"Hello everyone and welcome to the Vermillion City Contest!" Lillian called out.
"Come on Ash!" Brendan cheered. The group had been monitoring Swablu's progress since figuring out the new combination and it seemed like now more than ever they had a winning appeal. It was simply a matter of also having a winning battle strategy.
In the back
"Alright, this will be our last contest until we get back to mainland, so let's make it count." Ash said, holding Swablu's Pokeball.
"Pi!" Pikachu cheered on next to Ash.
Appeal Round
"Swablu take the stage!" Ash said, tossing the Pokeball into the air as Swablu flew high above him.
"Now use Dragon Pulse and Heat Wave!" Ash called out.
Swablu surrounded himself with energy, creating a much larger Swablu around them as they flew around the arena. Swablu flew close enough to the stands that everyone could see their amazing trick, but far enough away that no one would get hurt.
"That Ash, he never goes small on these, does he?" Professor Birch asked.
"No, it's all the way with him." Brendan commented. "How are we looking on time?"
"Since when are these appeals timed?" Brendan's mom asked curiously.
"They're not, its a matter of how long Swablu can keep this up." Wally said, looking at his watch. "He better stop showboating soon or the finale could end poorly."
Swablu circled back towards Ash before rocketing high into the sky, his attack exploding in billions of sparkles raining down around them.
"Magnificent!" Nurse Joy said, giving Ash and Swablu a 9.8.
"Truly remarkable." Mr. Contesa said, giving Ash and Swablu a 9.8 as well.
Ash turned to the third judge, someone he never imagined to be doing this job, Lt. Surge. The man was a harsh battler, and from what Ash saw, a harsh judge as well.
'DING DING DING!' A buzzer went off, as Lt. Surge gave Ash a perfect 10!
"Way to go Ash!" Brendan cheered, as Ash earned a total score of 29.6 out of 30.
"You did great Swablu." Ash said, handing the flying type a Pokeblock, before returning it to his Pokeball.
After the appeals were done, Ash watched as he along with seven others were going on to the next round.
"Ready Pikachu?" Ash asked.
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu said eagerly.
Ash looked down at the envelope, he still hadn't had the nerve to open it up, mostly because of the person who sent it, Gary Oak.
"Ash, you're up next." A worker said.
"Thanks." Ash responded, stuffing the letter away for the time being.
Round 1
"Pikachu, take the stage!" Ash called out.
"Let's go Hypno!" Ash's opponent called out.
"Hypno?" Brendan said, pulling out his Pokedex.
'Hypno, the Hypnosis Pokemon, a Psychic Type. Seeing its swinging pendulum can induce sleep in three seconds, even in someone who just woke up.' The Pokedex said.
"That's frightening." Wally commented.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Hypno use Headbutt!"
Pikachu raced forward, slamming into Hypno's head, only for himself to be launched backwards from the opposing attack.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Hypno use Shadow Ball!"
A blob of inky blackness launched from Hypno's coin, slamming into the thunderbolt and nullifying the two attacks with ease.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
"Hypno use Hypnosis!"
Pikachu raced forward, avoiding looking at Hypno's pendulum before striking it high into the air.
"Now Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, right at the coin!" Ash called out.
Pikachu's bolt of electricity bounced off of Hypno's pendulum, striking through Hypno multiple times as the coin was flipping through the air, before it finally fell on the already defeated psychic type.
"Alright Pikachu!" Ash cheered.
Round 2
"Pikachu, take the stage!" Ash called out.
"Pinsir, lets show them our power!" Ash's opponent said.
'Pinsir, the Stagbeetle Pokemon, a Bug Type. With its pincer horns, it digs burrows to sleep in at night. In the morning, damp soil clings to its body.' Brendan's Pokedex chimed.
"Gonna do that every time?" Wally joked.
"We're leaving mainland for a few days, I want to know what I'm getting into if we find one of these in the wild." Brendan countered.
"We're taking a high speed liner to Cinnabar Island, and then a ferry ride to Metallica Island." Wally reminded. "I doubt we'll see any wild Pokemon, especially any like these out there."
"We've had weirder encounters." Brendan countered.
"Pikachu use Shock Wave!"
"Pinsir use Dig!"
Pinsir dove beneath the ground with a spin, only getting knocked by Pikachu's attack in the process.
