The morning of the Mulberry Town contest had finally arrived, and Dawn couldn't be more excited for it. Though she felt a bit odd over the fact there would be no need to dress in in a Kanto Contest, Dawn was still certain that the similarities and their training would outweigh any novelty of the region to assure them a victory!
Inside the Contest Hall, Ash and Dawn found themselves at a crossroads.
"I guess this is where we split up!" Dawn said to Ash, winking at her companion. "Get ready to cheer us on!"
"You got it! We'll see if we can grab a seat close to the action." Ash raised his hand, a silent gesture of their mutual support and friendship. "And, Piplup, we'll be looking forward to you strutting your stuff!"
"Pip-Piplup!" Propped up on Dawn's shoulder, Piplup proudly thumped a wing against his chest.
Grinning, Dawn clapped her hand against Ash's. "After Quilava struts hers, that is. I better see your face, out there!" With that, she departed, her confidence at its zenith. She felt as if she'd practiced plenty - between the training with Ash, her own concentrated efforts with Quilava, and her own experience, she felt that her first contest, this go around, would go off without a hitch.
While Dawn had managed to keep herself relatively calm in this exciting new atmosphere, thanks to her experience, a lot of the other coordinators were milling around, looking nervous. By Dawn's observations, there weren't very many of them, either. As she walked fully into the backstage area, she looked around, trying to find someone who looked like they knew what was going on.
"Hey, what's up with everyone?"
"We're short some people," a coordinator snapped, looking tense. Her Zubat clung to her shoulder, ears also pinned back. "If we don't get two more people - well, one, since you're here - we may have to cancel the contest!"
"Oh no!" Dawn whined, troubled. All the work she'd put in… Heck, all the work the town had put in! That'd be such a disappointment, a waste of everyone's time.
Soon, however, everyone's worries were calmed. In slid a little girl, her little Jumpluff as winded as she was.
"S-Sorry! Our alarm broke!"
The backstage manager walked in as well. "Alright. Looks like everyone's here, and accounted for… just in time, too." The officiate huffed in exasperation. "Everyone, stay sharp, and be prepared to take the stage when you're called, please!"
"My, my. This is what passes for a contest, in Mulberry? Not a strong start to the season." A middle-aged woman criticized, sporting voluminous, dirty blonde hair and an unremarkable trench coat. Cherry lips creased into a scornful scowl.
Dawn raised a brow, catching ear of the remark. "Great. Now, I've got to look out for two bad attitudes." An irritated half-smile formed on Dawn's features, until she noticed she'd been overheard.
Hazel eyes narrowed upon Dawn, daring her to explain herself.
"Erm… ehehehehe…!" Dawn rubbed the back of his neck, erupting into nervous laughter. Her face had gone pale in blatant embarrassment.
The blonde averted her gaze, and Dawn exhaled, dropping her shoulders. "Me and my big, fat mouth."
Piplup sighed, consolingly patting Dawn's shoulder. "Piplup-pip..."
The event began with its typical pizzazz. Dawn watched from backstage whilst Ash watched from the stands. They noted each coordinator going by; Ash, judging them for their skills, and Dawn, as competition.
The angry woman with the Zubat went out first. A hasty Supersonic seemed to irritate the audience and judges rather than impress them. A vigorous Astonish showed off Zubat's speed and agility. However, that was all to their appeal. Dawn felt a little embarrassed for her. She was clearly new to contests. While the Zubat girl clearly had plenty of energy, her presentation was severely lacking.
It was a little later when the girl with the Jumpluff went on stage. Dawn was impressed with the intention of the little girl's displays, but just judging by the way her Jumpluff's Poison Powder accidentally obscured the brilliant light from Synthesis, she could tell the poor girl hadn't practiced enough. Her Bullet Seed made up for this, though, Dawn gladly noted, and her execution of Bounce as an exciting move was first rate! What an excellent way to add the luster she had lacked at the beginning of her appeal.
Right after the Jumpluff girl left the stage, the critical older woman stepped into the fray.
"Persian, if you'd please." She curtly introduced, flinging a Poké Ball without much flare. The Pokémon materialized, sporting a dazzling, shining coat that denoted excellent care.
Starting off with the starry, elegant brilliance of Swift, it was clear the older woman had been in the game for a while. Her Persian followed up with Bite, the dark-type move eating up each and every star like a little black hole. Though this old woman, like the Zubat girl, had only used two moves, it left a much stronger impression on the judges. They wanted to see and know more, an air of mystery left as the two finished.
