Chapter 12 New Performance Challenge

Ash, Golly, and Lillie are now back at Ash's house, when they are inside, they are surprised to see Aurora with an elderly woman. Ash says, "Grandma, it is nice to see you again."

Ash and Golly give her a hug and Palermo says, "Hello, Ash, and to you as well, Golly. It sure has been a while since I last saw you two."

"But I was surprised that you would come all the way here from Kalos, I mean, you are always busy with teaching students like me or Aria." Golly adds.

Lillie feels a little awkward as she doesn't know what to do as she is standing in front of Ash's mother and Ash's grandmother. Palermo turns to Lillie, "So you must be Lillie, right?"

Lillie nods a little and she asks, "Have we met before? I don't know why, but you seem to be familiar with me and I don't think it is because you are Ash's Grandmother..."

Palermo smiles and says, "Why you really are a clever one, aren't you. As you see, I usually teach young girls to become the best performers in the Showcase business, which is a trend in the Kalos Region."

Ash says, "Indeed, I watched a lot of showcases, and I can say they are one of a kind, girls compete with several themes, and I know that there are fashion designing, baking, and even quizzes."

Golly continues, "And in the next one is the freestyle performance, where performers perform with Pokemon that consists of moves and dances. The one that wins them all can earn a Princess Key, with three of them you can enter the Master Class, and the winner gets to face the Kalos Queen to gain her title."

"That sure sounds amazing..." Lillie says in awe. Palermo says, "My, Ash. I never knew you know a lot of detail, I know Golly knows about it because she has been living with me for years. Looks like my daughter has been teaching you a lot about this, right?"

Aurora says, "Actually, mother, I didn't teach him about this stuff. Since I thought that you only give the performances to girls and not boys, I didn't talk about it much to Ash because he is a boy."

Ash says, "Mom is right, I didn't learn from him, nor I didn't learn from Golly as well. I learned it a year ago, and my friend Serena compete in them and she almost won against the Kalos Queen Aria."

Lillie flinches at the name and she knows that she is Serena, but does that mean she did the performances and she almost won against the Kalos Queen? Palermo says, "Lillie right? I heard from Aurora here that you are actually a self of Serena, right?"

Lillie doesn't know how to reply until Sylveon wraps her feelers around her arm and she gives her an assuring smile. Lillie says, "I think I am, but according to my mother, I suffered a plane crash, and I forgot what I did as Serena. But recently, I start to remember some things. About how I met Ash when we are children, and how we get together in the Santalune City...and..."

Ash says, "It's fine, you tried really hard, I am sure that you would be able to remember your dream to perform."

Palermo smiles and says, "You really care about her, Ash?"

Ash blushes a little at his grandmother's comment and he says, "I met a lot of girls, in my journey, but no one can compare to her. She is one of the kind and I love her. I truly love her and I don't want to leave her ever since that plane crash."

"Ash..." Lillie's face is heating up and he says, "I don't care if you are Lillie or Serena, I don't want you to get hurt, which is why I want to protect you, and I also want to see your smile again."

Lillie feels her heart warm, she wants to kiss Ash so bad, but she is scared, not because of Ash, but herself. She has been living in misery, but then she finds out that she has another self and her mother also, the fact that the two of them live happily in Kalos, and the fact that her other self travels with Ash throughout the Kalos Region and they seem to be happy together. She doesn't know who she is anymore.

"Lillie, are you feeling alright?" Ash asks in worry, feeling sad that his words might have hurt her somehow. Lillie gives him an assuring smile and says, "Don't worry, Ash. It is just that a lot of things come to my mind."

Palermo says, "It is fine, dear. You don't need to be very nervous, there is a reason why I am here and I want you three to help me out."

This causes confusion among the two people and Golly asks, "What is it, Grandmother?"

Palermo says, "I know it will be difficult for you, but as you can see, I was the one that founds the Showcases, Aurora took my inspiration and she transform it into Pokemon Contests so that both males and females can attend."

"I know, I was actually surprised when I found out that my mother is actually the Aurora herself." Ash says.

Aurora says, "We are wondering if you want to help us establish either one of them in the Alola Region. Alola may be a tropical region that has the purpose of traveling to other regions, but we think that Alola is a Region, and it should be like the other regions, having Contests or Showcases."

"I see. I think that is understandable. But why us?" Lillie asks. "I mean, I may be Serena in the past, but I didn't have those memories yet..."

