On our way to Sandalstraw Town, Ash decided to stop for a quick training session alongside Paul. However, in the middle of a practice battle between Grotle and Chimchar, the training group barely evaded being frozen solid by an icy blast from an unseen Pokémon. Paul hit the floor hard after Ash had tackled him away from the blast. Only Ash's quick ranger reflexes saved them.
"Ash! Paul!" Dawn shouted, rushing towards them, I quickly followed her. Riley and Lucario were already on the pokemon that attacked them. It was only when I took a defensive position before my trainer and her friends that I realized that I was acting as a ranger's pokemon. When did I begin acting like this? "Are you injured anywhere?"
"Papa!" The cute and small Riolu jumped on Ash's lap, looking totally adorable as he was making puppy eyes at Ash. I believe everyone literally melted at the scene, even Paul's face softened. The power of baby pokemon is astounding! "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine," Ash answered, patting Riolu's head, as this nuzzled his hand and his tail wagged in pleasure. Adorable! Wait! Shouldn't we be focusing on the pokemon that attacked them?! I rapidly turned towards the bushes from where the attack had come from and readied myself for another attack, only to find a Snover looking at the ground chastised as he was being scolded by both Riley and Lucario. What is going on? "What is going on?" It looks like Ash was thinking the same thing.
"It seems that this Snover was feeling lonely and wanted to play with us," Riley sighed, before turning back to the wild pokemon. "But he now understands that attacking people is not a nice way to make friends."
"Sorry," Snover apologized, bowing at us.
"No harm, no foul," Ash sighed, standing up, with Riolu snugly in his arms. "I was asked to make a presentation in a school nearby, maybe we can ask them to foster Snover there. He'll never get lonely with all the students there to play with."
"Really?! I can? Thank you!" Snover was jumping in excitement, his face beaming with happiness.
That's just so Ash, I thought, shaking my head in bemusement. Always helping others.
So, that's what we did. We headed towards the school and were greeted by the deafening cheers of the students. It's always so much fun to see people's reacting to Ash. Especially, since Ash never fails to pull a face before beaming a smile at his fans. poor Riolu had to climb on Ash's other shoulder to escape the attention of the class. The poor baby was shaking in fear. Little girls don't hold back when it comes to cute things and pokemon. I shuddered, happy that Dawn had not put me down from her arms.
"Thank you all for making this stop," the teacher approached us, as we watched Ash teach his lesson outside, not being one for classrooms. "Especially, with the Sandalstraw Town Contest happening so soon."
"Contest?" Paul asked, more like grunting, we are still teaching him to communicate better.
"You did not know?" The teacher asked surprised. "There's a contest happening in Sandalstraw Town."
"Then it seems that we will be staying there for a bit longer than we had anticipated," Riley commented, smiling reassuringly at Dawn. I truly like Riley he is such a good friend and big brother figure, though that position in Dawn's heart will never be taken by other than Ash.
"Maybe..." Dawn turned to look at Paul nervously, we all knew how he felt about interruptions happening in his path to his objectives. We had to do a lot of convincing for this teaching lesson.
"I've never seen a contest live, it will be... an experience," Paul answered, taking us all by surprise.
"Thank you!" Dawn beamed at him, it was then that I noticed it... no... it can't be...
Is that a blush I see on his cheeks?! I shouted in my head, my brain stopped working then and there. I've seen it all in my short life people, now only Arceus himself will be able to surprise me.
We left the school as soon as Ash's class finished, leaving a happy Snover to his new home and new trainer (the teacher happy to get a pokemon so willing to play with the easily excited children). All while, I tried to ignore the fact that Paul of all people might have a crush on my trainer! It did not help at all. Since I saw what I saw, I've been noticing a lot of things. I've seen that Paul only acts like a human being and smiles (as much as Paul can smile) toward Dawn. I almost sighed in relief when we reached Sandalstraw Town and saw that Kenny and Barry were there. I never thought that I would be happy to see Kenny and Barry in my entire life! But here I was celebrating that fact!
However, nothing in my life since I joined Dawn and Ash was ever easy. I was betting on Barry being all over Paul, being the fanboy he was, while Kenny distracted Dawn. All that happened was Paul and Kenny becoming rivals for my trainer's attention... and Arceusdamn her... affection...
I can't do this! I moaned internally seeing them glaring at each other over the ping-pong table.
Oh, did I forget to mention that Barry was in Sandalstraw Town for the upcoming Pokémon Ping-Pong Competition? Well, everyone got roped into practicing with him. Dawn was quite excited about the whole thing, even getting Ambipom to learn various ping-pong moves for her new appeal routine. She was planning on using Ambipom for the appeal round and Mamoswine for the battle round. I'm still not so sure about Mamoswine, he has begun listening to Dawn but he had also evolved too fast and hasn't gotten used to his new body and power correctly. Not to mention, he had never been in a pokemon contest before. Then again we all had to start somehow.
