Hey guys, Sentai Red here!

So...the house hunting has unfortunately ended! It's a seller's market out here, so unfortunately prices are at an all-time high! It's a shame, because the wife and I were eager to finally move away from an apartment, but one more year wouldn't kill us. We'll just continue to save even more money! Oh, and I apologize for the long wait! I was busy with recouping from the job searching, rewriting this chapter, and then going on vacation to Louisiana to see my wife's aunt and cousin get married and graduate, respectively.

It was fun and I needed that little vacation!

With that being said, I will be changing the title of the story from Long-Distance Friendship to "Together With You". To be honest, the original title was just a project name and while I was happy with it, it doesn't reflect the story and the themes I'm building for this story and its subsequent sequel, or sequels. So, I hope you all understand at the change! I personally love the title and got approval from two friends who are also authors that love the title as well, so... Yeah, say 'hello' to "Together With You!"

One more thing I will say is: please do not beg me to update. I find that incredibly rude. I may be writing for you all and I appreciate the support, but please refrain from making comments about me not updating or asking when the next update is happening. It will happen when it happens. If you are so desperate for updates, then look elsewhere. I'm a human like you all, and even I need time away from everything or just need more time to finish a chapter. That's all.

Other than that, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! I think I did a decent job at making some contest stuff!

Enjoy! Let's make this showy!


Word had spread about the rampage that happened earlier in the day in the Cerulean City Gym; the fact that a rampaging Gyarados attacked and destroyed parts of the theater and stadium. Due to the monstrous attack, the theater and any upcoming events had to be canceled or postponed. Luckily for the many fans of the Sensational Sisters, refunds or credits were issued at the behest of the sisters' agency. Many reporters came in to harass the three over what happened, inquiring, and demanding the sisters to confess to the world they were the cause of it all, but their PR specialists were able to answer all the questions without divulging any information that can be used to harm the sisters' reputations.

Shortly after, the Gym has been closed for the time being and, according to Daisy in an interview, they will still be handing out Gym Badges for challengers should they want to battle for it. Despite being distraught over what Misty has said and over what has happened to their home, she was able to still handle herself in front of people like the actress that she is. In a way, it's very impressive.

Ash and Serena were lucky to have left before the reporters barged in to ask for gossip from them. Serena knew she wouldn't want to deal with that mess, especially when tomorrow those same blood-sucking reporters would be at the Contest Hall to commentate and provide news over the event. It wouldn't look good on her for her to be at the Contest Hall a day after being at the gym. Some would probably try to post some conspiracy about her being the root cause of it all, or something like that. She'd rather not deal with drama or sensationalism.

The search for Misty went well without a hitch, surprisingly enough. Misty wound up at the Pokémon Center, venting her frustrations to Nurse Joy, who lent her ear for the redheaded tomboy. Misty broke down which led to Nurse Joy taking her to her break room, to console the young teen. When the two children arrived, Nurse Joy ushered them in to see Misty, who was napping on the couch in the break room. They all decided to leave her be, to give her some space, to which Misty would end up appreciating later in the day.

When the news spread to Brock, the first thing he wanted to do was give the Sensational Sisters a piece of his mind. As a former Gym Leader, and an older brother to nine siblings, he was down right infuriated with how the three women treated Ash and Serena. It only got worse when he was told about how Misty was treated by them. It took Ash quite a while to calm him down, after explaining that Misty gave her sisters a piece of her mind, and they all left. Serena had to amend the fact that Misty gave her sisters an ultimatum. Despite being wary about the ultimatum, Brock ultimately relented and accepted that this was Misty's choice.

The day luckily turned into night and with the events finally being put to rest, even just for tonight, it gave everyone some respite. Misty was the first to turn in for the night, declaring that crying her heart out made her incredibly drained, physically, and mentally. Everyone accepted it and wished her good night. Brock would be the next one, followed by Ash. Ash did tell Serena that he made sure to have her Pokémon checked in and they should be ready for tomorrow, much to the young girl's delight.

Right now, it's currently 23:08 and Serena is outside. She knows she should be asleep, especially with tomorrow being her debut as a Coordinator, but her nerves are getting the best of her. Is this how Ash felt whenever he had to battle Brock or Misty? Is this how he felt with the sudden rush of adrenaline pumping in his veins as he battled with fervor? Was he hyper focused on the battle? How did he feel about making quick, on the spot calls?

All these thoughts course through her mind as she steps towards the Contest Hall that stares back at her in its emptiness. She clenches her fists, her eyes glazing over the building as she imagines herself with her Pokémon, performing live in front of a crowd of people. She hasn't gotten the chance to explain to her mom what she's doing, or how she's even feeling. Should she even call? In all honesty, Serena knows she needs to call her mother. The contest doesn't start until noon, and the good thing is that her mother tends to wake up early in Kalos, so calling an hour prior to the contest should be fine.

