clark grabbed her attention. "I saw your performance and I wanted to see how you were doing."
"W-Why?"
Clark adjusted his scarf. "Because I can understand the frustration and humiliation of going out in the first round despite the crowd loving a performance. It does a number on someone. So I wanted to say you put on a good show and you would an awesome rival to have to keep me on my toes."
"Thanks," Serena smiled awkwardly. She didn't want to disappoint him nor exactly know if she'll try another one. "Then let's push one another to the top!"
"I look forward to seeing you in the future," he replied with his hand extended. "Please, won't you stay to watch the second round tomorrow?"
Serena nodded. "For you, I will." She shook his hand with a firm grip. This time, she was quick to redraw her hand before Ash saw him kiss her hand once again.
The group headed back to the Pokémon Center where they watched the remainder of the performances. They sat in the lounge to watch it with other trainers. The top thirty-two were revealed with Miette and Clark among them. The honey-blonde was mostly silent with Eevee by her side. The Evolution Pokémon appeared to be taking it the hardest as even with Pikachu's funny faces, it moped around.
Serena kept running her performance in her head and how she could have shown beauty more. Maybe deep down, she had never given up on winning. Her chest stung of embarrassment and her head hurting from the analysis of the other performances.
"Serena," Ash called out her name.
She weakly smiled. "What is it, Ash?"
Ash scratched his cheek. "Do you want to go out for a little walk?"
Normally, the honey-blonde would jump at the chance. This time, she simply wasn't in the mood, especially with Eevee's mood. "I don't think that's a good idea at the moment…"
"Don't worry about Eevee," Brock said. "I'll watch over it along with Pikachu."
"When you come back, don't forget about your homework," the coach added while using her phone to browse. "We have a ton of footage to get through."
Ash held out his hand that Serena reluctantly took to get up. The warmth of his hand made Serena feel safe. Lots of joyful thoughts came to her mind until Ash resented his hand. She wanted to hold onto it longer but followed him in hopes to feel better. Together, they walked around the city with the sun already set. The moon was high in the sky.
"You know, I thought you were amazing out there," Ash said with his hands behind his head. "You and Eevee were in sync and the Swifts reminded me of seeing the stars at night."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Serena lightly chuckled. "I guess I was inspired by our walks back in Pallet Town."
Her crush chuckled. "Why am I not surprised? You usually like going on these walks together. I wish we could see the stars, but seeing the moon is close enough."
"I guess…" Serena was looking at the ground before stopping under a streetlamp.
"What's wrong?" Ash asked.
Serena shook her head. "It's nothing."
Ash stood there with his arms crossed. It looked like he was debating with himself. "I don't want to pry but I am worried about you. I don't think I've ever seen you this quiet over several hours."
The honey-blonde looked at the moon, thinking about what her mother had said earlier mixed with different taunts of Miette. Losing Ash to her would be the worst. Still, he can't be her only reason to be traveling. It wasn't fair to anyone. "Can I ask you something?"
"You can ask me anything," Ash replied. "I'll do my best to answer."
"What made you decide to be a Pokémon Master?"
The raven-haired boy scratched his head. "Good question…I wanted to be a Pokémon Master ever since I could remember. I guess I came up with the idea because Gary said he was going to be the greatest Champion the world has ever seen. The only thing I can think of to top that was being a Master. That little fantasy evolved into a goal of mine in unlocking potential. Why do you ask?"
"I'm just curious. You always seemed sure that's what you wanted to do and based your entire journey around a title that doesn't exist. I know being a Master to you is being able to bring out any Pokémon's full potential, but how do you even know you'll achieve it?
Ash smiled. "The beauty of it is I don't."
The honey-blonde's jaw dropped. "Then why even make that your goal?"
"An endless goal keeps you on your toes and motivated in finding a way to accomplish it." He looked at the moon. "I know that the world can't tell me whenever I achieve it. I can only know whenever I discover the secret of unlocking a Pokémon's full potential. With my research so far, I feel closer to the finish line, but there's still a very long road ahead. No matter what, I aim to accomplish the impossible."
Serena admired her friend's convictions and ideals. "I hope that you'll achieve that goal one day."
"Me too," he laughed. "What about you? Did you come up with a goal?"
"That's what I was hoping to find or at least understand how someone develops a goal," she sighed. "Besides pity arguments, it seemed like you formulated your goal around your passion and love for Pokémon."
"Of course," he said. "Isn't that where all goals originate from? Some sort of passion and love for something?"