While I was deep in thought, I did not notice what was happening until I started glowing. This can't be happening! Why is this day is only becoming worse?! I moaned internally while panicking.
"Piplup! You are evolving!" Dawn exclaimed excitedly.
Why is she excited? I exclaimed in outrage. This is horrible! Does she not understand why my staying as a Piplup is important?!
"Piplup, calm down," suddenly I heard the calm and soothing voice of Ash nearby, and the warmth of a pair of arms hugging me close to a firm chest. "Breath in and breath out, concentrate on controlling your body. You are the only one that can decide what to do." Following his advice, I was able to relax and stop my evolution. Once I knew I had kept it at bay, I opened my eyes and locked eyes with the proud gaze of Ash. "Well done, Piplup."
"What did just happen?" Dawn looked confused, coming to kneel beside us. "Why did you stop Piplup from evolving?"
"I do not want to evolve!" I shouted at her in frustration. "We started this journey as Piplup and Dawn, we went through so much together... I want to stay as a Piplup!"
"Piplup..." Dawn teared up, once Lucario had translated for us. "Of course, you can stay as a Piplup! I'm sorry for not having understood your plight!" She took me into her arms and hugged me close, kissing my forehead. I relaxed in her arms, happy now that I knew Dawn had no issue with my desire to stay as a Piplup. "We'll find you an Everstone Collar like the one Bulbasaur and Squirtle use, but we'll make sure it's a stylish one. Us coordinators have standards after all!"
"For sure!" I laughed in response.
We did not need to look far for one, as soon as Nurse Joy heard our issue, she gave us an Everstone and pointed us toward the town's local pokemon clothing store. I got a lovely sea blue collar with silver sparkles, the store had no issue with adding the Everstone to it. I now was the proud owner of an Everstone Collar.
Things after that were calm, with the coordinators focusing on the contest, Ash and Paul training for their next Gym Battle, and Barry was practicing for the Pokémon Ping-Pong Competition. By the time, the contest came around, I had gotten used to the weight of the collar on my neck and our team was ready to take on the contest. Jessie was also competing which was worrying, Mamoswine did not have the experience to take her on. Luckily, Dawn was taking this contest lightly, seeing it as a way to help Mamoswine get used to contests. Which did not mean that we were not aiming for the ribbon, we were here to win after all!
We watched in the waiting room as Mariam welcomed the contestants, announcing Jessie as the first contestant. Her choice was Mime Jr. (it never stopped stunning me how close James and Jessie were, using each other's pokemon without any issue), and she commanded him to use Teeter Dance.
"What?" Dawn murmured confused, like the rest of the audience and Contest Judges, as Mime Jr. sat on the floor seemingly meditating. However, Mime Jr. soon unleashes its stored energy and uses Teeter Dance while on its head. Everyone in the stadium, including our friends, the Pokémon, the audience, Marian, and even the judges, was affected by the Teeter Dance and began dancing. We, who aren't affected by Teeter Dance as they're watching from the waiting area backstage, were surprised by Jessie's change of style. "It was a nice appeal," Dawn commented. "I think she took inspiration from Ursula's appeal. It's a good change!"
The judges seem to think as well, that they loved Mime Jr.'s presentation and it appeared that Jessie is going to move on to the second round.
Soon it was Kenny's turn, and he calls out his Machoke and tells him to use Focus Energy. This helps Machoke to show off its muscles. An enormous barbell was lowered onto the stage. "Since when can we do something like that?!" Jessie exclaimed. "I mean we can use prompts in appeals... but normally we have to have them in our persona or with our pokemon."
"No idea..." murmured Dawn, eyes widening at the show of Machoke using Strength to lift it with one arm and switching it to the other. "All I know is that that thing must weigh a lot."
"I must give the kid kudos, though," Jessie commented, sounding impressed. That on its own is a huge compliment on her part. "Contest moves are usually graceful and beautiful so it was a smart move on his part to show off how strong Machoke is." Kenny jumps up and handstands on top of the barbell Machoke is holding ending their presentation. "Now joining the show alongside his pokemon is something I can share and respect," Jessie smiled and clapped, alongside the audience and the judges.
When it was finally Dawn's turn, she left me next to Jessie with a kiss on my forehead. I cheered loudly when I saw her appear on stage, Jessie, and Kenny clapping beside me.
"Ambipom, spotlight!" She called out and my sister came out of her Poke Ball with song notes surrounding her. "Double Team and Focus Punch!" Ambipom then Double Teams into a circle and uses Focus Punch on the musical notes. She then proceeded to dance in midair, covering the stage with sparkles, just like we've practiced.
"Swift!" Dawn ordered, Ambipom then went to hit the stars with her tail like a ping pong move and spun around in midair swirling the stars around herself. "Double Hit!" At Dawn's order, Ambipom used Double Hit and the stars break into sparkles.
"Ambipom and Dawn are totally in sync," Kenny commented.
"Of course they are!" I puffed my chest proudly, as Marian and the judges were raving about the perfect performance my family had given. "We've got this on the bag!"