To Serena, this is going to be her moment. For the past two months, it's just been Ash's journey. Sure, she knew she wanted to be with the boy on his quest, but even she had the desire to do something as they traveled around the region. She just didn't know what to do. There were times where she was thinking of being a Breeder, like Brock, or a Battler, like Ash and Misty. However, the idea of being a Breeder never made sense to Serena as she doesn't feel like she can compete against Brock in that field, nor can she be as confident or as powerful as Ash or Misty.

She knew she needed to find a path she can walk on; a path that leads her down the right path of what she wants to do – who she wants to be.

"Tomorrow…"

She mutters to herself, the wind blowing gently by. She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Tomorrow… I'm… I'm a Coordinator."

She states simply. She still hesitates.

Is she sure? Is she making the right decision? Those thoughts still linger in her mind. Is she even good enough? She groans, grabbing her head in frustration. Why must she always second guess herself?! This always happens with her! Ever since she was young, the mere thought of disappointing her friends and family always scared her. Why? Is it because of her mom? Is it just her insecurities? She pinches herself out of her stupor, staring at the locked door in front of her, which reflects her image back to her.

No.

She can't let it win.

"I can't second guess myself. Not this time. No. Never again." She starts. This time with conviction. "I am going to be a Coordinator! You heard that me? I'm going to be a Coordinator and no amount of second guessing will change that!" She declares to herself, her voice rising with excitement as she holds her hand out in front of her and dramatically clenches her fist in front of the building. "Tomorrow, I'm going to win and I'm going to show the world what I can do – Serena Paschall, future Top Coordinator!"

Unbeknownst to the honey-blonde haired girl, many pairs of eyes watched her. One of them is a young girl, the same age as Serena. She watches on, amused by Serena's declaration and nods approvingly. 'Interesting…' the young girl muses with a smile. Her long, brown hair blows in the wind, prompting her to grab her white hat. She places it on her head and grabs her small satchel. She turns to the young girl and grins, thinking tomorrow will be an interesting day. She refits her leg warmers and heads off. 'Can't wait to face her…'

Another set of eyes were watching Serena, this time with malicious intent. The leader of the group, a woman in her early twenties with long, magenta hair that flows into a gravity-defying curl, watches Serena with an arrogant smirk, "Heh. So, Ms. Little-Goodie-Two-Shoes thinks she can just say such wishful thinking? Hah! Well, I'm going to enter this little contest and show her what a real performer can do!" She begins to laugh haughtily, putting her hand over her mouth in an arrogant fashion.

Her partner, a male, with blue hair, sighs. "Come on, Jess. We're supposed to be following these twerps around, not do some stupid contest just to show we're better. The Boss told us to just follow them!"

To the shock of no one, a talking Meowth replies with a sassy tone, "Yeah, Jess! And last time I checked, you're not much of a performer, more like a clown than anything else!" His accent is rich and heavy with an exaggerated Unovan accent, but still easily understandable. The woman known as Jessie just crosses her arms, an angry look on her face as she turns to her partners.

"And what better way to follow them than by doing the same thing they're doing?! Just because The Boss told us to follow them, doesn't mean we can't show the world my beauty and skill! Besides, he's only making us follow these twerps because some creep is interested in the twerp with the Pikachu… the very same Pikachu, I might add, that beat us back in Viridian City!"

The other two wince, remembering the humiliating defeat clearly. They were defeated so badly that their Boss demoted them because of it! How can they lose to a 10 year old who just started his journey?! The loss still stings… The blue haired man just nods, "Right… I think it's payback time! How dare we lose to a twerp with a Pikachu!"

"That's right James-y! We'll show them who's who!" Meowth responds, fist pumping in anticipation.

"Team Rocket is the best! If we can't do it, no one can!" The trio sing, pumping themselves up.

Tomorrow sure is going to be an interesting day.

Episode 15: Debut! A New Star!

"So today is your first ever Contest? Well, go for broke, sweetheart! Do the best that you can, okay?"

She smiles at her mother, nodding at her mom's catchphrase. While it wasn't as important to her as Ash's motto, she still appreciates the fact her mom is rooting for her. She was so nervous making this call that now, after hearing how supportive her mother is, she almost feels guilty for not mentioning anything sooner to her. Sometimes she wonders if she's even a good daughter to her mom. Pushing that thought aside, she gives her mom a wink.

