Chapter 16
Right now, Ash, Alice, Flora, and Helen are sitting on the grass looking at both the beach and the starry skies, Ash frowns as he says, "It has been a year since that happened..."
Alice, Flora, and Helen are looking at him with concern, as they know Ash couldn't forget what has happened, Helen turns to Alice and asks, "But Team Rocket has been destroyed... How is he still sad about this?"
Alice sighs, "It is not easy to just forgive and forget, the ones who badmouthed him are millions of people in the world, with that amount, even though they are controlled, Ash couldn't forget all of it. But just dwelling in the past isn't a good thing to Ash, we need to have him find his interest again."
"You are right." Flora nods, "But how would we do that?"
They turn around and see Ash already sending out Roserade and Pyroar as Pyroar continues to lick his trainer while Roserade is dancing around. Alice sees the dance and she has an idea. Then she stands up and walks towards him, after she is behind him she covers his eyes, "Guess who is it?"
"Alice, I know it was you. If Flora or Helen is the one who did it you would already come and stop her." Ash smiles as he takes off her arms. Helen asks, "Is that an insult?"
"No offense to you, I am just talking about how jealous Alice would be." Ash says as Alice pouts. "But surely, what's up, Alice?"
Alice says, "Ash, by reading the diary, I find that your father was also a Top Coordinator in his first try."
Ash pales a little as he knows what Alice is talking about. Alice says, "So Ash, have you ever thought about entering the contests and eventually trying to become a Top Coordinator?"
Ash frowns and says, "I have read that part...don't get me wrong, I was proud of my father becoming a Top Coordinator. But...it is just that...two of my former friends say that I suck at Contests..."
"But that's when they are under Team Rocket's control, right?" Flora asks. "Didn't you partake in contests before?"
"I partook some of them, and I got a half ribbon because I tied with one of my friends, but it hurts...to see that ribbon burned into ashes..."
This causes shock to them as Alice says, "How could they do that? That is just plain rude."
"I know...It hurts to see a symbol of friendship to be burned into ashes just like that..." Ash frowns, and Alice knows why he doesn't want to do it, but that will be back at the start, so Alice decides to give him some motivation. "Don't worry about them, Ash. You are wonderful and I am sure you are not a failure in Contests. If they really said that to you, then you just have to prove them wrong, by winning the Grand Festival."
Ash looks at her, and he smiles back. "You're right, I am going to show them that I am not a failure in Contests. Do you think I should enter the contests as Ash? Or should we have a new disguise?"
"I will like to see "you" in your true form in the Contests. But we can have new disguises. I want to try out a disguise that is good for Water Types." Alice says.
"Water Type? That sure is unusual." Helen says. But Ash says, "Sure, let's try it out."
The two of them change into two blue-haired people with water-like themed, Alice still retains her hairstyle while Ash looks much more handsome.
"Wow...They sure look different on you, and I am sure your charm can woo a lot of people. But what are you going to name the disguise?" Flora asks.
"I am thinking of having a normal name...well, I have one. I can be Jude, and Alice, you can be Aoi." Ash says.
"I like the name." Alice says with a smile and she kisses Ash.
"Thanks." Ash says. "But which Contest should I partake?"
"Let's see...Vivian is going to the Kanto Circuit, Lilian is going to the Sinnoh Circuit...and finally, Marian is going to the Hoenn Circuit." Flora says as she types on the phone. "Dawn was in the Kanto Circuit, while May is in the Sinnoh Circuit. If you don't want to meet any one of them, I think the best choice will be Hoenn."
"Hoenn, huh? The only problem is that the Champion is also a Top Coordinator..." Ash sighs, causing the three girls to frown. "But I will like to try it out."
Alice, Flora, and Helen are sighing in relief, and then he has Pikachu gather every single Pokemon and he says, "Everyone, I have an announcement to make, I am going to enter the contests as a new disguise. I want to become a Top Coordinator to prove that I am not weak to anything. Who is going to be with me?"
Every one of the Pokemon cheers for Ash, as they want to help him out. Ash smiles and says, "Now let's all start our training."
With Alice helping him out, Ash manages to train a lot of Pokemon with their unique contest moves, and then they go to the Hoenn Region for the Contests. And much to their happiness, Ash won all 5 ribbons on the first try. And on the way, he meets a Feebas who has been watching his contests battle in Stootopolis City. He wants to shine just like Ash did. Ash notices it and decides to take her and train her.
"Guys? Can you believe this?" In the Sinnoh Region, Chloe and Serena are watching May's Contests as Max rushes towards them. May asks, "What's the matter, Max?"
"It's Ash! He has five ribbons and right now he is participating in the Hoenn Grand Festival!" Max says as he shows the news on the phone.