The honey-blonde paused while thinking about her friends' goals. Leaf loved learning and Pokémon so she decided she wanted to pursue being a professor. Brock enjoys helping people and Pokémon in need and thus he wanted to become a doctor. The coach loved water-types and battling so she's becoming a Trainee. Gary was tougher to decipher other than evolution leads to strength and therefore becoming a strong champion. What did she love doing?
Despite not wanting to come along on a walk, she was glad that she did. "You're right Ash," she remarked. "Why don't we finish our walk?"
They walked around the block, stopping once in a while to take a picture with a water-type statue-like Seel or Starmie. Upon returning to the Pokémon Center, Ash was dragged by his coach to watch videos. Miette was steamed that the group left the Contest Hall without her nor even stayed to watch the rest of the performances there. Brock was outside, playing with his Pokémon, especially Zubat.
The honey-blonde watched some of the interviews from today's Contest. On some level, she could see the passion and love for the competition in every one of them. It made her wonder if she was truly passionate about Contests. Thoughts like that plagued her mind as she fell asleep.
The next morning, Serena was stirred in her sleep once again to the sound of the coach yelling. Instead of watching, she took a quick shower before taking a walk to the beach with Eevee on her shoulder. The sand was soft and a trail of footprints was left behind. She thought Eevee might enjoy the view. The Evolution Pokémon appeared to be smiling, which was a big improvement since last night. It was a huge relief, but it still worried about the honey-blonde.
A gentle breeze swept the area with the waves crashing onto the shore. It was slowly getting lighter with the sun rising in the distance. Serena released her Pokémon so they could see it. Nidoran glared at Eevee. Ledyba was hovering around Serena's shoulder with Cleffa hopping up and down.
Between last night and the relaxing walk, the Coordinator felt as if she had a sense of clarity. She understood why she was saddened by her defeat despite casting away the need to win. She understood why Eevee felt heartbroken despite general praise. She understood some of her desires and the way she had been treating any Pokémon she met. She stepped closer to the water and turned around to address her Pokémon.
"Listen up everyone," she began. "I know yesterday was a disappointment." She bowed. "I'm sorry to have let you all down like that." She sniffled. "It's all my fault. I should have known been than to rely on getting lucky in the category selection. I didn't prepare you guys well enough. All of your hard work was almost for not. Please, forgive me!"
"Ledyba!" The Five Star Pokémon flew around. The air began smelling musty.
Cleffa grabbed ahold of her leg. "Cleffa!"
"Vee!"
"Nidoran!"
Nidoran and Eevee jumped into her arms. Serena felt the love coming from her Pokémon. It made her cry tears of joy. She was lucky to have such wonderful Pokémon. The Pokémon also shred some tears. Serena guessed it was because they hated seeing her sad as well.
She wiped away some of the tears while embracing them as best she could. "Oh, guys. Thank you. That being said, we have a lot of work to do if we plan on winning the next Contest!" Her Pokémon cheered at the news, especially Eevee. "Starting today, we're going work towards a goal and dream. I hope you all will be part of it!"
Her Pokémon cheered once again. The smiles on their faces made Serena happy. How could she be so blind to it all along? A fire was lit under her eyes and she couldn't wait to tell the world, but she needed to take care of a few errands first.
Ash retrieved his Pokémon at the front desk. His entire body ached from the exercise Misty had been putting him through. According to her, a fit body meant a fit mind and he could think faster and clearer. He didn't entirely buy into it, but he was willing to give it a shot. He returned to his friends who were waiting by the door. The only person who was missing was Serena.
"Let's just leave," Miette said while looking at the time. "She's a big girl and can find her way to the Contest Hall. You can also text her too."
Brock sighed. "I understand you made it to the second round so why don't you just head out so you won't be late?"
"And miss a chance to walk with Ash? No thanks."
Misty rubbed the temples of her head. "This better not happen in every city."
Ash frowned. In all honesty, he didn't want to see the second round of the Contest since Serena didn't make it and he didn't know how to feel about Clark. He seemed like a nice person, but the way he acted around Serena bothered him for some unknown reason to him.
"I'm waiting for her," he said. "That's final."
"Sorry everyone," Serena said.