"Of course, mom! With you and the others, I'll surely win!" She boasts confidently, her hands clenched and pumped in excitement. She can do this!

"And I have no doubts you will, sweetie! Although, I think we all know whose opinion really matters…" Grace trails on, giving her daughter a sly smirk. The smirk increases when Serena yelps, blushing, her eyes comedically wide as she blankly stares at her mother, unable to process what to even say. "Oh, dear… You really are struck, huh? Didn't you kiss him all those years ago? What happened to that Serena?"

"M-momma! Th-that was d-different, okay?!" Serena stammers, looking around to make sure that Ash wasn't around to hear this. Sure, she kissed him on the cheek, but it was so long ago! Surely, he must have forgotten about that! She was just a little girl; she didn't know better! Grace snickers, winking at her daughter with a teasing smile.

"Anyway, Serena, as much as I would love to continue teasing you, I must do some errands. I'll try to watch the Contest on the computer!"

"Mm! Thanks, mom! Have a good day and tell Rhyhorn and Fletchling I say 'Hi!'"

The two hang up, Serena sighs in relief that the call ended. Sure, she loves her mother, but she didn't want to be tortured about her crush… especially since said boy could have overheard them! Sure, she's not the most subtle about it, but right now, they're both just starting their journeys, so they have all the time in the world to get closer with one another. Ash has done some crazy stuff for her, so maybe he feels the same way? She can't assume anything, but she hopes that may be the case.

Stepping away from the phone booth in the Pokémon Center, she grabs her Pokémon from Nurse Joy, thanking said nurse for doing last minute check-ups. She walks outside, throwing all her Poké Balls high in the air, releasing each of her Pokémon, all who stretch and cry out their names with excitement for today, except Clefairy. The Fairy-type observes each of her new teammates. Serena grins happily, rubbing each of her Pokémon on their heads, much to their delights. "Good morning, all of you! Today is our big debut, so let's give everyone a show worth remembering!"

She cheers, making most of her Pokémon cheer. Serena crouches down to Clefairy's eye level and gives her a warm smile, "And, I know this is all new to you, Clefairy, but I want you to watch today's performance with Ash and the others. I want you to see what we've been training for. Will that be okay with you?"

Clefairy thinks about it, but slowly nods. It'll have to do. It supposes that watching the show could be entertaining, and maybe it can participate one day if it feels up to it. Serena pats Clefairy on the head gently. "Thank you, Clefairy! I know you'll love it."

Turning to face her other Pokémon, Serena retells them the plan she had in mind. "Alright, as practiced, we're going to have Eevee take part in the Performance Stage. You know the plan right, Eevee?" She looks over to her starter, who yips in confirmation. "Perfect! Now, Beedrill," her Beedrill stands upright as if being talked to by a commanding officer, "You and Fennekin will be used in the Battle Stage! Both of you will need to be on you're A-game! You guys think you can handle that?"

Beedrill tears up, nodding. He will do the best he can to win for his beloved trainer!

Fennekin nods, yipping confidently.

Serena smiles, happy to see how supportive her Pokémon are. She then hugs them all, which they all reciprocate. "Oh, you guys are the greatest!" She exclaims, completely moved by how far her Pokémon are willing to go for her. This isn't just her dream, but theirs as well! She can't let them down!

So lost in thought, the same girl that observed her last night couldn't help but make a remark to catch their attention, "That's so sweet!" She holds up a camera, taking a photo of them mid hug. She winks, pulling her camera down, "That'll be one for the memory books."

The brunette puts away her camera, finally introducing herself. "I'm sorry," she apologizes, noticing the startled looks across Serena and her Pokémon's faces. "Didn't mean to scare you like that! I just wanted to take a quick picture of a fellow Coordinator and her team!"

Blinking, surprised and excited about meeting a fellow performer, Serena dismisses the apology, "It's fine! I just hope you didn't get my bad side," she teases, smiling at the girl. "The name is Serena and who are you?"

"The name is Leaf," Leaf introduces herself, but puts a hand up in the air in a stopping gesture, "and don't say anything – yes, my name is weird, but it's short for Leafia and it was a common Kantonian name back in the day!" Growing up, Leaf always had to deal with people making fun of her for having a rather obscure name such as hers, often calling her stupid and childish names like "Leaf Green" and other nonsensical names that only children can come up with.

"Oh, no – no!" Serena defends herself, waving her arms in a placating fashion, "I think you have a cute name actually!"

Leaf laughs, "Well, thanks, didn't expect someone to think that!"

Serena gives her an awkward smile after recalling her Pokémon, "And I didn't expect someone to take a photo of me out of nowhere."

