Omarnosian10: How long has it been since I last updated this story?
Darwin: *checks date* Almost two months.
Georgia: To be fair, it was Winter Break and this chapter has a lot more stuff in it than the last one.
Ash: True.
Omarnosian10: This chapter has a lot of surprises for the readers. Before I send you off, I need to remind you that despite the appearances of people from other media, this is not a crossover story.
Darwin: Also, this chapter has the second-to-last appearance of an 'otherworldly guest'… at least this season.
Omarnosian10: With that out of the way… ON WITH THE SHOW!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. If I did, it would've gone the Yu-Gi-Oh route and had Ash succeeded by someone, given Ash a sensible harem, done Unova better (like anyone would), or a lot of other stuff. All descriptions of Pokémon and most of their moves belong to Bulbapedia. A majority of this chapter before being edited by me belonged to 19jchoi's Unova Journeys. Also, a portion goes to xinbra.
"Normal"
'Thought'
"Communicating through a medium"
"Possessed"
"Telepathy"
Flashback or Dream
"[Poké-Speech]"
Chapter 4: Battle Clubs, Contests, and Familiar Faces, Oh My!
(Accumula Town)
It was a new day, as Ash, Darwin, and Georgia were making their way to a new town. As they were walking, they spotted a new town up ahead.
"Yes! We've finally reached Striaton City! Time for a Gym battle!" exclaimed Ash.
"[Yeah!]" agreed Pikachu. The Langley siblings blinked in confusion as they walked beside the Kanto trainer.
"Uh, Ash. Not to make you feel bad, but this isn't Striaton City. This is Accumula Town." explained Darwin.
"What?! But it says it right here!" denied Ash, pointing at the map printed from Lewis' in case he got separated from the siblings.
"Let me see that. (takes map and notices) Winny, when you printed this, you did make sure it was up to date, right?" asked Georgia sweetly.
"Yeah…" answered Darwin, nervous. Whenever his sister uses his nickname, he knows he's in trouble.
"Well then can you explain to me why this is dated THE PAST DECADE?!" snarled Georgia, shoving the map into her brother's face while pointing at the date.
"Wait, what?!" gawked Ash.
"It said it was updated yesterday," answered Darwin.
"If by yesterday you mean 10 years before, then yes, it was up to date." retorted Georgia sarcastically.
"Is that why Accumula Town isn't on the map?" asked Ash.
"Yeah, you see, a few decades ago, this town went out of business because most residents moved away to either Straiton City or Nuvema Town. It became a ghost town until a few years ago when someone renovated the place," explained Georgia.
"Whoa." awed Ash.
"And you called me a nerd," mumbled Darwin.
"What was that?"
"Nothing!"
"Is there anything to do around here?" asked Ash, breaking off the potential fight.
"…Well, there's a Pokémon Battle Club if you're interested," suggested Georgia.
"Pokémon Battle Club? What's that?" asked Ash excitedly/curiously.
"Not surprised you don't know since they're mainly Unova-exclusive stuff," noted Darwin.
"A place where trainers can have many battles with. If you want to battle someone, you can contact that trainer to make a schedule for a battle," explained Georgia.
"How do you know that, Gia?" asked Ash, amazed.
"Whenever Darwin and I got to a town or city with a Battle Club, I took him there and battled plenty of trainers with my Cubchoo before he evolved." smiled Georgia softly.
"Cubchoo?" whispered Ash before taking out his Pokédex. The image that came up is a bipedal, ursine Pokémon with a light blue head and neck. It has a slightly pointed head with large round ears, shiny, dark, oval eyes, and a darker blue muzzle. Cubchoo has a shiny dark nose, from which a considerable amount of light blue nasal mucus droops. The lower part of its body is white. It has rounded forepaws, digit-less feet with black paw pads, and a small round tail.
Cubchoo, the Chill Pokémon, and the pre-evolved form of Beartic. Its constantly runny nose is the source of its energy and its sniffles power its moves.
"Wow… No wonder you and Beartic are so strong!" commented Ash. The praise made Georgia blush, unnoticed by the males. Hoping to keep it that way, she starts leading them to the Battle Club.
'What is wrong with me?'
(Accumula Battle Club)
"Here! This is the Pokémon Battle Club! (clicked on machine's screen panel, which showed some Trainers' profiles) That's the Bulletin Board. You can check any Trainer's profile to see who you want to battle against," explained Georgia, scrolling.
"It's an awesome place where trainers can sharpen their skills by battling as they see fit!" praised Darwin. Ash smiled, feeling excited about the Battle Club already.
'This cannot get any better,' As if wanting to prove him wrong, a familiar face appears on the screen.
"Wait Georgia, go back a bit!" pleaded Ash. Confused, she did so, showing the profile of a girl a year or so younger than Ash with light brown hair. Looking at the name and birthplace, the Kantonian smiled. "I can't believe it, it's Alanna!"
"[Who—Oh right!]" nodded Pikachu.
"Who?" asked the Langleys, Georgia's voice lower.
"She's a friend I made in Hoenn when I entered a Trick House competition a couple of years ago," answered Ash.
"[And the last time we met… that Jigglypuff!]" shivered Pikachu. Guessing what he meant, Ash flinched before nodding.
"What are the odds, looks like she's in town right now," noted Darwin.
"How can I ask for a battle?" questioned Ash.
"I'll do that for you. Just give me a few minutes and—" Darwin's plan got cut off by a nearby crash.
"What was that?" asked Ash, surprised.
"Looks like a battle is going on, right now." guessed Darwin.
"Really?!" At the prospect of watching, Ash jogged away, followed by the Langleys before they find themselves in a giant indoor battle arena.
"Perfect timing! Looks like they're about to start battling!" exclaimed Darwin.
"Wow! All right!" exclaimed Ash. Both Darwin and Ash took out their Pokédexes, scanning the two Pokémon battling each other.
"[Time for you to suck some seeds!]" A green light forms in the Pokémon's hands, becoming a seed before being thrown at the opponent. He is a slim bipedal Pokémon that is primarily green with a cream underside and narrow red eyes. He has a yellow V-shaped structure that starts at the chest and extends behind the shoulders. He has short limbs and a small crest protruding from the back of his head. Three palmate leaves grow along his back and tail.
Servine, the Grass Snake Pokémon, and the evolved form of Snivy. Servine whips its opponents with vines and dodges their attacks by hiding in thick shadows of foliage.
"[Suck on this instead!]" The Pokémon releases a stream of scalding hot water surrounded by steam from his mouth at the Seed Bomb, making it explode prematurely. He is a bipedal, otter-like Pokémon that is primarily light blue. He has small black ears, a pointed crest at the back of his head, a red nose, and long white whiskers forming tilted V-shapes. Two pointed teeth are visible in the upper jaw when his mouth is open. His forelimbs have three fingers on each black paw. His feet and flat tail are black. Around his waist is a large, dark blue, fringed arrangement of fur, with two scalchops on the thighs.
Dewott, the Discipline Pokémon, and the evolved form of Oshawott. Through rigid training, Dewott uses the double scalchop technique to accomplish its fluid swordsmanship.
"Sweet!" grinned Darwin.
"Oshawott, come on out!" grinned Ash, summoning his Water Pokémon.
"[Where are… Oh my Arceus!]" gawked Oshawott, noticing the battle.
"Watch closely Oshawott. (kneels down) That Dewott could be you one day, so it's a good idea to know some stuff before you evolve." explained Ash. Oshawott eagerly nods.