"And I may have partaken some contests in the past, but I didn't win any of them, and my only good record is that I tied." Ash says, "How are we going to make it a success?"

Aurora says, "About that, I have been discussing with Mother for a while, and we decide to give you some advantages to make this a success."

This causes confusion for Ash, Golly, and Lillie, Ash asks, "Can you tell us more about it? I don't understand..."

Palermo says, "Lillie. Since you were Serena, the performing arts come from your talents, it doesn't matter if you are Serena or not, I am sure you can do it." She turns to Ash, "As for you, Ash. I heard from Wallace last time we met, he said that you have the potential to become a coordinator if you try hard, and he thinks that the reason you lost is the fact that you used the wrong Pokemon against your opponent."

"Really? I thought that since battles and contests are different, my style for battling can't be good on stage..." Ash says.

"Whoever told you about this might be wrong." Palermo says, "After all, Aurora here proves the fact otherwise. As for you, Golly, let's say that the training I gave you is also sufficient."

"I know." Golly says.

Ash turns to Golly and Lillie and he asks, "Should we try something out?"

"I think your mother and grandmother are very serious about this, I think we should do it. But what are we going to do with it?" Lillie asks.

"I have no idea...I mean, all I learned from Grandma is how to do some performance and some skills, but she only teaches me the basics since I have to make my own style of performances if I want to advance."

"Maybe you should ask Professor Kukui about it." Aurora suggests, "After all, he might be able to help you out with some stuff..."

Ash, Golly, and Lillie nod, then they go to the Professor's Lab with Aurora accompanying them. Kukui says, "I see, you want to do something that is similar to the Contests and the Showcases, but you want it to be different..."

"Do you have any ideas, Professor?" Golly asks with confusion, and Kukui smiles, "As a matter of fact, I do. You can try out a competition which is similar to the theme performances in the Showcases and the battle rounds of the Contests."

"That sounds like a nice idea." Aurora says, "Since the Free-Style performance has been highly used, it would be better if we change the style of it."

Ash says, "Maybe I could use it, but the problem is...what are we going to do for the theme rounds?"

Lillie says, "If you will, I can help you with that. I have been reading a lot of books in the past and I think I know how to do it."

Ash smiles and says, "Lillie, you really are a lifesaver. How about we start to think about it?"

After they discuss for a while, with Aurora's help, they manage to think of 8 kinds of theme rounds, there are cooking, fashion designing, quizzes, Pokemon herding, Acting, obstacle courses, competition with balls, and medical.

"And we think that if people get 8 different stickers, they can advance to the final competition like Master Class or Grand Festival. And that is when we can do the battle rounds like those in the contests." Lillie says.

"So what are you going to call this?" Kukui asks.

Ash says, "Since we are in Alola, how about we call it Island Festival? One with the 8 different stickers can enter what we called the Grand Celebration. How does it sound? Mother?"

Aurora thinks for a while and she says, "It might be tough, but I think it maybe goes well. So how will you determine the winner after the theme rounds?"

Ash says, "Well, we will pick the top four and we will have them split into two groups and battle together to be the winner. As for the Grand Celebration, it will be two theme performances which are chosen at random, and then pick the top 8 to battle."

"I see." Kukui says. "But now that we have set the plan, there is still a problem, which is how many people are going to participate in it?"

Aurora says, "That won't be a problem for us. When I created the Contests, a lot of people have been trying it out, and I am sure people will feel the same way once the news spread out."

After agreeing with the plan, Ash and Lillie are asked to be the ones that be the judges of the Island Festival, while Golly decides to be the emcee. They decide to hold their first Island Festival in Hau'oli City, because it is pretty close to the Trainer's School and they don't need to worry about being late, not only that, but they can also take some time to practice with the whole thing. And thanks to Professor Kukui, they manage to find a place that can help hold the festival. With Ash's fortune, they manage to pay some workers to help set up the competition so that they can put the Festival into Practice.

Here is another new chapter, and as you can see, I decide to create something that is different than the Contests and Showcases, not only that, Ash and Lillie will be the judges of the so-called Festival while Golly is the emcee. The next chapter will be the first competition of this Festival, not only that, I have been thinking a lot and I decided that I am going to create trials for each type except the types for the Grand Trial so that Ash can challenge the Flying Type Trial in the Ten Carat Hill.