Leaf laughs sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head, and sticks her tongue out innocently, "Fair," she admits, "I just wanted to take pictures of my rivals, or would be rivals. I can always delete them if you want."

Deciding it wasn't that big of a deal, Serena waves off the suggestion, "It's fine. Although, you said you're also a Coordinator, right? Is this your first time entering?"

Giving a swift nod, Leaf responds, "Yep! First time and I'm gonna win it for sure! I'm going to be a future Top Coordinator myself!" She even does the pose Serena did last night but opting to not stare directly into the sunlight. Serena blushes, grabbing her hair and pulls it in front of her face. Did she really see that? Leaf grins, seemingly understanding Serena's thoughts, "Oh, girl, I saw that last night and let me tell ya – it was quite inspirational! I feel like this will be an interesting contest, so…" she winks at Serena, "don't lose until you get to me, okay?"

Feeling the competitive drive, Serena pumps her fist up and smirks at Leaf similarly to Ash, "No way! I'm going to win this entire thing! This may be my first contest as well, but I'm not giving up until the end – I will win and, I'll make sure I beat you along the way!"

The two glare at one another, but to both of them, there's no animosity at all. For the first time, Serena feels competitive with someone. Sure, there's Miette, but this is different. This feels like an actual rival to her goal; an obstacle for her to overcome. Is this how Ash feels with Gary? There's this drive for her to win, to beat someone, and to prove she's no pushover – she has never felt this way before… and it's exhilarating! She just met this girl Leaf, but she can immediately tell this girl will be a rival that will push her to newer heights!

After a bit of glaring, the two shake hands. Smirks on their faces and the two leave in different directions, ultimately knowing the destination is one and the same.

It would take some time for Serena to catch up with Ash and the others, with them already gorging themselves on the food sold by vendors. A bead of sweat drops down from her brow seeing her crush and two sibling-like friends' chow down like animals. Ash was munching down on a Magikarp-shaped waffle cake, and what seemed to be red bean filling. She's seen such snacks in tourist videos when looking up Kanto and found them to be called 'taiyaki', an ancient Sin-Joh word still used by the citizens out of respect for their culture and history.

Brock and Misty were slurping down stir-fried noodles, and it seems as though they had a bunch of vegetables and some seaweed on it. She can't remember the term for it, but it looks like it was a good meal to have.

Pikachu and Froakie were just eating little bags of cotton candy, making Serena jealous. She hasn't had some of that in quite a long time; her mother forbade her from ever eating sugary treats or snacks. Serena knew it was that her mom couldn't handle little Serena and her sugar rushes. To be fair, she can't imagine herself handling a little brat high off sugar, running, and screaming about without a care in the world.

Brock is the first to look up from eating, which is surprising since Ash doesn't even need to look down to eat, but he's doing it anyway.

"Ah, Serena! There you are," Brock greets her, offering her a bowl of yakisoba, "you should try these noodles! They're very good!"

There's a clock on a pole that reads 10:47, still a good amount of time before she has to get ready. Deciding it was a good time as any, she proceeds to sit down and slurp on some noodles. The one thing to note is that with Serena, she's used to certain utensils, so it's obvious to her friends she's struggling to slurp on the noodles as intended.

"Here, Serena," Ash stops eating and gets behind her, making her freeze.

"E-eh?!"

She tenses as Ash puts his hands on hers as he leans near her, his hands maneuvering hers to better hold her chopsticks. He then helps her move them closer to her mouth, her entire face red. So red in fact that her imaginary steam is blocking her vision, preventing her from seeing Brock and Misty's snickering faces. Ash, the ever-oblivious charmer, doesn't notice and helps her feed herself.

"There! Now, try it yourself!" Ash encourages her, grinning at helping his best friend.

That's the thing – she can't do it herself! Serena is absolutely frozen from the intimate contact she and her best friend just had! To Serena, it was comforting, yet nerve wracking! She didn't expect Ash to do something like that out of nowhere, without being told to help her – sure, he's a very proactive person, but this was something even she didn't expect! Her hands shake from being held by her crush, her cheeks tingling as she had Ash's face near hers!

Ash blinks, not understanding why Serena isn't doing it herself. Stupidly, he just grabs her hands again and shows her how to do it. This time, forgetting what personal space means, he just puts his thumb against her lips and has them separate enough for him to move the noodles to her mouth. Serena squeaks, her entire body stiff and her entire body turning red. With a jolt, she gets up and bonks her head against Ash's, making him collapse on the floor, dazed. A painful thud was heard as everyone, minus a semi-fainted Serena, just stare at where he once was.

"Hi mom… No, I didn't… forget to change… my underwear…" Ash murmurs, completely dazed.

Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and Froakie all fall on the floor, laughing at their friends, wishing they had a video camera to record it all.

Being the first to recover, Serena covers herself yet again in her hair – completely humiliated! She didn't mean to freak out and knock out her best friend like that! But he shouldn't have done that in the first place, either! She groans, still flushed from the interaction and glances at her friend on the floor. She squeaks seeing him getting up, rubbing his head trying to nurse the incoming headache. "Ow…"

Misty crosses her arms, "That's what you get for invading her bubble, Ash."

Ash nervously chuckles and turns to a red Serena, unsure if she's upset at him or not, "Hehe… Sorry, 'Rena… Didn't mean to get so close to you like that."

His apology, while basic, was still sincere and oh-so him. As humiliating as it was, she has no way to fully blame him for it. Ash was just being Ash, and she just squeaks out, "It's fine…"

'I didn't mind it anyway…' she thinks to herself, looking away from everyone.

After the whole ordeal, it would be time for Serena to finally make her way to the Contest Hall with her friends. Her nerves were coming in, ready to bring her down. She doesn't back down. Not today. She takes a deep breath and exhales loudly, staring at the building in front of her yet again. Ash puts a hand over her shoulder, squeezing it gently to comfort her. She turns her head to see Ash giving her a thumbs up.

"You got this."

Brock and Misty both nod, giving her a thumbs up as well. They smile at her, which makes her smile back.

Froakie and Pikachu both jump into her arms, both pumping their fists encouragingly. Her eyes glisten as she stares at the two starters, moved by everyone's confidence in her. "You guys…" she sniffs out, not wanting to cry. Her friends just smile.

She hugs the two starters and when she lets go, she rubs her eyes to clear away any would-be tears. She then enters the building, full of purpose and determination. Entering in, she immediately checks in at the front desk, providing the information needed to check in. She even gives the receptionist her Coordinator ID, to which the receptionist gives Serena the go-to to enter the back room.

With one last look, Serena gives her friends a warm smile and heads in.

Ash stares at his best friend running off, the doors closing in front of them, separating them all. His heart feels heavy, unable to understand why her running off makes him so glum. Is he worried for her? Of course, he is! This will be her first time committing to something! He always believed in her, always supporting her in whatever she wanted to do, but he was aware of her track record of giving up on stuff that didn't go so well. He hopes that she'll be strong enough to do this on her own.

His fists clench, anxiety kicking in. His fists tremble, with thoughts of his friend failing and crying. He doesn't want to see that happen. Brock stops him thinking more of it by putting his hands on Ash's shoulders, "Ash, she'll be fine." He soothes the raven-haired boy.

"I know… I just worry, that's all…"

"Serena did the same thing to you when you first battled Brock, Ash," Misty interjects, "I told her that you're her best friend and all she can think about was the worst-case scenario and how that ruins any confidence she can have in you winning. Don't worry about the what-if's, Ash. Focus on what's happening right now and cheer her on. Win or lose, she needs our support there and seeing you worry will make her worry."

Ash slowly nods, turning away from the door, releasing his hands. "You're right…" He then looks at his two friends with a more determined look, "Let's go get our seats and cheer for Serena!"

"That's right!" The two of his friend's cheer, rushing with him to get the best seats possible.

When they rush through the halls, Ash unknowingly passes Leaf, who glances at him and then stares at him, and his friends run. Her mind begins to race as she continues to stare at Ash, her eyes wide and her heart racing. 'It can't be…' Before she can even muster a sentence, they all left her line of sight. She has her hand in the air, as if reaching out for him, but it merely falls by her side in defeat.

'I suppose I'll see him again...'

And with that, the stage lights up!

Lilian is up on the stage, introducing herself to those coming in. Her attire stayed the same from the one in Pewter City. She looks around welcoming everyone entering and taking their seats. Her personality, ever so bubbly and cheerful, is a far cry from her cousin in Hoenn, illuminating the room. People clap for her as she spins around, dancing to the beat of the music that plays on the speakers. As she awaits confirmation that all the participants are ready, she continues to entertain the growing audience in front of her.

Lilian always desired to be a Coordinator, but as time went on, she realized she was more of an entertainer than just a Coordinator. Whereas her cousins were more geared for just staying as Coordinators, she opted to learn how to dance; how to commentate, and how to just keep the audience engaged. That's just the type of person she is - always willing to go above and beyond in her passion.

Once everyone has been seated, she re-introduces herself to the crowded venue, all of whom clap and cheer for her. She smiles, bowing to them all. She continues her introductions of today's Contest, which then leads her to introduce the panel of judges: Mr. Sukizo, Mr. Contesta, and Nurse Joy. The three panelists all greet the crowd and offer words of wisdom and express their regards for the participants.