"[That is if he does evolve.]" muttered Pikachu. Picking up Oshawott, Ash rubbed his chin.
"Speaking of knowing, I didn't know Water Gun can be heated up." addressed Ash.
"Because it can't. The Move we just saw was Scald." corrected Georgia.
"Scald?"
"A Water-Type Move founded here. It's a bit stronger than Water Pulse and has a 30% chance of Burning," explained Darwin, crossing his arms.
'Note to self; have Oshawott and my other Water-Types learn that.' nodded Ash, petting Oshawott.
"Servine! Use Leaf Blade!" The attack consisted of his tail glowing green before he leaped towards the opponent, flipping in the air.
"Dewott! Water Gun!" Dewott exhaled the attack at Servine before she could get close, launching the Grass Snake Pokémon across the battlefield, almost unconscious.
"Okay! That's enough! Take your Servine to be healed!" called out a Gi-wearing man. Servine's trainer ran over, checking on his Grass Type.
"Servine!? Are you okay!?" asked the boy.
"[Just peachy!]" whimpered Servine sarcastically. With that, the boy took Servine out of the Battle Club. As the group watched the boy disappear, the man came up to them.
"We'll take care of all your battle needs! I welcome you to the Pokémon Battle Club!" called the man.
"This is Don George. He's the Club manager for this Battle Club," introduced Darwin.
"My name is Georgia! I'd like to introduce you to Ash!" explained Georgia.
"Georgia was just telling me that anyone could have a battle here if they want to!" explained Ash.
"Right! That's correct!" chuckled Don George.
"I'm going to challenge the Striaton Gym, and I want to get ready!" Ash explained.
"[Yeah!]" Pikachu leaped onto Ash's shoulder, surprising Don George.
"Ah! A Pikachu? How unusual to see one in the Unova region!" chuckled Don George. Just then, Dewott's Trainer came over to the group.
"Excuse me! Is that Pikachu yours?" asked the Trainer.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Ash.
"Sweet! Can I have a battle?" requested the Trainer.
"Sure." accepted Ash. With approval from the adult, the two walked toward opposite sides of the field, unaware of a pair of eyes watching.
'Interesting.'
"You can do it, Ash!" cheered Georgia, standing on the side with Darwin and Oshawott.
"Yeah, go kick his a—"
"LANGUAGE!" At Georgia's scold, Darwin lowered his head.
'I see those two haven't changed a bit.' sweatdropped Don George, remembering years ago. Shaking it off, he goes to the referee box after inputting info into his Xtransciever.
"The battle between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Jake Devins of Humilau City will now begin! Each side can only use one Pokémon and the battle will be over when one side is unable to battle." narrated Don George.
"Ready to go, Pikachu?" grinned Ash.
"[Of course!]" smirked Pikachu, hopping off Ash's shoulder and running onto the field.
"Dewott! Let's go!" called Jake. The Discipline Pokémon appeared, ready for battle.
"[Let's do this!]" called Dewott.
"And begin!"
Jake: Dewott VS Ash: Pikachu
"Start off with a Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" ordered Ash.
"[Alright!]" nodded Pikachu, coating himself in electricity before firing his favorite Move, depowering it a bit.
"Dodge!" With the simple command, Dewott ducked his head and dashed under the Electric-Type Move, evading while heading towards his opponent.
"Man, that Dewott's fast!" whistled Darwin. Oshawott's eyes sparkled.
"We're faster! Pikachu, go close for Iron Tail!" ordered Ash. Nodding, his partner transformed his tail into Steel before dashing at Dewott before Jake could make another command, slamming the limb onto the Water-Type's gut and launching him back to his side of the field.
"[Can't… breathe…]" exaggerated Dwott, getting up.
"Not bad," noted Jake, seeing the damage the Not-Very-Effective Move did. "But we're better. Dewott, Razor Shell!"
"[Take this!]" Dewott grabs the scalchops on his waist, which proceed to glow yellow and produce a blue curved blade of energy from them.
"Iron Tail again!" Nodding, his partner retained his Steel-Type Move before clashing it with the water blades. Similar to a swordfight, the Iron Tail and Razor Shell Moves kept clashing at one another, the battlers' Defense occasionally dropping.
'Awesome.' thought Oshawott, seeing his senior's power and his evolution's. Sadly for him, the duel had come to an end, with Pikachu striking a Razor Shell upwards, semi-disarming Dewott.
"Nice work, pal!" praised Ash.
"Hit him with Scald, then get your scalchop back!" panicked Jake.
"[Eat my geyser!]" yelled Dewott, exhaling the Move.
"Oh no, you don't. Get around with Quick Attack!" directed Ash.
"[Got it!]" Nodding, Pikachu glowed white and, using his previous experiences with Hydro Pumps and Water Guns, ran under the Water-Type Move before slamming his head onto Dewott's gut. With his lowered Defense, the Discipline Pokémon couldn't take the attack, evident by him being sent flying to a wall, eyes swirling.
"Dewott is unable to battle! The winner is Pikachu! Which means the victor goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" declared Don George.
Winner: Ash
"[I won!]" cheered Pikachu, running to his Trainer. Given that this was Pikachu's first Trainer battle in Unova, Ash smiled and caught his partner, hugging him.
"That was a good battle Dewott. (returns Dewott) Now if you excuse me, I gotta take this guy to the Center. Seeya!" waved Jake, walking out of the Battle Club.
"That was awesome, Ash! Pikachu barely took any damage and that duel mid-battle was sweet!" exclaimed Darwin. Oshawott eagerly nodded, speechless.
"And you only used one Super-Effective Move and won even when you missed it." smiled Georgia.
"Well, Pikachu and I like to rise to the challenge!" chuckled Ash, petting his Starter.
"I see you haven't changed." At the new voice, everyone turns their head to see—
"Alanna!" At the sight of the Hoenn Trainer, Pikachu leaped off his and landed on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek.
"It's good to see you too, Pikachu!" laughed Alanna.
"So you're the Hoenn friend Ash was talking about," noted Gia negatively.
"You talk about me?" blinked Alanna.
"Actually… (rubs head) I only remembered you from seeing your Battle Club profile image and told these two about it." corrected Ash.
"Fair enough." shrugged Alanna.
"Speaking of remembering, didn't you have green hair the last time we met?" tilted Ash. Equally confused, Pikachu leaped back onto his shoulder.
"I dyed it last year after an incident," answered Alanna. Before Ash could ask about it, an alarm went off, startling everyone.
"Battle manager, sir! It's the emergency alarm!" called one student, arriving with more.
"Something's in the storage room!" explained the second student.
"It's probably that mysterious Pokémon." guessed the third student. Don George sighed and nodded before following them.
"Oh, man! A mystery Pokémon?" asked Ash.
"What are they talking about?" tilted Georgia.
"Maybe we can find out more if we follow them," suggested Ash after returning Oshawott. At his companions' nods, the group followed the staff. "It was nice meeting you again, Alanna!"
"You too!" giggled Alanna, waving back. 'So he doesn't know… oh, he'll be in for a surprise later.'
(Later, Storage Room)
"It doesn't look like much was stolen." stated the first pupil after he and his coworkers surveyed the area. Don George nodded as he looked at the security camera at the building.
"Hmm… The security camera must've recorded something. Let's review it!" called Don George.
"Sir!"
(Security Room)
"So? What's going on?" asked Ash.
"The food in the storage room has been stolen a lot lately, and an unidentified Pokémon sighting, too." started Don George.
"Which is why Battle Clubs have security cameras all over the place," explained Darwin.
