On our way to Lilypad Town and my next Pokémon Contest, we discovered a nearby village where a cultural Johto Festival was about to occur. We met Lyra, who was one of the festival's spokespersons and a trainer. We all became quick friends after helping her find her lost Marill. She escorted us around the festival afterward and even presented us to a budding young Pokémon Breeder named Khoury, whose father runs the festival. They both then proceeded to teach us about Johto and its culture, with Ash cutting in from time to time to share his own experiences through the region.
It was a lovely festival, and I even participated in a special event, which gifted a Pokemon Egg from one of the regional starters. As Ash already had all three, he decided to leave it to the rest of us. This time around, I chose Piplup as my partner for the event, and we did quite a good job. We ended up in the finals, where I had to face Lyra and her Chikorita. We ended up winning! What surprised us is how fast the egg hatched, I mean how many times does someone get an egg and have it hatch the same day they got it? It did not happen to Ash, and I watched him hatch two eggs during our journey!
But I did not dwell much into it and enjoyed the fact that now I had a Cyndaquil, which brought my regional starter count to two! Though, I am still quite far from Ash's count. He sure loves to collect regional starters. The only thing I would complain about is the fact that Piplup and Cyndaquil seem to be at each other's throats since day one. No matter what I do or say, they still find ways to fight with each other. What's worse is that during one of their fights, it distracted us so much, that Lyra's Marill was able to sneak away and get lost. Yes, Lyra and Khoury had decided to join us on our way to Lilypad Town. Which lead us into a rescue mission all the way to a nearby Valley Windworks, a huge power plant. At the end of the day, Cyndaquil and Piplup got to save her and started to get along a little bit better. Though, they still love to tease each other.
When you think that nothing worse can happen and you will have the rest of the journey in peace, a naughty Gible appears, and of course one of us wants to catch it. What did surprise me is that Ash did not jump at the chance of getting a pokemon that will evolve into a Pseudo-Legendary. If anything, Ash was the one that helped Khoury and his Totodile go head to head against Gible, helping them wear down the tough Pokémon to the point where it can be caught...and Khoury makes the catch! With Gible secured as Khoury's new friend, we all continued our journey to Lilypad Town again.
I felt conflicted about the Lilypad Contest, while I had won my contest against Ursula and I already had four ribbons, I had also lost against Jessie in my last contest, not even making it to the final round. On the bright side, Ash had gotten inspired by my fight against Palmer, thinking about what would have happened if my Vileplume was big enough to swallow the Energy Ball. Which lead him to try and implement that with his Grotle, and it was a huge success! Not only for Ash but also for me and Mamoswine, during our journey to Lilypad Town we perfected a contest move that will take the battle rounds by surprise.
"Is something wrong?" Ash asked me, as we unpacked in our Pokemon Center's room.
"I am feeling nervous," I admitted. "I still don't know how to feel about Mamoswine."
"And yet, you are using him for the battle round again," Ash commented.
"I trust him, our bond is stronger now... but he is still quite a stubborn pokemon," I sighed. "When angered he does not listen to anyone and attacks on his own."
"Dawn, pokemon take more after their trainers than we like to admit. All of your pokemon are stubborn as Distortion World," Ash chuckled.
"Are you calling me stubborn?!" I shouted at him, but he ignored me and continued talking.
"But if you pay attention, you'll realize that he has gotten better with others making jokes at his expense or trying to annoy him."
"Well, having Ambipom as a teammate helps," I answered with a tired chuckle. "Even I had to develop a resistance." I love my Ambipom, but she can get into people's last nerves.
"Then you've got nothing to worry about," Ash assured me. "Don't treat this contest as if it were your last chance to get into the Grand Festival. You already have four ribbons and we still have time before the last contest. Use this contest as another practice round for Mamoswine. Not everyone gets good at contests on their first try."
"You are right, I will do that," I answered him with a relieved smile.