Serena is in the waiting room, with other coordinators, all who seem just as anxious as her to get their performances done with. The room is tensely quiet, no one speaking a word to each other, all eyes on the television in front of them that has Lilian talking away, doing her bit.

With a silent gulp, Serena closes her eyes. She begins to count in her head, trying to not upchuck the noodles she ate over an hour ago.

Lost in thought, she doesn't hear Leaf walking up to her. "Nervous?"

Quickly opening her eyes, she turns to see Leaf giving her a smile, "I guess you are."

Sighing, Serena looks back at the TV, "More like terrified."

"Good."

Serena looks affronted and turns to Leaf, hoping the brunette wasn't two-facing her. Leaf just continues to smile, and winks at Serena playfully, "That means you're not an idiot. You're already ahead of the curve here."

Knowing Serena is wanting an explanation, Leaf provides one.

"No matter how good you are; the feeling of failure is always there. I guess, being terrified of failing is human instinct. No matter how good we think we are, we're always terrified we'll look dumb out there, in front of all these people, all who will point and laugh at us. But do they know what it's like being out here? Performing for them? The moment they try to do it, they end up worse than us. And do we laugh? I'd say no, but if our roles were reversed, I would laugh in a heartbeat. Being terrified is normal, but moving forward despite it? That's bravery. Just go out there and do the best you can."

She looks around, "Some of the people here have been doing this for years, but I can still see how anxious they are, how unnerving it all can be. But the moment they walk on that stage, they transform, and all those thoughts of failure disappear. Anyone who says they're never afraid or nervous are idiots and will fail; or they're lying and want to save face. Either way, they won't make it very far."

Serena ponders what Leaf has said and nods, "You're right…"

Leaf grins with a smug look on her face, "Of course I am. Papa always said I was."

The two girls laugh, the mood lighting up around them and Leaf smiles, "Just take it easy and do the best you can, Serena. I want to be the one to beat you after all, can't have you lose in the first round." Serena almost snorts, laughing at the remark. She gives Leaf a playful eyeroll in response.

"Oh-ho and you think you two are going to make it past the first round? You two are so cute!"

The two girls see a woman, her long, magenta hair in a ponytail, with a garish dress with ruffles so obnoxious, one would think she's just wearing it to act rich. Her glasses are also ridiculously huge, too big for her face. She saunters over with a haughty laugh. "What an incredible speech, darling! It was incredibly boring! Who taught you such nonsense, a fortune cookie? Please!"

Leaf narrows her eyes, crossing her arms at the woman in front of her. "And who are you?"

"The name is Jessame: the next Super Sensational Coordinator!"

Jessame then points at the two girls, "If I were you two, I'd just drop out and save yourselves the embarrassment!"

Leaf whispers to Serena, "You see? It's always the loud ones."

Serena just giggles.

Jessame begins a tirade of how she's destined to win the show, become an actress, and become very rich and loved by many. She begins to laugh to herself, a shrill laugh that just irritates the ears of everyone near her. The fantasizing Jessame clasps her hands as she begins to imagine being married to a very rich and handsome man that will spoil her and buy her everything she ever wants, while her partners just suffer in the background, eating scraps.

The two girls' glance at one another, knowing full well the woman in front of them is out of her mind. Not wanting to give the woman any more attention, they swiftly leave before Jessame notices. Once she does, the woman seethes at the rude behavior.

"Twerps…" She cries out loud to them, but they ignore her.

One by one, participants began to walk through the hallway that leads to the main stage. Serena glances at her paper: #35. Leaf is #28, so once Leaf begins, it'll only be a matter of time before she starts hers. Her heart races, watching every trainer do their performances.

One trainer had a performance with a Golduck use Ice Beam to create a giant ice sculpture, one had a Vileplume use Petal Dance and use Solar Beam in the middle of the of swirling petal vortex; and there were more that just got everyone excited for the next person – wanting to see something even better.

"#28 – Leaf. It's your turn!"

Leaf gets up from the bench seat she was sitting on, stretching, and sending out her Squirtle. Her Squirtle seems to be female, based on the small little bow headband on its head. Leaf turns to Serena and winks, "Wish me luck!" Squirtle also winks, copying her trainer and strides confidently with her trainer to the main stage. Serena smiles, waving at her.

As the cameras focus on Leaf, Serena watches her newfound rival intently. In a way, she's happy to be after Leaf, so she can try to best find a strategy around her.

Leaf proceeds to do her bit.

"Alright, Squirtle, begin the show with a Rapid Spin!"