"Battle manager, sir! We're ready to go!" called the pupil after finding the footage.
"Good! Let's just see what went on!" called Don George.
"Sir. Here it is." agreed the pupil, showing the video. The recording first showed a shadow, escaping from the storage room.
"I'd like you to play that part of the security tape once more!" called Don George.
"Sir!" The pupil rewinds back to where everyone saw the shadow. As they came to the shadow part, Ash and the Langley siblings grew bewildered.
"A shadow…" whispered Ash.
"Dark and skinny… What kind of Pokémon is that?" asked Darwin. Ash took out his Pokédex, typing up the description. Ash smiled and showed it to Don George and the others.
"Looks to me like this Pokémon!"
Umbreon, the Moonlight Pokémon, and an evolved form of Eevee. The rings of Umbreon's body glow faintly when exposed to the moon's aura, and gain a mysterious power.
"But Umbreon doesn't normally live in the Unova region." corrected Don George. Darwin narrows his eyes.
"Uh… I don't think that's an Umbreon. (gains looks) I mean, there's not a spec of yellow anywhere on the shadow." explained Darwin, having everyone take another look.
"Now that I see it… it does look shorter than normal." realized Georgia.
"So if it's not an Umbreon, then what is it?" asked a pupil. Cupping his chin in thought, Darwin looked at the monitor.
"Don George, do you mind if I take a crack at this? I can adjust the footage better." requested Darwin.
"Are you sure?" asked Don George cautiously. In response, Georgia smirked and put a hand on her brother's shoulder.
"Don't worry sir. If there's anything my brother's the best at, it's programming." smiled Georgia.
"I can vouch for that! He found a hidden virus in my Pokédex and broke it down!" grinned Ash. Don George and the pupils looked at each other as if having a silent conversation. After a few moments, they relented, moving away from the computer.
"Go ahead," ordered Don George. And with that, Darwin began readjusting the image, keeping the size.
"Let's see… since these cameras are old-fashioned, I can't do much enhancement unless I rewind the footage and put it to slow motion… let's start with 25%," said Darwin as he does that. Once the shadow made it into view at a slower pace, he paused the image. While the features were still obscured, the color is more noticeable, mainly the front body looking more like a blackish-orange.
"OK, that's definitely not an Umbreon." sighed Ash. Even Shinies aren't that color.
"Hmm… that Pokémon looks familiar… Darwin, can you change the camera to infrared?" asked Don George. Confused, Darwin complied. Much to everyone's shock, the entirety of the shadow is bright orange.
"So it's a Fire-Type? (pales) Wait a minute…" trailed off Ash in horror before typing in his Pokédex. Soon as search results came, he paled. Confused, the others were about to ask why until he brought it up to show a split-screen of a Pokémon and a silhouette that's strangely a match to the shadow excluding the small bulges.
Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokémon. Normally, fire shoots out of Tepig's snout, but it shoots out smoke instead when it is feeling ill.
"Well, that explains why that Tepig looks so dirty," commented Georgia. Don George suddenly screamed, making everyone jump.
"I know that Tepig!" declared Don George, pointing at the screen.
"You do?" asked the newcomers.
"Yes. (sadly nods) You see, a Trainer who visited our Battle Club a while ago simply abandoned Tepig. Tepig lost the battle, and its Trainer said he had no use for a weak Pokémon. So, he tied it to a stake and left. I wanted to untie Tepig, but it chewed itself loose and disappeared before I could get to it. Tepig must've been looking for its Trainer, which would explain why it was wandering over town." sighed Don George.
"THAT *******!" screamed Darwin, almost slamming his fists onto the console. For once, Georgia hasn't reprimanded him. Instead, she's planning on how to give this Trainer hypothermia and get away with it. And judging by everyone's faces, it won't be so hard.
"This is Charmander all over again." sighed Ash angrily.
"[Not to mention Chimchar.]" growled Pikachu. The only difference is that at least Paul healed his Pokémon before releasing them.
"Listen, kids. (puts hands on Ash and Georgia's shoulder) I'm as upset about this as you are, but getting angry right now won't do anything. The Trainer left town days ago, so he's long gone by now. The only thing we can do for now is find Tepig, properly untie it, and take it to a Pokémon Center to have it checked up." explained Don George. The group took a few breaths, calming down.
"You're right sir." nodded Darwin.
"But how are we gonna find Tepig? With how skinny it got; chances are it can slip through gaps the species shouldn't," asked Georgia. Ash hummed, rubbing his chin. His eyes wandered to Darwin's Poké Ball, an idea hatching.
"Don George, is the Tepig a guy or a girl?" asked Ash. Confused, he confirmed the former. As soon as he did, Darwin's eyes widen, realizing what Ash is going to do.
"No freaking way!" denied Darwin. This confused everyone else.
"What are you talking about?" asked a pupil. Darwin glared at Ash before answering.
"He's planning on using my Tepig to draw out the tied one so we can catch it." Georgia raised an eyebrow at her brother's claim.
"I don't see you coming up with anything." defended Ash.
"Even if we do go along with the plan, where would we draw him out and how would we let the town know?" asked Darwin. Don George slams a fist onto his palm.
"You can enter the Accumula Town Pokémon Contest!" suggested Don George.
"A Pokémon Contest? What's that?" asked Darwin. Before Don George could answer, Ash did so for him.
"You see Darwin, a Pokémon Contest is a small tournament that a class of Trainers called Coordinators can enter to win Ribbons. Unlike Gyms, you need 5 of them, and you can only try a specific Contest from once a month to every two weeks. Instead of a League, a Grand Festival is held and whoever wins it becomes Top Coordinator of the Region." explained Ash, stunning the Langley siblings.
"…Are you a Coordinator?" asked Darwin. Ash chuckled before making an iffy gesture.
"Part-time. I mostly enter for my Pokémon or my friends. I traveled with two Coordinators, so I learned more about Contests through them." answered Ash.
"Wait, weren't you at the Wallace Cup in Sinnoh last year?" asked a pupil. Ash sheepishly nods before turning to Don George.
"By the way, is the Contest a normal one or a Double Performance?" asked Ash.
"Normal."
"When is it starting?"
"A little after 4."
"…OK that's new. (blinks) I've only seen Contests start around late morning or noonish." described Ash.
"Well, with this being the first year Contests debut in Unova, some changes were made," explained Don George.
"Also, how can I prepare Tepig for the Contest? I can't make anything and put it to reality in 3 hours." groaned Darwin.
"I can help." Everyone turned to the entrance to see Alanna leaning against the frame. "I'm entering the Contest and have a performance guaranteed to catch that Tepig's attention… Also, one of you left the door unlocked."
"Oops." muttered a pupil, getting a Gibbsmack from another.
"You wanna help?" blinked Darwin.
"Ash helped me back home; I figured I could return the favor." smiled Alanna, unsettling Georgia. Oblivious to it, Ash nods before clearing his throat.
"Alright. Here's the plan…"
(Contest Hall stage, hours later)
"Welcome one and all, to the Accumula Town Pokémon Contest! To all those who don't know what a Pokémon Contest is, it is a way for Pokémon and Coordinator to show off their talents and give us an extraordinary performance! The winner of our lovely Contest shall have the honor of winning the beautiful Accumula Town Contest Ribbon!" announced a tawny-haired, blue-eyed woman with a green headband, a cyan jacket, a brown shirt, and white pants. After that, the crowd cheered in excitement.
"There are a lot less people here than I've seen in other Contests," noted Ash, looking around and seeing gaps in the audience.