Brock's, Misty's, and Miette's eyes widened with jaws dropping to Ash's confusion. When he turned around, he blinked several times to ensure he was seeing the right person. Serena was not wearing her usual outfit let alone her hair was no longer down her back. Her hair presently was by her shoulder in length. Her hat was a red fedora with the rainbow feather still being a part of it. She wore black laced boots with black leggings and a red cardigan over a sky blue dress. With a backpack, she also had a purse by her side.
Serena giggled while performing a twirl. "Ta-da! What do you all think?"
"Vee!" The Evolution Pokémon barked on her shoulder.
"I think you looked better with long hair," Misty said while putting on sunglasses.
Miette shook her head while laughing. "Heartbroken are we?"
Brock dismissively waved at that comment. "Oh please, I think she's embracing something new inside of her."
Ash smiled while coyly saying, "I think you look… really cute."
"Thanks, Ash!" Serena beamed. His best friend tipped her hat. "Oh. From this day forward, I will no longer be helping you with your research."
"Did you finally discover what you wanted to research?" The young man looked at her with some excitement.
Serena nodded. "More than that. I finally discovered what I want to do on my journey with you." She had her hands close to her heart. "I want to be a Contest Grandmaster!"
Miette scoffed. "There's no such thing. How does one surpass a Contest Master who already can dazzle people in all five categories?"
"In the words of the wonderful Aria, one can't be afraid of chasing after their dreams," Serena stated. "No matter the challenges I'll have to endure, I'll become a Grandmaster so I can dazzle people and Pokémon alike! I want to make the world a happier place."
"Vee!" Eevee said cheerfully.
Brock chuckled. "I guess a certain someone must have influenced that." He nudged Ash who began scratching his head. "Then what are you researching?"
"Pokémon happiness," Serena smugly said. "I thought about what Ash said when he first met Pikachu and how he thought about its happiness. I did the same for Eevee for a Contest, but I want to ensure every Pokémon we meet and befriend are as happy as they can be. Then hopefully with my research, everyone can make their Pokémon happy!"
"Sounds like another topic in helping to unlock Pokémon's potential," Ash remarked.
Serena winked. "Leave that all to me just like Leaf with the physique." The honey-blonde gestured towards the door. "Come on, let's go cheer on Clark!"
"Hey!" Miette shouted. "I have a fair shot at the Contest too you know."
"Yes, but Clark's been to the Grand Festival in Johto unlike you in Kalos," Serena simply replied.
Miette grinded her teeth. "That proves nothing about how things are going to go today!"
The group walked to the Contest Hall. Ash was mystified by Serena the entire way. Something about her appearance, walking, and attitude interested him. If he was alone with Serena, he would speak up as Miette and his best friend were going at it once again with Serena seemingly taking it better this time around.
The quartet of friends watched from the stands while Miette headed backstage. They witnessed many battles with Miette and Clark being in the final round.
"Sneasel use Icy Wind on the ground to up-tempo!" Clark shouted.
"Slurpuff use Fairy Wind to stop it!" Miette countered.
Sneasel froze part of the floor with Icy Wind and began skating in a circle around Slurpuff who created a wind of fairy dust, but it kept missing. Miette's points were reduced from 70 to 54.
"Use that lovely voice and sing it a tune!" Clark commanded.
His Pokémon emitted a high-frequency sound that startled Slurpuff. No doubt to Ash's mind that it was using Screech as Miette was covering her ears. Her points further reduced to 42
"Fin with Metal Claws!" Clark yelled.
Sneasel skated around before sucker punching Slurpuff with Metal Claws. The impact sent Slurpuff flying back towards its trainer. A giant red 'X' filled the scoreboard.
"The judges have ruled Slurpuff being unable to battle!" Lillian said. "That means the winner of the Cerulean Contest is Clark the Conductor!"
The crowd cheered and clapped. Serena appeared to be happy while Ash scowled. The judges presented Clark with the ribbon. Clark held it in the air while waving to the crowd. He later met up with Serena and her friends in the lobby.
"Congrats, Clark," Serena said.
Clark smiled. "Thank you. I see you have changed your appearance. Quite stylish and beautiful at the same time."
Serena grinned. "Thanks. It was time for a change."
"If you say so," Clark chuckled. "I'm glad you decided to stick around. Did you learn anything from watching me?"
Serena nodded. "Mostly what goes into being a Coordinator. If I want to be taken seriously, then I'm going to have to take other people's ideas to make my own like you did for Sneasel and the icy path you created."
Clark grinned while handing her a piece of paper. "That's a start, but perhaps you'll benefit from having my number and keeping in touch from time-to-time."