Finally, a familiar face stepped onto the stage. Dawn wasn't too surprised to see Ember there as she'd signed up for the contest, but the Flaaffy was new. Where was her Cherubi? Then again, it wasn't as if Ember was the only one who entered this contest with more than one Pokémon.
"Flaffy, let's razzle dazzle 'em!" Ember ordered. With that, her appeal began. Flaaffy was truly a little starlet, using Light Screen to create mini, pinker hued versions of herself as she danced across the stage. When Ember ordered, she added Charge to the appeal, causing sparks to crackle over each limb as she twirled. Finally, the Flaffy dipped herself, barely hanging onto one of her Light Screens for support as a Thundershock was set off. It cracked all of the screens, allowing Flaaffy to drop onto her back.
A bit more pretentious than Dawn would like, but judging by the way Flaaffy's right leg stayed straight up even during the drop, the coordinator guessed it was some obscure dance move she'd never heard of rather than a flaw in their appeal.
There were a few more until Dawn's turn. She was next to last, a fact she was very glad for. This meant Quilava's appeal would leave a huge impression on the judges. Soon enough, the time passed, and it was their turn to go.
As they walked onto the stage, Dawn kept a limber pep in her step. As soon as they reached center stage, Dawn exhaled, allowing a tightened fist to relax. "Alright… Quilava! Spotlight~!" She chimed, elegantly tossing the notably seal-less Poké Ball into the air.
The device burst open, a bright flash of light quickly taking shape on the stage. "Lav!" The fire type chanted, landing on all fours. Aiming to make a good starting impression, the Pokémon expelled hot flames from her back.
"Let's show them what you can do, Quilava! Use Flame Wheel!" The Pokémon quickly obliged, tucking into a sphere that surrounded itself in a roaring flame. A tight circle was torn around Dawn, her hair dancing in the wafts of heat thrown off. The hotter and more brilliantly colored the Quilava's flames grew, the further the second stage Pokémon span around Dawn.
"What a nice Flame Wheel by Dawn's Quilava! You can almost feel the heat coming off of that attack!" Lilian shouted into her microphpone, mirroring the audience's thoughts. Those in the stands watched on, curious.
"Now, let's kick things up a notch! Mix in a Flamethrower with that Flame Wheel!" Dawn shouted.
With that command, Quilava began inserting Flamethrower, turning into a pinwheel that spun around her trainer, who held her composure. The yellow-green flames morphed into a true purple-blue. Navy bangs began to billow above the heat, tinted by the various change in color. Of course, Dawn had learned the hard way that the star wasn't supposed to be her, but her Pokémon.
"Now, Quilava! Use Smokescreen!"
As the creature continued to spin, she exhaled hot smoke from the pores on her back, still spinning about. Swirls of ashen clouds surrounded the duo completely.
Dawn whistled, though only Quilava would hear it over the roar of her flames.
Quilava emerged from the thick smog, flipping before landing on all fours. She spat numerous Swifts, the stars cutting through the smoke, leaving black trails after the stars before it all disappeared.
With that, Dawn and her pudgy Pokémon struck a pose!
"What a pretty performance! Put your hands together for Dawn and her Quilava!" Vivian shouted.
The crowd bellowed with cheers, enamored with the beautiful display.
Quilava stood on her rear legs, bowing in time with Dawn. The wriggly Pokémon jumped into Dawn's arms, and the girl walked off stage, managing to carry the fire type for that long.
Ash, in particular, elected to whistle and shout. "Alright, Dawn!" He cheered, pumping a fist in the air. He wasn't alone; Pikachu stood atop the wall separating the crowd from the stage, decked out in one of his cheering garbs.
"Pika, Pika-ka!" The mouse shouted, waving two different fans in support.
The backstage area was tense. Well, for Dawn, it was. The fumbling little girl with her Jumpluff chatted ever so kindly with another competitor; a stalwart-seeming man in his later years accompanied by an equally old seeming Golem. A few other coordinators also talked amongst themselves, though a couple in particular had Dawn's attention.
Glenda, whose commentary earlier still rolled around in the back of Dawn's mind. And out of the corner of her eye, much to her ire, was Ember. The two stole passing, dirty glances at each other.
"Hmph!" Hard looks had escalated into a loud huff, on the redhead's part.
Retaliating, the pudgy Quilava pulled down her eyelid, sticking her tongue out at the older girl.
"...Ugh! You, like, mangy little…!"
"Attention, coordinators and spectators, one and all! The survivors of the appeal rounds have been decided, cementing their place in the coming battle rounds! Please turn your attention to the nearest display screen!"
Lilian's voice broke up the spat, bringing Dawn's attention to the screen, backstage.