"Makes sense. Contests aren't well known here, so not everyone knows about them." nodded Georgia, sitting beside Ash and her brother.
"Plus there're people like… Trip." At the mention of the racist, Ash nods before sighing.
"And now, allow me to introduce you all to our panel of judges! The head of the newly made Pokémon Contest Committee, Mr. Bruce Wayne!" The man wore a black business suit and has gelled black hair and icy blue eyes.
"It pleases me to be here as history is in the making here in Unova!" announced Bruce.
"The winner of the Miss Unova's Beauty Pagent for three years in a row, along with being Mr. Wayne's wife, Mrs. Selina Wayne!" The woman has long dark brown hair and green eyes. She wore a green dress.
"Hello and welcome!" said Selina.
"And last and not least, our third judge, the local Nurse Joy of Accumula Town!"
"Greetings and salutations! It honors me to be here for Accumula Town's very first Pokémon Contest!" announced Joy.
"Good to see some things stay the same," noted Ash. Smacking his dry lips, he reaches into his bag for a water bottle.
"And let's not forget about me! My name is Alician! And now, let's begin with our first Contestant!" announced Alician while Ash started drinking from the bottle. "Hailing all the way from Petalburg City in the Hoenn Region, climbing all the way to the top 8 in Hoenn and Johto, and the top 4 in Kanto, give it up for May Maple!"
"Pfft! What?!" spit-take Ash onto an empty seat.
(Outside)
"[WHAT?!]"
(Inside)
'Was I hearing things?' Ash checked his ears. As if proving him wrong, a female Coordinator his age walks onstage. She has light brown hair in long sidebangs and blue eyes. She is wearing a red short-sleeved hoodie with white cuffs over a black shirt, black jeans with a red stripe on the right leg, white fingerless gloves trimmed in yellow, yellow sneakers with red straps, and a blue bandanna with a white Poké Ball on it.
(A/N: Outfit design goes to Hapuriainen in Deviantart… except for the bandanna, it's mine)
"You know her, Ash?" blinked Darwin. He went unanswered while his mentor gazed at May in awe, many thoughts running through his head.
'What is she doing here? Did Alanna know? Why isn't she wearing that outfit from the Wallace Cup? What happened to make her go down in Johto?'
"Swablu, Take the Stage!" Ash snapped out of his shock when May threw a Poké Ball into the air before it bursts open, showing a Hoenn Pokémon. Swablu is an avian Pokémon with a round, blue body. Since she has no discernible neck, her body appears to be all head. There are two long feathers on top of her head, and she has a short, rounded white beak and beady, black eyes. Her wings are fluffy and white, resembling cotton or clouds. She has tiny, white feet and two pointed tail feathers.
"What kinda Pokémon is that?" questioned Darwin, scanning with his Pokédex.
Swablu, the Cotton Bird Pokémon. It can't relax if it or its surroundings are not clean. It wipes off dirt with its wings.
"A neat freak." groaned Darwin.
"She's adorable." awed Georgia. Ash refrained from telling them about the evolution, taking note of Swablu's Blue Flower and Headband.
"Are those Accessories on her?" asked Ash.
"Accessories? (blinks) Oh, you mean those Props on her." corrected Georgia.
"Props?"
"Stuff used in musicals at Nimbasa City for the most part. Guess the Theater lent or sold some to Coordinators." shrugged Darwin. Ash nods in understanding, remembering the dress-up routine in Sinnoh.
"Go up and start with Double Team!" ordered May. Nodding, the Norma/Flying-Type glowed white briefly before dozens of copies appeared around her, mimicking a flock; a sight familiar to Ash.
'Wait a minute… could that Swablu be—'
"Now Sing, like we practiced." May snapped her fingers, doing the same to Ash's thoughts. Nodding, one of the Swablue opened her beak, followed by the flock while flying up and down in waves. At the mention of the Move, Bruce tapped a button on his podium, letting special glass rise up around the stage to prevent stray notes from hitting the audience.
[STAGE ON!]
[I bask in the light and the switch is set
(LET'S GO!)
I'm half confident, half nervous]
[I feel like giving up, but I use Focus Punch
I believe in my partner and aim for the finals!
In the shining arena, clapping echoes
The cheering grows, and I can feel their reactions]
"Keep it up through Mist!" added May. Some Swablu nodded before exhaling snow-white smoke, creating makeshift clouds that the flock flies through, into, and out of.
[I won't lose! I'm in full serious mode!
I absolutely won't give up until the very end!
Because tomorrow, I want to look back and smile
I'll decide this with the next hit
I'll get the Ribbon! I'm sure I'll win!]
[I run to the judging room of the championships
Happy!
Though I'm a bit tired
I suppose I feel fulfilled]
[After the match, I give my companions a tight hug
Regrets from all the losses will be cured by time
The new wind blows and shakes my bandanna
My dancing heart is turned toward the next competition I've waited for]
[I won't lose! I'm in full energy mode!
There cannot be a dream that is never granted, so
Someday I want to be a Top Coordinator
So I'll try and not lose! I'm sure I'll become self-confident!]
[I won't lose! I'm in full serious mode!
I absolutely won't give up until the very end!
Someday I want to be a Top Coordinator
So I'll try and not lose! I'm sure I'll become self-confident!]
Once the Song ended, the flock descended onto the ground, forming a Ribbon with their wings. Bowing with her Trainer, the copies vanished, with the main Swablue being in the center.
"What an incredible performance!" praised Bruce.
"Showing off the beauty, teamwork, and voice of a Swablu flock is a gorgeous sight to see!" added Selina.
"Using that Mist mid-way is a great way to keep our attention!" nodded Joy. This was followed by a lot of applause from the audience, including the group.
"Gotta admit, not bad," noted Darwin. While he's more of an action guy, he could appreciate a good musical every now and then.
"Too bad those Swablu were fakes. It would be heaven to sleep in their wings." sighed Georgia.
"Yeah…" nodded Ash absently. At the sight of his former travel companion, he couldn't help but have similar, yet different feelings to seeing Georgia rise up in his chest.
'Why did Mom give me that talk?'
(2 performances later)
"Zzzzzz…" snored Darwin, head crooked.
"Is he serious?" sweatdropped Ash. Even he didn't fall asleep in any Contests. Georgia helplessly shrugs before spotting a familiar girl getting on stage. "Looks like it's Alanna's turn."
"Wha—" Darwin woke up at the name, tuning out Alician's introduction.
"Spoink, time for your debut!" announced Alanna, throwing the Poké Ball.
"Spoi—what?" blinked Darwin.
"[Hello, everyone!]" Forming from energy and bouncing is a gray, pig-like Pokémon. She has dark, circular eyes, a large gray nose, and small ears. She has stubby arms and possesses no hind legs. Motion is achieved by bouncing on her spring-like tail. She wears a pearl on top of her head.
"What Pokémon is that?" questioned Georgia, scanning with her pink Pokédex. The Props the Psychic-Type is wearing consists of a Pink Barette and Decorative Ribbon.
Spoink, the Bounce Pokémon. Spoink bounces about on its tail. The pearl upon its head helps to magnify its psychic powers. If the Spoink loses its pearl, it grows extremely tired.
"I guess this Pokémon is how she's planning on getting that Tepig's attention," noted Darwin, comparing both. Ash nods, looking at the group's empty Poké Balls.
"Here's hoping."
(Outside, Group B)
"[A Spoink?]" blinked Pikachu, sneaking around the Hall with Gible and staring at the jumbotron.