"Pikachu be ready with an Iron Tail."
"Pinsir use Guillotine!"
Pinsir's horns jabbed out of the ground, crushing in on Pikachu, as the electric type struggled to break free.
"Come on Pikachu." Ash plead.
"It's no use trying." Professor Birch commented. "Guillotine will either knock out Pikachu, or it won't."
"Like Sheer Cold or Horn Drill?" Brendan asked.
"Exactly, its a risky card to play, but one that is very much worth it." Professor Birch said.
Suddenly the pincers stopped, as sparks of electricity surged down them and Pikachu was freed.
"Alright Pikachu, now use Iron Tail to knock them out of the ground!"
"Pinsir get out of there with Dig!"
Pinsir struggled to move, to no avail as it was launched out of the ground by Pikachu's attack.
"Now Pikachu end them with a Shock Wave!"
"Pinsir use Superpower!"
Pikachu spun his tail around before unleashing a pulse of electricity, frying the Pinsir as it fell to the ground, defeated.
A bit later in the back
"Hey Ash right?" A girl asked.
"Yeah, can I help you?" Ash asked, looking up.
"My names Solidad, Drew told me about you." The girl said.
"You know Drew?" Ash asked.
"Yeah I taught him a lot in his early days." Solidad said. "Anyways I just wanted to let you know, my last battle got a little crazy, so they're getting the arena fixed right now. Might be a good time to read that letter you're clutching."
"It's from an old friend, I'm just worried what it might say." Ash admitted.
"If it's from a friend, you shouldn't be worried." Solidad countered.
"Yes, but this friend is different we used to be rivals, but he went to do research, while I moved on into contests." Ash said. "I'm worried he'll think less of me for my choices."
"You both made your decisions, all you can do is stick with your gut." Solidad said. "I'll give you some space though." Solidad said.
"Alright Gary, let's see what you wrote." Ash said, opening the envelope.
'Hey Ashy boy. No that doesn't feel right anymore, hey Ash. It's been a while since we last met up, I'm out in Sinnoh doing research on ancient legends right now, but this isn't about me. I saw your Grand Festival battles, and I have to say I'm impressed. It's got nothing on our match mind you, but I think you found your true calling. Look, whenever you're ready come by Sinnoh and look me up, they have contests here that make that Grand Festival look like a little league match. Hope to see you soon.
Your rival
Gary Oak'
"Same old Gary." Ash said.
Round three
"Alright Ash, let's give them our all." Solidad said.
"That's all I ever give." Ash countered. "Thanks for the advice by the way."
"Glad to be of help." Solidad said.
"Pikachu, take the stage!"
"Lapras its our time to shine!"
"No Pokedex scan?" Professor Birch asked.
"Did it a bit back." Brendan commented.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Lapras use Hydro Pump!"
Pikachu's blast of electricity shot forward, through the blast of water and hitting Lapras, causing severe damage.
"Pikachu use Shock Wave and Iron Tail!"
"Lapras use Body Slam!"
Pikachu hardened his tail as he spun it around, unleashing a spiral of sparks towards Lapras as the large Pokemon crashed right into him.
"Pikachu!' Ash called out, thankful to see his partner was okay.
"Lapras use Psychic!"
Pikachu was lifted effortlessly into the air and spun around.
"Where does he hit? Normally you hit there focus point to stop psychic, but Lapras is a water and ice type?" Wally said, trying to think.
"Pikachu use Shock Wave every time you face Lapras!" Ash called out.
Pulse after pulse of electricity launched out, until one struck Lapras on the head, causing Pikachu to begin to fall.
"Now Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Lapras use Hydro Pump!"
Pikachu sped across the arena, narrowly avoiding the watery blasts as he closed in on Lapras, slamming into the the soft underside of the Pokemon.
"Now Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Lapras use Sheer Cold!"
Electricity rained down on Lapras as ice began to crawl up Pikachu's body, until the buzzer went off.
"The time for the match has ended, the winner is Ash and Pikachu!" Lillian declared.
"Alright Pikachu!" Ash cheered, breaking his partner free. "You were great too Lapras."
"That's a different approach, supporting your opponents Pokemon." Solidad said.
"What can I say, Lapras has a certain place in my heart." Ash said, as he held up the ribbon in victory.