First on the screen was Dawn, prompting a cheer under the girl's breath. Then Glenda, the Jumpluff girl, and finally, Ember.
As obnoxious as Ember was, Dawn couldn't bring herself to feel surprised. Her appeal had been worth watching. Nor was she surprised by Glenda.
"Now, give us just a moment, and we'll have the match-ups for the semi-finals!"
The faces on screen flipped and rearranged at random, shuffling until they settled into two lower brackets. Naturally, the first match-up was Dawn and Ember.
Dawn felt unpleasantness well up in her stomach, and she exchanged a heated glance with her opponent.
That left the two remaining coordinators to face each other.
"Okay!" Lilian rallied over the speakers. "First, we'll be having Dawn and Ember. Both coordinators, please make your way to the stage!"
"Take a good rest, Quilava. We'll take things, from here!" Dawn lightly tapped her partner with her Poké Ball, recalling her. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Ember return her Cherubi.
"Good luck?" the bluenette tried.
Ember merely huffed. "Witch."
With that, the two walked out the opposite stage entrances as their names were called, tension brewing in both of their veins and a certain glint in Dawn's eye that screamed her need for victory. All the same, despite the fight bubbling under their skin, they kept civil. Both smiled ever so beautifully!
"Next up, we have Dawn all the way from Twinleaf Town, Sinnoh, up against the Pinkan Princess, Ember!"
The crowd responded well to both names and Dawn suddenly was curious about her opponent, even if that put a bitter taste in her mouth. Who, exactly, was Ember? How did a brat like her get that kind of name recognition…? Though, it didn't really matter. Right now, she had a battle to win!
"Piplup! Spotlight!" Dawn cooed, twirling to stylishly toss a Poké Ball into the fray!
"Lup!" Nary a Poké Ball seal in sight, Piplup's entrance had to rely on his charm, alone! Somersaulting into the fray with acrobatic prowess, he landed on the tip of his foot to stick a stylish, twirling landing! Coming to a stop, he winked at the crowd! "Piplup!"
"Flaaffy, let's dazzle 'em!" Ember shouted her catchphrase, tossing her own Poké Ball.
A mass of white fluff took shape on the glimmering stage floor, unfolding into a peppy, pink Flaaffy! "Fla~!" She cried, striking a cute pose!
"Aw, and you even, like, went with a type disadvantage, knowing I had my darling Flaaffy on me! You're even cruel to your own Pokémon!" Ember cried in faux concern, cupping both of her cheeks with her palms.
"Now, with this match running on the clock," Lilian interrupted, not hoping to lose the audience's attention. "Let's get busy!"
Just in time, too; Dawn was seeing red. "Piplup can handle electric types just fine! Hydro Pump!"
"Pip-Piplup!" Piplup squawked, smacking a wing against his chest. Opening his mouth, he fired a powerful torrent towards his fluffy foe!
"Chyeah, as if," Ember scoffed. "Use Light Screen, Flaaffy!"
Flaaffy twirled with cutesy charm, conjuring a glimmering, translucent shield of pink. Just in time to catch the full brunt of Hydro Pump; even halved, the jet pushed Flaaffy back a fair distance! Glimmering with mist from Piplup's attack, Flaaffy at least managed to use the damage she took to some effect in highlighting her appearance.
Dawn and Ember's score bars dropped just incrementally. Although the advantage in strength seemed to lie in Piplup's corner, that alone wouldn't secure Dawn a victory.
"Tch. You brute!" Ember fumed.
Ignoring her, Dawn gestured to push her advantage. "Piplup, use Drill Peck!"
Piplup sprinted towards Flaaffy on his tiny legs, leaping into a twirl that accentuated the piercing power of his glowing beak!
"Flaaffy, let's show them the beauty of a pure hearted girl and her Pokémon! Use Cotton Guard!" the redhead ordered as she gripped both fists, legs at shoulder width and expression passionate.
Dawn had to resist making a face. Pure hearted…?! What was she implying about Dawn, exactly?!
The judges and crowd oohed and aahed as Flaaffy twirled, cotton fluff materializing and sticking to the electric type's body to form a protective coat of plush armor. At the end, the pink Pokémon struck a pose, costing Dawn a number of points with the judges.
Unfortunately for Dawn, that wasn't where the trouble ended.
"Ah!? Piplup!?"
Blinking repeatedly, Piplup began to register his surroundings. Having charged headlong at Flaaffy, he expected an impact, but it never came. In fact, he found himself stuck in Flaaffy's cotton fluff, beak-first! Muffled squawks and flailing limbs only made him look more ridiculous.