"[Wasn't that one of the Pokémon you beat in that Pokéathlon back in Sinnoh?]" noted Gible. Given how determined he was to master Draco Meteor, it makes sense that he would have improved his memory from watching the Move.
"[Same species, different person.]" corrected Pikachu. And he certainly thinks that she wasn't the same Spoink the Hoenn group met years ago.
"Psywave on the ground!" ordered Alanna. Nodding, the Psychic-Type aimed her snout to the floor in mid-air. The snout began glowing dark pink before emitting rings of the same color toward the ground, repelling Spoink into the air. "Now Power Gem!"
"[Weehee!]" The pearl started glowing dirty brown before firing upward in the same color while sparkling, propelling Spoink downward before she bounced back up. In bursts, she fired Power Gem around her while spinning, cartwheeling in the air, and many other forms of acrobatics, displaying herself.
"[Whoa…]" Ears perking, Pikachu turned his head to see a soot-covered Fire-Type poking his head out, staring at the screen.
'If any of you spot Tepig, fire any attack into the sky like a signal for the others to get there.'
Moving far from the Tepig's eyesight, Pikachu fired a Thunderbolt into the air.
"[Found him!]" As if on cue, Pidove was soaring nearby when she spotted the Electric Move before looking down to see their target. Said target stumbled before looking up to see Pidove descending toward him.
"[Uh-oh!]" gulped Tepig before running off.
"[Hey wait!]"
(Alley)
'Oh, man… Oh, man… Oh, man…' Needless to say, the male Tepig is feeling panicky. Why did he have to try and sneak into a Mart right by the Contest Hall and be entranced by the strange Tepig on the screen? So afraid, he didn't take notice of his surroundings until he bumped into concrete. Shaking his head, he steps back and looks up to see a building in front of him. Looking around, he sees no way out.
"[Man… you're… fast…]" At the growly voice, Tepig turned around. Blocking the alley is a yellow Pokémon, a purple one, a Deerling with a Pidove on his head, an Oshawott catching his breath, a Pawniard, a Vanillite, a Beartic doing the same as Oshawott and being the one who spoke, a Purrloin, a Lillipup, and finally, a female of his kind with her nose dimming from a white glow; likely Odor Sleuth.
"[We got you now!]" shouted the yellow Pokémon, running to the front before turning his tail into an Iron Tail and using it to propel himself into the air before aiming the now falling appendage towards Tepig. Backing against the wall, the Fire-Type closed his eyes, waiting for pain… only for nothing but relief from his snout to come. Opening his eyes, Tepig blinked before looking down to see the rope cut off.
"[Nice… aim… Pikachu…]" breathed Oshawott.
"[You don't get out much, do you?]" asked Deerling to him and the large Ice-Type.
"[You know how I look to a lot of people?]" retorted Beartic dryly, recovering. Blinking, Deerling looked embarrassed.
"[Anyone got the food?]" called Pikachu. On cue, Beartic reached behind the group before taking out a plastic bag filled with red-tinted Pokémon food. Tossing it to Pikachu, the Electric-Type caught it before opening it and displaying the contents to the male Fire-Type. "[Figured you can use something better than that store-bought stuff.]"
"[Really?]" awed Tepig. At Pikachu's nod, Tepig dove in on the food, gobbling it up before increasing in speed.
"[You like it? It's specially made for Fire-Types and my Trainer learned it from another last summer.]" explained Pikachu. Tepig nods before starting to choke on a pellet. Worried, Lillipup rushed over and belly-flopped on Tepig's back, making him spit out the piece before getting off.
"[How'd you know that would work?]" gawked Pawniard. The newest addition to their group seemed more like a lovable airhead than anything.
"[Last Master Dan taught me after it happened to guest with yummy food!]" barked Lillipup proudly.
"[Good thing.]" nodded Vanillite.
"[And take your time. The food isn't going anywhere.]" informed Pidove. Nodding, Tepig paced himself, finishing the food in a minute or so.
"[Do you have any more of this?!]" smiled Tepig.
"[Uh… yeah, our Trainer made it for her.]" nodded Deerling, gesturing to the female Tepig.
"[It's OK. You can have my share.]" insisted F—Tepig.
"[Really?]" smiled M—Tepig before slumping. Guessing what he's thinking, Pikachu walks up to him, putting a paw on the Fire-Type's shoulder.
"[Don't worry, from what we learned, none of our Trainers are like yours.]" assured Pikachu.
"[Yes! I have only known Master Darwin for a day, but he lets me play and cuddle with him and play!]" barked Lillipup.
"[You said play twice.]" blinked M—Tepig.
"[You get used to it.]" shrugged Darwin's other Pokémon.
"[And our Trainer, the one who made the food you ate, is very kind. He's been helping me with learning Steel Wing.]" explained Pidove.
"[Don't you have to be born with the Move?]" questioned M—Tepig. Smirking, Pidove held out her wings, which glowed before turning to Steel… which lasted for a moment or two before flickering, then returning to normal.
"[I'm still working on holding it.]" sighed Pidove.
"[Whoa…]" awed M—Tepig. Suddenly, his stomach rumbled, embarrassing him. Chuckling, Pikachu began leading the group.
"[Come on, let's get you cleaned and fed.]"
(Contest Hall, Group A)
"And now that the appealing round has concluded, the time to calculate who shall move in the second round shall be decided in a moment!" announced Alician.
"That's it?" blinked Ash.
"What are you talking about?" blinked Darwin.
"There were only 8 Coordinators competing; most Contests I've been to have 16," explained Ash.
"With how new Contests are to Unova, I guess not many locals got interested in them yet." guessed Georgia, reminding Ash of Darwin's explanation earlier.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have narrowed it down to these four lucky coordinators for the second round! And here they all are!" announced Alician as the computer displays the four Coordinators; May and Alanna among them.
"They passed!" smiled Ash.
'They?' thought Georgia sourly. Given why she wanted Alanna to enter, she wasn't that upset with her, but the other girl…
"These four Coordinators shall battle it out to win our Accumula Ribbon and earn a ticket for the Grand Festival! And now, to see who will be against who!" The computer shuffles them all for a few seconds before stopping.
"Gotta admit, I'm kinda relieved." sighed Ash.
"Why's that?" asked Darwin.
"For one; with Alanna still competing, her Spoink can keep bringing Tepig's attention, and another, it would be disappointing if May and Alanna battled in the first round," explained Ash, seeing the former and another Coordinator enter the stage.
"The first battle of the second round of the Striaton Pokémon Contest is about to begin! Meet May Maple from Petalburg City, against Diana Lombard from Nimbasa City! Both trainers have five minutes on the clock! Choose and begin!" announced Alician as the clock starts running.
"Blaziken, Take the Stage!" Coming out of May's Poké Ball and wearing a Top Hat and a Bow Tie is a bipedal, chicken-like Pokémon. The majority of Blaziken's body is red with accents of beige, yellow, and gray. Behind his head, there are beige, hair-like feathers that continue downward and surround his chest and abdomen. He has a small red face with a V-shaped crest on his head. Blaziken's blue eyes are semicircular with yellow sclerae, and his mouth is similar to a hooked beak. He has featherless, gray hands with three fingers each, and three clawed toes that are not normally visible due to the shaggy, yellow feathers on the bottom of his legs.
"Whoa, what kind of awesome Pokémon is that?" gawked Darwin, scanning.
Blaziken, the Blaze Pokémon, and the evolved form of Combusken. Flames surround its wrists, making its punches extremely damaging and dangerous.