Squirtle obliges, happily crying its name as it withdraws in its shell. Then, it begins to spin around in quick movements, spinning around the arena, before spinning around Leaf. Leaf nods, clapping her hands together rhythmically. With every clap, Squirtle spews water, hovering around Leaf with the water now becoming an ongoing stream.

"Let it all out!"

Then Squirtle starts flying, using the water it spews to jettison around, forming a vortex around Leaf.

"Amazing! This Squirtle is straight up flying! Spinning around, creating a spiral around its trainer! Leaf seems to be fully confident to not be drenched in water!" Lilian comments, making people go crazy over the show.

Leaf smirks, 'Oh, it's not over yet!'

"Alright, Ice Beam!"

Throwing itself high in the air, Squirtle unleashes an Ice Beam that freezes the water mid spiral. The entire spiral of water, now frozen to its core, leaves Leaf surrounded by a beautiful spire of water that leaves her little room to move. However, it doesn't faze her as Squirtle lands on top of the spiral, with a bow.

The frozen spiral explodes, creating ice particles that sparkle brilliantly against the stage lights. Leaf catches Squirtle and the two bow, with Squirtle still in her trainers' arms.

"Incredible! Absolutely incredible showing from a first timer! Let's give it up for Leaf!" Lilian cheers, with everyone clapping loudly for Leaf, making the girl smile brightly. She then looks around for a specific someone. When she does, her eyes widen, and her smile increases when she sees Ash cheering for her. She smiles happily at it, waving at everyone, but most importantly him.

"What an incredible display from a beginner; your imagination and trust with your Pokémon are exemplary and I look forward to seeing what else you bring to the table." Mr. Contesta praises her.

"Simply remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo remarkably exclaims.

"Leaf, you and your Squirtle clearly trust each other and the fact you weren't afraid to let the ice and water get to you shows you're a very strong trainer and coordinator in the making." Nurse Joy happily praises the young girl.

"And there we go! Leaf is definitely getting a shot to the next round! Let's give her another round of applause, everyone!" Lilian states, with everyone cheering for Leaf, who bows yet again. She leaves and when she gets in the hallway, she leans against the wall and slides down to the floor, almost in tears. She begins to breathe heavily as Squirtle holds her, trying to calm her trainer. All the bravado that she showed to Serena just collapses on top of her, showing her true feelings.

"That… that… Oh, God…" Leaf stammers, swallowing some saliva that threatened to escape as drool. She rubs Squirtle's head, trying to still her rapid heart. 'So much for trying to calm down someone when I can't even calm myself down…' Leaf thinks to herself, ire forming at how pathetic she must look. Squirtle gives her a sympathetic look, continuing to rub her head against Leaf's hand. Leaf appreciates the gesture and kisses her starter on the head. "Thank you, girl… I'm sorry… Just… nerves, is all."

She quickly forces herself up and heads off before the next contestant sees her on the ground pathetically. She rushes into the waiting room where Serena runs up to her with a beaming smile, hiding the apprehension of being compared to Leaf's first ever performance, "You were just amazing out there, Leaf! Just… wow!"

Putting up a façade, Leaf winks, "Like I said… just gotta do the best you can!"

Serena chuckles, nodding, "Of course."

The two then turn around as Jessame appears on the TV, already flaunting herself. She sends out an Ekans that nervously does random moves, which leaves everyone unimpressed. Jessame takes the stage, becoming the 'star' of the show, dancing in front of her shaking Ekans, who would rather be do something less torturous than being in front of an audience. People begin to boo Jessame, with the judges each giving her a red 'X'.

The two girls laugh as Jessame is then forced off the stage, as she screams to the public that they don't know true artistry such as herself.

As she is thrown off the stage, a man with blue hair and a Meowth rush to her aid, hiding their faces from those continuing to boo her. Serena almost pities the posse that Jessame has. Keyword being 'almost.'

With that said, time would quickly pass, and it would now finally be Serena's turn. Leaf gives her an encouraging nod, to which Serena returns one herself. She then calls out the star of the show, Eevee, who walks with her trainer with a hint of anxiety and excitement. The two slowly walk out to their names being called out, to which they both bow to the cheering crowd. Serena blushes when she hears Ash cheer for her the loudest, making some people around him glare at him in irritation.

With her confidence at an all time high, Serena immediately thrusts herself into action. Eevee runs in front of her, the two stare at one another, before running straight at each other. Wordlessly, Serena gestures for her starter to leap into her arms and run across her shoulders.

Eevee does so, leaping into the inviting arms of Serena's. She then scurries across her arms, before leaping on top of Serena's head and jumping high into the air, to which Serena responds with a grin, "Alright, Eevee! Use Shadow Ball!"