I then left to sign up for the contest and try to get one last practice round before the contest. I was planning on using Piplup for the appeal round, it's been a while since I used my starter for a contest. It was an amazing idea, Piplup's use of Whirpool and then Bid left a dazzling impression on the minds of the Contest Judges. Still, I was nervous when Jessie used Meowth to make delicious ramen for the judges with the use of Fury Swipes. Her appeals have always been unique and outside the box. No wonder she is such a good coordinator...
Don't think like that, I scolded myself internally. Have fun, this is why you are here. That is why you love contests.
"Are you ok kiddo?" Jessie asked me, trying to sound casual but I could hear an undertone of worry.
"I am... just nervous," I answered with a smile.
"It happens to the best of us," Jessie replied with a cocky smirk. "But there's nothing to worry about, see?" She pointed at the television, we had both made it through the appeal round. "See you at the finals," she told me when the battle rounds order was shared with us.
I was the first one battling, so after taking a deep breath and leaving Piplup with Jessie, I left for the stage. "Spotlight, Mamoswine!" I called out after my opponent had released a Granbull. "Ice Shard!" I commanded as soon as the battle started, smiling when I heard the gasps from the crowd and the judges when Mamoswine swallowed the Ice Shard and gained ice spikes along his back. Mamoswine looked gorgeous! "Now Hidden Power and Take Down!" The power and grace my pokemon showcased left me speechless and feeling very proud of how far he has come. However, that feeling did not stay for a long time. As that combo caused a one-hit knockout of the Granbull.
I was completely in shock as I recalled Mamoswine and returned backstage, to a smiling Jessie. "Good job, kiddo!" She praised me but stopped when she saw my grimace. "What's gotten into you now?"
"I was hoping to test more of Mamoswine's combos before the match was over," I answered honestly. "I did not expect to win the battle so soon."
"Let me guess, Ash upped the training you guys had with him after... the incident in Michina Town," Jessie commented, chuckling when I nodded in reply. "Dawn, you will need to tell your pokemon to hold back during contests then. I do that with mine, otherwise, they'll win consecutive knock-outs. You can use the same force you use against Ash with coordinators that focus more on the aesthetic than power."
"I'm really dumb sometimes," I sighed, dropping my head on my hands.
"No, you are not, Ash tends to mess up with your common sense," she comforted me. "Just make sure to go all out with me, I've missed battling without the need to hold back."
"You've got it!" I promised her with a big smile.
As the rounds progress, Jessie uses her husband's Carnivine to great success, moving on up in the tournament. Eventually, during the finals, I found myself up against Jessie. She sent out Carnivine and I sent out Mamoswine. "Ice Shard!" I started the match with an Ice Shard, but to my surprise, Jessie was prepared and had Carnivine use Vine Whip to steal the Ice Shard before Mamoswine can eat it. I could see my points dropping as Carnivine playfully juggles the Ice Shard. I prayed that Mamoswine would not get himself worked out, but what he did next surprised me. He used Hidden Power, without my command, and shattered the Ice Shards, making Jessie's points drop. It was then that I recalled my talk with Ash, Ambipom had been doing that same thing Carnivine had done, all the way to Lilypod Town, while we were working on perfecting our combo. I smiled and calmed myself. There's nothing to worry about, I thought. We can do this! "Mamoswine, Ice Shard!" This time around he did manage to swallow it. "Now, Take Down!" Carnivine managed to evade it, making my points drop, but we were not giving up! "Hidden Power! Corral him!" Mamoswine blocked Carnivine's evading routes with Hidden Power, managing to take land Take Down this time around.
And just as the final attack landed, the time buzzer went off. Both Jessie and I rapidly turned around towards our points and gasped...
I had won, barely by one point, but I had won...
We won!
Mamoswine rushed towards me, throwing me into his back to celebrate.
Celebrate we did! It was our fifth ribbon...
Arceus! It's our fifth ribbon, I thought in shock. I am going to the Grand Festival... I am going to the Grand Festival!