"Reuniclus, show this foreigner the supremacy of our Region!" Coming out of the Lass's Poké Ball and wearing Square Glasses and White Wings is a pale green Pokémon surrounded by a blob of translucent, green gelatinous substance. He has a large, round head with a thin stripe down the center. His eyes are black and oval, while his mouth is red and triangular. His body is small with stubby arms and legs. However, there are several round objects floating next to his arms. These objects increase in size and darken in color the further they are from the body and form arm-like appendages. The gel around these appendages forms three-fingered hands. Above his head, two rounded, triangular objects are suspended in the gel, giving the impression of horns or ears. The gel forms a stubby, round tail at the base of Reuniclus's body.
"What's that Pokémon?" blinked Ash, scanning.
Reuniclus, the Multiplying Pokémon and the evolved form of Duosion. Several Reuniclus can amplify their Psychic powers when they clasp hands and their brains form a network.
"So another Psychic-Type, huh? (notices Darwin blush and Georgia glare) What's up?" asked Ash.
"When I was little, I… may or may not have thought one of the Reuniclus our grandparents were looking after was ice cream and tried to take a bite." winced Darwin.
"Was it disgusting?" worried Ash.
"He didn't get a chance to find out. That stuff on Reuniclus is rumored to boost a person's wisdom… but it's highly toxic, so no one lived long enough to feel that," warned Georgia.
'Note to self; if I catch or see one, keep Snorlax away.' thought Ash.
May: Blaziken VS Diana: Reuniclus
"Reuniclus, Psyshock that Hoenn filth!" frowned Diana.
"[Yes, Mistress!]" Reuniclus puts his hands together and three thick masses of light blue, blue, and purple energy form around the front of his body. Reuniclus then fires the masses at Blaziken, one after the other spinning.
"What's Psyshock?" questioned Ash.
"An Unova-found Psychic-Type Special Move that does physical damage," explained Georgia.
"Jump and dodge!" Blaziken nods before doing so, taking points from his foe. "Now Fire Spin!"
"[Yes, May!]" shouted Blaziken before opening his mouth and releasing a spiraling flame from it at Reuniclus.
"Rep—" Diana's order was unfinished with the Fire-Type Move trapping her Pokémon in a humungous vortex of flames, taking more points.
"Shadow Claw, like we practiced!"
"Blaziken learned Shadow Claw?" Ash got his answer with Blaziken's arms became surrounded by purple outlined black aura before forming into large claws. Falling into his Fire Spin, Blaziken slides on the strands of fire while keeping a Shadow Claw in the flames and the other grabbing his Top Hat and spinning it like a performer.
"Why you little— Reuniclus, Wonder Room!" growled Diana. Reuniclus raised his arms, a dark pink light shining between them… until Blaziken broke it with Shadow Claw and swiped at Reuniclus, damaging the Psychic-Type. Blaziken kept up the assault, slashing the Super-Effective Move while spinning around the Psychic-Type. Reuniclus shielded himself with his arms until one of the hits became critical, sending him out of the Fire Spin and onto Diana's front, eyes swirling.
Winner: May
"Impossible!" gasped Diana.
"We have a Battle Off! That Shadow Claw/Fire Spin combination was all it took for Blaziken to take out Reuniclus!" announced Alician.
"It was almost like watching a circus." smiled Bruce, the last word giving him a foreboding feeling which he shrugged off.
"That's a twist to the classic 'jumping through flaming hoop' trick," added Selina.
"May has definitely earned her place in the finals today!" smiled Joy. The audience continued applauding, the group doing the same.
"Return! (calls back Reuniclus) You just got lucky, Hoennian." scoffed Diana before stomping off. Ignoring her opponent's tantrum while congratulating her Starter, May returns Blaziken, memories of how she came up with that combination… and the nightmares beforehand.
Flashback
(A/N: This flashback is inspired by UnitedOsprey1991's "Journeys of the Dreamer: Riders of Aura" Ch 25 and it will have no descriptions for Pokémon)
May couldn't help the feeling of horror and dread coming through her as she regains consciousness. The last thing she remembers is beating Harley at the Johto Grand Festival, then… nothing. Blinking her eyes open, she sees herself being in an old warehouse and that her limbs bound to a chair with the white sticky thread, almost like…
'Spider Web…'
"Ah, you're awake, my dear Maybelle." Stepping off a pillar with 6 Pokémon around him is a dreadfully familiar face.
"Harley." spat May.
"You know, you little tramp. I am getting sick of your defiance. This would've been easy. I create havoc at this Grand Festival and I get to take my prize, which is you my dear little Maybelle." smirked Harley sinisterly.
"Why would you want me? I thought you hated me." scowled May defiantly.
"(evilly chuckles) Oh, I know that. But it would please so much to have you as my plaything. After all, this beauty of yours does not deserve to be sullied by that boy you wish to go back to." taunted the purplette. May widened her eyes and the struggling continued.
"I have had enough of you. I think I will take my prize now." laughed Harley, walking over to May who was trying to break free when suddenly…
"Steel Slash!" One of the walls broke open in a burst, the debris hitting most of Harley's Pokémon away from their Trainer.
"Strength of the Ninja; Ninja Steel Yellow!" Standing in the broken wall is a yellow-clad ninja, sounding at least a year or two older than May, wielding a yellow sword with a large yellow throwing star inserted between the blade and the grip.
"Who are you?!" Ninja Steel Yellow ignored Harley's demand, sprinting over to the hostage and cutting her bindings.
"Miss…Miss are you okay?" asked the Ranger. May only shivered, hugging herself.
"He…wanted me as his plaything…he wanted to…" May couldn't even finish the sentence being frightened but the implication was clear.
"You… tried to violate an innocent girl…" growled Ninja Steel Yellow, lowering his head and pointing his Ninja Star Blade at Harley.
"[Uh-oh.]" gulped Ariados, stepping back. The killing intent the stranger is giving off… reminds him of the leader of his nest… an Alpha predator enraged…
"That…just…burns…me…up!" shouted Ninja Steel Yellow as he looked up at Harley with fire in his visor.
"You talk a big game but let's see if you can back it up. Take care of that peasant." scoffed Harley with a snap of his fingers. At once, Cacturne and Ariados (fearfully) fired Pin Missile, Banette and Wigglytuff fired Shadow Ball, Octillery fired Octazooka, and Sneasel fired Dark Pulse.
"Element Star; Lock-In! (replaces Power Star with mentioned Star) Ninja Fire Attack!" declared Ninja Steel Yellow, slashing downward, a Fire Spin-like vortex of flames coming out of the Blade and absorbing all the Moves.
"What?!" As if to make matters worse to him, the Moves (augmented with flames) bounce back and strike all of Harley's Pokémon, forcing them to huddle. Swinging his Star Blade, the Yellow Ranger lets the fiery vortex detach and trap the evil Pokémon.
"Time to test out this new Star and the upgrades to my Battle Morpher!" Ninja Steel Yellow takes out his Morpher and a grey Power Star reminisce to his Storm Star before inserting the latter into the former. "Ninja Eclipse Star; Lock-In! Ninja Battle Morpher; Claw Mode!" Squatting, he aims the tri-clawed Morpher at the vortex before flipping the panel on it. "Moon Mode!"
"What the…" Sparkling darkness swirls onto the blue blades. Gripping his Morpher tightly, Ninja Steel Yellow leaped onto the highest strand of fire, using it to slide into the vortex, out of the humans' sight for a few moments until…
"Hyper Moon Claw Shred!" With a claw-like swipe, the vortex dispersed with sparkles, showing the unconscious Pokémon around the Ranger. At the sight, Harley stumbles back before tripping. Looking up, he sees a familiar sword lowered to his head threateningly.