"Ash was in the Hoenn Region?" Chloe gasps in surprise. "And he is doing contests?"
"But I'm also having a Grand Festival here..." May frowns. "I can't just leave."
The group of four can only hope that Ash wins the Grand Festival, as they can't cheer him on as Hoenn is pretty far away from Sinnoh.
In the final rounds of the Grand Festival, Ash is standing on the field and his opponent is a girl with green hair. The person makes him remind of Wallace, the Champion of Hoenn. But he doesn't think more as they hear the announcer saying.
"The final match between Ash Ketchum and Reisa Mikuri is about to begin, trainers, please send out your Pokemon."
The girl sends out a Feraligatr while Ash sends out the Feebas. Everyone is surprised at Ash's choice, except his opponent, who is in deep thought. Ash notices the pressure on top of her, as he asks, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, it is nothing." Then the referee starts the timer as they start to battle. But in the end, Feraligatr has been making progress to damage Ash's contest bar while Feebas is struggling.
At the same time, in the Cerulean Gym, Dawn and Goh were there as they are visiting Misty, and they also noticed the Grand Festival on screen. Dawn says, "Ash is in the finals of the Grand Festival?"
"But why of all Pokemon, he would be using a Feebas?" Goh asks.
"Feebas is a perfect Pokemon, but Feraligatr is great as well." Misty frowns. "I don't know who I am going to cheer on..."
"Feebas, I know you can do it. Believe in yourself and become the star you admire." Ash says as Feebas evolve into a beautiful Milotic. This causes Reisa to become much worried, and as she knew, she lost against Ash after the battle due to the worry in her heart and making rash decisions.
"I am sorry, Feraligatr..." Reisa whispers to the Pokemon and she recalls it. Then she shows a forced smile as she walks towards Ash, saying while shaking hands with him. "That is a nice battle. I am glad that I had a match with you."
"Thanks, you're not bad as well." Ash says as he shakes the girl's hand, but something is not right as Ash noticed it.
"Ash won! He became the Top Coordinator!" Both sides in Kanto and Sinnoh are shocked to learn the news. Max says, "Ash's new Milotic is so cool..."
"Yeah." Chloe says as she notices her opponent, "Wait, I think I know this girl. She is Reisa, Wallace's daughter, and Lisia's cousin..."
Serena gasps, "You're right...that means this Grand Festival is her seventh loss..."
Back in Hoenn, Flora and Alice congratulate Ash when the cameras aren't focusing on them. Alice says, "You really did it! You won the Grand Festival!"
"That is really spectacular. Who knows that Feebas evolve into a beautiful Milotic during the match." Flora says.
"I know, but the way to make Feebas evolved is related to Contests." Ash says, as they are walking past the changing room, they hear crying and they look at each other. "What's going on?" Flora asks.
"Someone is crying, but why?" Alice asks and Ash says, "We've better checked it out."
Once they enter the room, they find Reisa, who is crying on the table. Ash recognizes her as the opponent he faces in the final rounds, and he knows that ever since he wins against her, she has been forced to smile on stage.
Ash puts his hand on her shoulder and asks with concern, "Reisa, right? Are you alright?"
Reisa looks at him with tears and says, "Ash Ketchum...I wished to be alone right now, sorry if I sounded rude."
"What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?" Ash asks. "Is it because you lost to me that you are this sad?"
Reisa quickly says, "No, it is not your fault. It's just...it's just..." She starts to break down again and says, "This is my seventh time entering the Grand Festival."
This causes surprise to the group as they didn't know that this girl in front of them is this skilled with the contests. Reisa continues to whimper, "I always come this close...but I fail in the finals every time... I failed my father...I failed my brother...I failed my cousin...I am a shame to my family..."
Ash and the two girls are surprised at her words. He says, "I am sorry, I didn't know that it means so much to you..."
"You don't need to apologize for what you wanted..." Reisa says. "Maybe I am not destined to be a Top Coordinator...like my cousin and my Dad Wallace..."
"You are Wallace's daughter?" Flora gasps in surprise. "No wonder, your hair looks the same..."
"Really? Flora? Since when did hair color matter with the family?" Alice rolls her eyes. "Don't forget I have white hair and you have black hair."
Ash frowns, as he remembers the words that Wallace said to the crowd back when they are controlled. But Reisa looked like the person he was last year, he also lost seven leagues and he understood the pain and the sadness she has to face. Ash knows that there is one thing to do to make her better.
"Reisa, I know this is a sudden request, but is it possible for me to take you somewhere else to talk?" Ash asks.
Reisa nods in confusion, and the next thing she knows, she has been teleported away along with Flora and Alice.
Here is a new chapter, and as you can see, Ash won the Grand Festival and met another one of my OCs, Reisa. I hope you like this chapter.