"Ohh… Piplup." Dawn held a palm to her face, stewing in the second-hand embarrassment.
"Ahahaha! Oh, wow." Ember cackled, holding a hand past her cheek. "Wow, Dawn, that's like, totally embarrassing. If they're not using the stage, Flaaffy, it's all ours. Light Screen!"
"Flaa! Flaaff! Flaaffy~!" Wide leaps and cutesy turns and spins accompanied the electric-type as she pranced about, setting up a multitude of glimmering barriers with waves of her paws and tail. What was more, poor Piplup was stuck in her excessive cotton, flailing about like a blue, overdesigned hair accessory.
"Oh, wow!" Lilian exclaimed, clearly stifling her laughter. "It looks like… snrk. Poor Piplup is being paraded around like a crown jewel to the elegant dance Flaaffy staged for the audience. There's a real gap in showmanship, here, folks!"
"Oh, man." Ash frowned, rubbing the back of his neck. "She's making a joke out of Piplup, out there!"
Meanwhile, suppressed laughter had started to spread through the audience, most trying to keep their reactions to a snicker, while other spectators were flat-out laughing.
"Hey, can it!" Ash barked, waving a fist. "If you want a comedy routine, take it to the circus!"
A few put-off onlookers quieted down after Ash's outburst. But it was hard for him to feel at ease, when Dawn's points had dropped to roughly two thirds full.
"If this keeps up, we'll never make it through to the final round," Dawn huffed. She was truly grateful that Ember wasn't using the opportunity to shock Piplup, point-blank. As a coordinator, she was decent, but her battling skills were lacking… maybe that was the answer!
"That's it!" Dawn exclaimed, confidence returning in full. "Piplup, Ice Beam! Point-blank!"
The flailing bird stopped fussing, on command. Of course! A brilliant flash of blue escaped his beak, striking the sheep with a brutal blast of cold! Excess cotton froze over, spreading across the ailing electric-type until she was all but frozen solid!
Piplup broke his beak free, somersaulting back to witness his work; only Flaaffy's little pink face was free of her frozen fate, the rest of her excessive fluff frozen over into a crystalline structure that didn't look all that different from a snowman. 'Or a snow sheep,' Piplup quipped to himself, showing off a spiteful, cocky smirk from the corner of his beak.
"Ugh! What on earth did you do my poor Flaaffy!?" Ember exclaimed, bordering on livid.
Meanwhile, Ember's points plummeted, hardly above Dawn's.
"Snrk. It looks like Piplup really put them on ice!" Ash jeered, proud of his own wordplay.
"Pikapi." Pikachu scolded his trainer, giving him a look that was definitely calling out his hypocrisy.
"Hey, I never said I wasn't biased," Ash shrugged.
"There's more where that came from! Flaaffy, use Charge!"
A very peeved Flaaffy cooed, igniting her body with the most brilliant of charges! Glimmering gold cascaded through the frozen sculpture that'd overcome her, drawing attention to her like the finest assortment of holiday lights!
"What a brilliant display from Flaaffy! Ember turned Dawn's icy prison into an asset!"
The improvisation drew coos of admiration, and Dawn's points took another small hit!
"Cutting it a bit close to resembling my Ice Chandelier," Dawn muttered. She'd show her, mimicking her style! "Piplup, charge on in!"
"Pip, pip, Pip!" Piplup sprinted towards his frozen foe, doing as told.
"Thundershock, now, Flaaffy!"
The glimmering ice began to crack and splinter, leaking golden gleams of light! Powered up lightning burst through Flaaffy's shell, making a quick route for Piplup to deliver a shock.
"Now, Spin!" Dawn commanded.
"Pip!" Piplup took a leap, turning his tiny body into an elegant twirl, twisting himself just out of Thundershock's reach. Luckily, it was no Thunderbolt from Pikachu, but that didn't stop the lightning from highlighting Piplup's glossy coat of feathers in its splendor.
Dawn lost an inch of points to the beautiful Thundershock, but thanks to Piplup highlighting his beauty and grace, Ember's dropped even lower.
"Good job, Piplup! Now, use Bubble Beam!"
"Pip… lup-lup-lup!" Still airborne, Piplup bombarded Flaaffy with explosive bubbles, forcing the sheep back! Light Screen glimmered in its use, highlighting the bubbles with a lovely pink hue, even as their impact was halved.
Surprisingly, Ember didn't seem deterred. "Keep up the Thundershocks, Flaaffy!"