Ash frowned at the exchange of paper and tighten his grip. What was Clark's aim here?
"Why do you want to help a rival?" Serena asked.
"You have a lot of catching up to do," the musician laughed. "I want my rivals to be on an even playing field and I've heard teaching others is a great way to boost my understanding."
Serena nodded slowly. "So you're using me to further your career."
"I know how shallow that sounds, but I truly want to help give you a proper start as oppose to you figuring things out on the fly."
"I appreciate any help you can provide but don't expect me to lean on you for ideas," Serena smiled. "I'm planning on surpassing you with my own style of performances!"
Clark gave a nod. "That's the spirit. Don't be a stranger when you do run into issues." He turned his attention towards Ash. "I believe a friend of yours has already left if you were waiting for them."
Ash scratched his head. "Are you talking about Miette?"
"She told me to tell you that she wanted to become stronger for you," he replied. "You're one lucky man and I hope you'll open your eyes one day to what you're missing."
Serena shook her head. "I think his eyes are just fine where they're at."
"What are you talking about?" Ash asked.
"None of my business," Clark said. "See ya around!" He waltzed off deeper into the lobby where he was greeted by many women asking for his autograph or to take some kind of picture.
Ash folded his arms, watching Clark interact with his fans. He didn't know what to think of the guy yet, but he wondered if he'll be surrounded by adoring fans once he builds up his reputation. He felt a tap on his shoulder with Serena walking to his side.
"So Ash, it turns out one of the next Contest is in Saffron City!" She said.
"Really?" Ash said. "That's where the closest Gym is located."
"That Gym has a new leader," Brock said. "I believe she's a psychic type user."
Misty looked at her phone. "Then we better get moving if we want to provide plenty of time for both of you to prepare for those matches."
Serena giggled and started to move. "Race you guys to the end of the city!"
"Hold on, I know the way!" Misty gave chase with Ash and Brock close behind.
Athena was backstage in a changing room, packing her belongings and waving goodbye to several crew members. When she was alone, she dropped the smile and reached down into her pocket for a Bluetooth headpiece to place in her ear. With a press of a button, she waited for Giovanni to pick up from the other end.
"Make it quick, Ariana" Giovanni said coldly.
The woman smiled at the sound of his voice. "The girl didn't make it to the second round. The category was not something she was able to do despite several interventions and meddling. The intel was wrong."
"Are you sure?"
"You know I would never have made a careless mistake." Ariana's heart sunk. "I can judge another one of her Contests as well unless you want me to punish those three for their incompetence."
There was a moment of silence. "Yes, those three seem to have been failing one too many times as of late. Make them remember the true meaning of no failure."
The woman smiled impishly. No one makes her look like a fool and gets away with it. She restrained herself from laughing until she met with those three.
AN: I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts
Next Time: Chapter 12: Pokemon Ranger and the Hidden Village Part 1 ("I want you to confirm everyone's identities.")
Questions You Might Have
Q: Who's Clark the Conductor?
He's a one-off character in the Hoenn League during the double battle round against Ash. I found him to be an interesting character and thought his musical personality would work better for Contests and since most ladies are charmed by him, why not a love rival for Ash. Fair is fair since Miette is rivaling Serena with Ash's affection. I hope you also liked the musical terms I incorporated in his battling and performing.
Q: Why did Serena lose in the first round? Didn't I set her up to at least make it to the second round?
I wanted you to keep guessing or assume. Honestly, she was always going to lose this one so I can have her change outfits and be similar to her Showcase Debut in the anime. I also rewatched May's and Dawn's first Contest that they part take in and they made it passed the first round while losing in the second and I didn't want to mimic that. Also, keep in mind that there were around 100 participants so it was stacked and the scores of the top 32 were 25+ in score.
Q: Why did I add in the categories of Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Toughness, and Cleverness to the first round? Wasn't the regular Contest rules enough?
This forces me to come up with different routines and such for each Contest as opposed to writing similar things each time. I also think it adds a bit freshness and justifies why I had Serena's score be lower.
Q: Will every Contest be as stacked? Why was it split over two days?
Probably not. I wanted to give Serena the best possible chance without making it seem unbelievable or narrow as top 8 or 4. It's split over two days because logically, having about 121 people with about 5 minutes performing resulted in nearly 10 hours on round 1 alone. Factor in feedback, then it's nearly 12 hours if everything moved along.
Q: When will we see Serena's Pokemon in real action?
Saffron City in two different ways.