"Show's over, Harley."
End Flashback
When the authorities arrived, Harley was taken away on a life sentence for terrorism (on account of his alliances with Team Rocket), kidnapping, and attempted rape charges. Ninja Steel Yellow vanished after handing the now ex-Coordinator over.
"May?" The Hoennian blinked at the fingers snapping in front of her, mind back in the backroom. Her companion is a dark blue-haired, dark blue-eyed girl wearing a black jacket with pink edges and white sleeves rolled to her elbows, a pink scarf, pink hairpieces, a long dark pink skirt over white pants with pink/black cuffs, pink boots, and a black beanie with a pink Poké Ball design.
(A/N: Outfit design goes to Hapuriainen in Deviantart… except for the beanie, it's mine)
"I'm alright, Dawn… Just reliving something…" assured May. Dawn nods, having done the same occasionally this past summer.
'Still can't believe Mom would do something like that…'
"How'd you two like my performance?" The two see Alanna walk in after her battle.
"It was impressive," assured May.
"And the plan worked; I saw the Tepig you told me about with a group of other Pokémon, including a Pikachu we all know." grinned Dawn.
"That's a relief." sighed Alanna. When informing May of Ash being in town and what he's currently doing, Dawn happened to be in earshot. After a long swearing rant capable of making Dark-Types blush, the two agreed to help however they can.
'If anyone can help Tepig, I know Ash can.'
(Main Group)
"Seriously, it's like watching Georgia on a sugar-high when she had her first Casteliacone." dreaded Darwin, watching the now-clean Tepig (courtesy of Oshawott and the Ice-Types, with everyone but Pikachu returned) gorge down on the bowl of Fire-Type Pokémon food like it's the last meal on the planet.
"HEY! I wasn't that bad!" blushed his sister.
"Gia, our grandparents had their Starters pull you out of the fridge and had to pay for all the ice cream you ate." reminded Darwin dryly. At the siblings' antics, Tepig felt more at ease than his previous Trainer. It also helped that the one who made the food kept rubbing his back like a massage, another thing his last Trainer never did.
"We are now down to the final Contest battle! To my left, it's May! And to my right, it's Alanna! Five minutes on the clock and begin!" announced Alician. As soon as she finished, the Hoenn natives sent out their choices.
"Blaziken, Take the Stage!"
"Finish this, Spoink!"
"[Seriously, two Psychic-Types in one day?]" blinked the Fire/Fighting-Type.
"[Don't look at me, I didn't know there would be another in this Contest.]" shrugged Spoink.
May: Blaziken VS Alanna: Spoink
"Blaziken, start with Flamethrower!" Nodding, her partner exhales a stream of fire at the Spoink.
"Power Gem!" The Rock-Type Move shot from the pearl, heading to the Flamethrower. In a regular battle, this would result in a beam-off, but in a Contest Battle…
"Unbelievable, the Flamethrower broke through that Power Gem like a knife through butter and is sparkling from the energy leftover!" analyzed Alician, watching the enhanced Move go toward Spoink.
"Dodge it!" Nodding, Spoink hops to avoid it, wincing when her tail was briefly consumed by the Move. Her Trainer did the same out of sympathy before calling out her next order when Spoink reaches a certain point in the air. "Zen Headbutt!"
"[Yes, Mistress!]" Spoink's pearl and the top of her head glow dark pink while being covered by a reflective barrier before the Bounce Pokémon dives headfirst toward Blaziken, tail spinning like a propeller and increasing speed.
"I didn't know Spoink can do that with their tails." blinked Bruce. Wordlessly, Blaziken leaped to the side to dodge the Psychic Move, only for Spoink to right herself and bounce off the ground, Move remaining active while heading for the Fire/Fighting-Type. Alert, Blaziken leaned to the side and avoided the makeshift missile, only for Spoink to once again bounce off by a wall and head toward him.
"What a conundrum! Spoink's tail allows her to keep up speed and she's not crashing into anything or giving Blaziken any room!" realized Selina, watching the "chase" between the two. Normally, using the same Move over and over again except for ones like Rollout would result in the user losing points, but maintaining a Move for an extended period of time is another story.
"How will May get out of this one?" added Joy. Clenching her fists, May frowned before catching sight of the group; in particular, one Kanto native. Inspiration filling her, she took a deep breath.
"This one is for you, Ash…" whispered May, getting Pikachu to perk up. "Blaziken, Fire Spin Counter-Shield style!"
"Counter-wh—"
"How does she know?!" gawked Ash, cutting off Darwin. As if answering the latter, Blaziken exhaled the Move. Once the strands of flame left his mouth, the Fire/Fighting-Type lit up his wrists in flames before grabbing the strand and tearing the Fire Spin into two before slinging the strands around like whips, almost concealing him from view in a large Fire Spin cocoon.
"[WHAT?!]" The lack of sight forces Spoink to get through the fire without moving, finally crashing onto the wall on the other side.
"That's gotta hurt!" winced Bruce. With so many ricochets, the force behind the crash may be equivalent to a failed High Jump Kick.
"Spoink, take those flames apart with Psychic!" Returning to her Trainer's side of the field while getting hit by a few whips, Spoink nodded before glowing dark pink. The flames soon gained the same glow before Spoink spreads her arms out, the Counter-Shield doing the same to reveal—
"[Where'd he go?!]" gawked Spoink, staring at the center of the now dispersing flames.
"A fake-out… neat." nodded Ash. Worried, Alanna looks around, neglecting to look—
"Blaze Kick!" Alanna and Spoink snapped their heads up to see the Blaze Pokémon with one of his feet is lit on fire while Fire Spin strands spin around it like a drill, heading straight for—
"[Oh—]" That was all Spoink said before being struck by the STAB Move, getting launched onto her Trainer's feet, eyes swirling.
Winner: May
"And with that, the winner of the first-ever Accumula Pokémon Contest is May Maple of Petalburg City!" announced Alician. At once, the audience applauds the winner, especially Ash.
"That last move reminded me of those superhero shows and how flashy their finishing blows were!" commented Bruce.
"It was fascinating seeing the skill and talent of these Hoenn Pokémon!" praised Selina.
"Blaziken is most certainly a master of fire to wield them so well!" added Joy.
"You did your best, Spoink." smiled Alanna sadly, returning the Psychic-Type.
"Great job, Blaziken!" smiled May proudly, doing the same. Soon after, the remaining Contest participants (except some who left early) and the judges gathered around a small pedestal where May, Blaziken, and Swablu are standing on.
"Now Mr. Wayne will present our winner with the Accumula Ribbon!" announced Alican, the man holding the Ribbon up for the audience. It consists of a crowned silver circle on a cyan-edged fabric tied in a cloud-like pattern.
"Apologies for the off-color, but I can assure you that if this year's test run is a success, next season will have gold instead," informed Mr. Wayne. Nodding, May took the Ribbon in her hands, showing it to her Pokémon.
"Look at this, you two; the Accumula Ribbon, and it's ours!" cheered May.
"[Oh yeah/YES!]"
(Minutes later, outside Contest Hall)
"May!" Having been putting her new Ribbon in a repurposed Badge Case (Ribbon cases will be made next season), the Coordinator smiled at her name being called before turning to see—
"ASH!" Eager, May ran over to him, almost tackling him into a hug. Blushing, Ash hugged back.