Eevee forms a Shadow Ball, launching it high in the air. With enough practice, Serena was able to get the Shadow Ball to stay in the air. She then snaps her fingers as Eevee lands on her head daintily, "Now, Swift!"

With Swift, Eevee spins the stars, spewing them up into the air where the Shadow Ball is.

Some people were expecting a simple collision to create a light show, but Serena wanted to do something a little different. With the spinning stars, they began to spin around the Shadow Ball, as if making a small planet! People 'ooh' and 'aah' as the Shadow Ball begins to spin around because of Swift spinning swiftly around it. The force of motion begins to make the Shadow Ball descend – to which it then spins around the arena!

People gasp as the Shadow Ball, surrounded by Swift, spins around Serena and Eevee. Eevee then gets off Serena, with Serena snapping her fingers again, "Iron Tail!"

With Iron Tail, Eevee launches the planet-like projectile around, playing with it like she was a tennis player. It ultimately ends with Eevee launching the projectile high in the air, which then causes it to explode into glittering dust as the stars disintegrate slowly in a fabulous way. Serena and Eevee both curtsey.

"Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic! Another first timer has shown us an incredible showing! Unbelievable! First Leaf, and now our one and only Serena!" Lilian almost screams, absolutely entranced by the showing, to which everyone agrees judging by the reactions given. Everyone cheers loudly, again Ash being the loudest.

"That's my 'Rena!"

Serena almost stumbles, giggling at her crush. She forces the blush down as she waits for the judges to give her their final verdicts.

"When you launched the Shadow Ball and Swift, I was expecting a simple act; but you subverted my expectations and gave us a delightful demonstration that is both unique and still keeping the simplicity of the two moves. While the tennis act was a bit much, I still thought it was cute of Eevee to have done such a thing and it only emphasized how much Eevee was well trained. Excellent job, young lady!" Mr. Contesta praises, making Serena smile brightly at the critique.

"Stupendously remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo, as ever, remarkably praises.

"I disagree with Mr. Contesta, the Iron Tail showed us the playful side of Eevee and made me enjoy the show even more! It was already fantastic, but that cute showing of you two running to each other and the Iron Tail was an amazing experience. Fantastic job, you two!" Nurse Joy states with a warm smile.

Serena bows to them, tears threatening to spill at the kind words. Lilian makes the audience applaud for Serena's performance, "Give it up to Serena and Eevee, everyone! I have a feeling this will be quite the special contest for everyone involved!"

Serena heads off to the waiting room, Eevee quickly running with her. Leaf was the first to greet her, "Oh my God, Serena – that was incredible! I thought I was great, but wow! That was incredible! Are you sure that was your first time?! I could have sworn you did this before!"

Serena blushes madly, happy that her rival/friend is complimenting her so heavily. She rubs the back of her head sheepishly, "Hehe… Just beginners' luck, I guess! But" she lifts Eevee up, "it's all thanks to this cutie, after all!" Eevee yips happily, licking her trainer's chin at the praise. Leaf just gushes on how cute the Normal-type was.

Eventually, the entire appeal round would end, and Lilian is now on stage, yet again. The stage lights all point at her as she stares at the crowd, who all eagerly wait for the next round and for those who will advance to the Battle Round. Serena and Leaf clasp their hands, nervously wanting to see who advances, their little rivalry being momentarily forgotten as the two hope for each other to advance as well.

"As much as I hate to see the disappointed faces of all our lovely contestants, only eight are advancing! After careful deliberation, I will be calling out the eight coordinators that will be advancing to the next round – the Battle Round! Now, let me start calling out the names!" Lilian begins to read out the names as the electronic sign behind her lights up with each of the participants' names popping up.

As they are called out and shown on the screen, both Leaf and Serena close their eyes.

"Leaf!"

Leaf opens her eyes, happy to be called in! She then turns to see Serena shaking, as there's now only one spot remaining, and she hopes Serena is the last one.

"And lastly… Serena!"

And there it is!

"Yes! Serena, we're in it!" Leaf and Serena both jump happily, grabbing each other by the arms. While some of the other coordinator's groan at not advancing, others take it in stride and congratulate those who passed the Appeal Round.

The two pull apart, and the two stare at each other with determined looks. Their rivalry momentarily forgotten lights up yet again, as the two smirk confidently at one another. This is it. They'll show each other what they can really do. "Let's make it to the final round," Leaf proclaims, "and let's give it our all."

Serena nods, extending her hand out, "And may the best debut Coordinator win."

Leaf accepts and winks, "No hard feelings when I do."

Serena just laughs, "Oh, you wish."