"Guess the tradition's all but broken, huh?" chuckled Ash. May only nods, nestling her head into Ash's chest.
"What tradition?" blinked Darwin, happy for the veteran. Georgia, on the other hand, is feeling envious. While Alanna did tell her that she doesn't have a crush on Ash (evident by her actual boyfriend picking her up a while ago), it didn't make the sight easier to bear.
"Lately, when I travel to a new region, the last traveling friend I had meets up with me," explained Ash. Now that he thinks about it, he hasn't seen Misty since his second trip through Kanto.
"I wouldn't say it's broken." Exiting the Hall while wiping her hands (having been in the restroom) is none other than—
"Dawn?!" gawked Ash. How many bombs are gonna be dropped on him today?! "Is Brock and/or Misty hiding around here somewhere?!"
"No, it's just us." giggled Dawn, blushing. While Georgia's worry is doubled, Darwin's curiosity is piqued by the Pokémon laying on the bluenette's head. He's a light-blue, penguin-like Pokémon, which is covered in thick down to insulate against the cold. He has a dark blue head with a primarily white face and a short, yellow beak. The dark blue feathers on his head extend down his back and around his neck, which causes him to appear to be wearing a cape. There are two white ovals on his chest and a small, light-blue marking resembles a crown above his beak. He has flipper-like arms and yellow feet with three toes each.
'What kinda Pokémon is that?' Darwin scanned with his Pokédex.
Piplup, the Penguin Pokémon. Piplup's limited walking skills often cause it to fall down, but that never hurts its pride.
"Ego much?" drawled Darwin, getting Ash's friends' attention.
"You have no idea." sighed Dawn. Piplup only puffed his chest proudly.
"Ash… aren't you gonna introduce me and my brother to your friends?" asked Georgia, hiding her nerves, which didn't work on the girls.
'Interesting…'
"Sure! (slings arms over May and Dawn's shoulders, getting blushes) Meet May Maple and Dawn Berlitz, my old traveling friends!" introduced Ash.
"Ash, we only stopped traveling together almost three months ago." reminded Dawn. Ash only chuckled and rubbed his head.
"So they're gonna travel with us?" assumed Darwin, nerving his sister. "Oh, and the name's Darwin, and this is my sister Georgia."
"Hi." nodded May, feeling like she's looking at a mirror.
"Darwin, they're not gonna travel with us… (looks between girls) Are you?" asked Ash curiously/hopefully.
"YES!" The Coordinators nodded, hugging Ash's sides and getting a massive blush from him.
"Is Ash getting sick?" tilted Darwin to Georgia. She responded with a sigh.
"Wait, what about the Tepig?" asked Dawn, remembering. Realizing that Alanna told May, who then told her, Ash took out a Poké Ball.
"Wanna see for yourself?" In a flash of red, a familiar Fire-Type appears in front of Ash. Seeing unfamiliar faces, he ran behind his new Trainer.
"You caught him?" smiled May.
"Yeah. (kneels down and rubs Tepig's head) Poor guy reminds me so much of Infernape when he was a Chimchar, I thought I can give him a hand like I did before." explained Ash.
"It also helped that he like Ash's Pokémon food," added Darwin dryly, having given up his Tepig's share. At the tidbit of information, the Coordinators looked at Ash impressively. The veteran only shrugged, giving a grin that made the girls' knees feel like jelly.
"What can I say? I learned from the best."
Ash's Pokémon Team
Pikachu (M): Ability: Static. Moves: Agility, Thunder, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle, Thunderbolt, Fusion Bolt, Brick Break
Gible (M): Ability: Sand Veil. Moves: Dig, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Rock Smash, Incinerate
Deerling (M): Ability: Chlorophyll. Moves: Tackle, Camouflage, Growl, Agility
Pidove (F): Ability: Super Luck. Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Air Cutter, Leer, Steel Wing
Oshawott (M): Ability: Torrent. Moves: Tackle, Water Gun, Razor Shell, Rock Smash
Tepig (M): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Ember, Yawn
Darwin's Pokémon Team
Tepig (F): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Ember, Odor Sleuth
Purrloin (F): Ability: Limber. Moves: Scratch, Growl, Assist
Lillipup (M): Ability: Pickup. Moves: Leer, Tackle, Odor Sleuth, Bite
Georgia's Pokémon Team
Beartic (M): Ability: Snow Cloak. Moves: Slash, Night Slash, Icicle Crash, Ice Beam, Rock Smash
Pawniard (F): Ability: Defiant. Moves: Metal Claw, Iron Head, Guillotine
Vanillite (F): Ability: Ice Body. Moves: Avalanche, Mist, Icicle Spear, Ice Beam
May's Pokémon Team
Blaziken (M): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Blaze Kick, Overheat, Flamethrower, Sky Uppercut, Fire Spin, Shadow Claw, Mega Kick
Swablu (F): Ability: Natural Cure. Moves: Sing, Mist, Round, Double Team
Dawn's Pokémon Team
Piplup (M): Ability: Torrent. Moves: Drill Peck, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Whirlpool, Mist
Togekiss (F): Ability: Serene Grace. Moves: Aura Sphere, Sky Attack, Air Slash, Safeguard
Omarnosian10: Are you surprised or what?
Darwin: So… many… references…
Omarnosian10: And before anyone asks; no, Batman and Catwoman won't appear in this or any Arc. This version of the BatCat couple are civilians and are only Contest Judges. Same with other people you may have spotted; they have little-to-no connections to the media they're referenced to, they're only counterparts.
Georgia: We get that.
Omarnosian10: What do you two think?
*May and Dawn walk out of the shadows*
May: Did we really have to make a 'dramatic' entrance?
Omarnosian10: Comedy and drama are two sides of a dice.
Dawn: Out of curiosity, why isn't Buneary here?
Omarnosian10: It'll be explained next chapter, but don't worry, Pikachu's first girlfriend will appear. And another thing to add… GLACEON WILL NOT BE PART OF PIKACHU'S PACK; HE'S LIKE A BROTHER TO HER SINCE HE SAW HER HATCH!
Dawn: But you don't know how old Buneary is. For all you know, she could've been born after Eevee.
Omarnosian10: Maybe, but seeing people pair the two is weird to me. It's like… I dunno, like dating a sibling figure's sister, or dating someone you've seen born. That's the best I can come up with. Sorry for that, but it's my decision, my choice.
May: I understand.
Dawn: Wait, you said pack, as in…
Omarnosian10: Yeah, like Ash will, Pikachu will also have a harem. One thing I dislike about the anime is that they brush off Pokémon pairings. To me, it's like the Disney movie, Lady and the Tramp.
Georgia: The live remake or the original?
Omarnosian10: The remake. It's been so long since I've seen the original, I can barely remember it.
Darwin: Speaking of Ash, why isn't he saying anything?
Omarnosian10: *spots him on the ground, faint* Looks like the thought of getting a harem may have been too much of a bomb for Ash.
May: About the harem, how…
Omarnosian10: For now, only you three. I have strict rules for Pokémon anime harems; one girl per Region. Also, you three are the only members of this Arc.
Dawn: So we have me for Sinnoh, May for Hoenn, and Georgia for Unova, and I'm guessing Serena for Kalos later. What about Kanto and Johto?
Omarnosian10: Anabel for Kanto, and for Johto… I got nothing.
Darwin: You didn't plan that far ahead?
Omarnosian10: To be fair, I'm more of a 'living in the moment' kinda guy. If we're done… SMOKEBOMB!