Repeated shots of electricity fired at Piplup, half as effective as the first; though, their power meant very little, in the face of Piplup's dodging. The penguin was spinning, flipping, and twirling his way through shots of electricity, making use of his tiny body to avoid harm!
Piplup's acrobatics knocked Ember's score down below half. Though, the redhead looked ever-so-confident. With a moment's analysis, Dawn could see why. "Oh, no. Piplup!"
The penguin squawked, suddenly finding himself jumping between jolts that bounced between the arrangement of Light Screens. Arranged diligently by Flaaffy in her prior dance, it seemed; the screens left Piplup ambushed by Ember's relentless attacks.
"Check it OUT! We're finally seeing the substance behind the style of Flaaffy's little jig, just a minute ago! Ember's left Dawn in a pinch, and Piplup in a pretty shocking trap!"
"So, that's what she was up to…" Dawn thought aloud. "There's only one way out of this. Piplup, let's show them our Bubble Beam Counter Shield!"
Piplup immediately spun into action, spraying a beautiful foam into the air in a circular pattern, whipping it up into a bubbly barrier about his form! Bubbles intercepted the bouncing lightning bolts, bursting both in a chain reaction that quickly resembled beautiful fireworks!
Light Screen even benefited the display, reflecting the explosive combination to make Piplup the epicenter of a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors!
Ember's points shot down severely, resting at about one third of their full count.
"Just when things were looking grim, Dawn manages to steal the show from her opponent! What a beautiful, bubbly scene that Piplup managed to make his own!"
"There's more where that came from!" Dawn beamed, with her confidence in full-swing and the momentum in her favor. "Piplup! Let's show your audience a Full Power Bubble Beam!"
"Piiiip…!" With a cry climbing in pitch, Piplup inhaled until his chest puffed out. Gathering power quickly, he unleashed his attack with a cry. "LUP!"
Rather than the steady stream of dozens of bubbles that Bubble Beam often boasted, he unleashed a small barrage of absolutely giant bubbles! The bouncy orbs dwarfed Piplup several times over, floating towards Flaaffy.
"Ugh!" Ember exclaimed, balling up both of her fists. "We won't let that witch steal our show time, Flaaffy! Let's totally burst her bubble, with Charge and Thundershock!"
Golden, crackling static gathered in Flaaffy's cottony fluff, before being expelled in a shrieking, widespread burst of electricity!
"Show them how it's done, Piplup! Bounce on those bubbles!"
Piplup sprang into action, landing on top of one of the large bubbles, staying afloat with a buoyant bounce of its surface that supported his negligible weight. With a shock on the way, he chirped, hopping to the closest bubble by. This pattern repeated, one shock detonating Piplup's footholds after the next.
Yet not a single branch of Thundershock managed to scorch the penguin.
"How adorable! Piplup looks like he's having a ball on those bubbles, even as Flaaffy's trying to zap him out of the sky! That's the perk of talent coming in such an adorable, tiny package!"
Flaaffy shocked, shocked, and shocked again. Quickly, though, she found herself exhausted. Panting and huffing, her electricity started to fail her. She wasn't trained for battle in a way that would sustain that effort.
Tragically, Piplup was there to capitalize on this, hopping right up in his opponent's face. And he didn't hesitate to flash the cockiest of smirks at his foe.
"Right there, Piplup," Dawn coached, "Hydro Pump!"
A fierce jet blasted and doused Flaaffy, sending the poor electric-type across the contest stage. The dying Light Screen did little to stop Piplup, leaving his foe in a puddle, swirls in her eyes.
"And, that's a knock-out! To top it off, Ember's points have been washed out with Flaaffy, making Dawn the winner on two counts, after a flawless finishing assault by Piplup!"
"Ugh, I can't believe this!" Ember whined. "I lost to this weirdo chick and her meanie pants Pokémon!" Stomping off stage, Ember didn't seem to even care about the negative attention she was gathering.
"... Garchomp isn't even my Pokémon," Dawn mumbled, before Piplup hopped into her arms.
"Pip-lup!" The water type boasted.
"Yes, you were fantastic out there. Now, let's get you healed up for the final round… come to think of it, I don't think you even took any damage."
"Lup!"
"Now's not the time to get cocky, y'know!" With that light scolding, Dawn left the stage, making way for the remaining two competitors to have their bout.
After a quick trip to the in-house healing station and a quick chat with Ash - they'd run into each other on accident during the intermission - Dawn was back in the backstage area. Between Ash's gentle encouragement, Piplup's brimming confidence, and her performance in the last round, Dawn was confident in her coming victory.
Though, watching the coming contest battle made her a little less comfortable in her boots… if one could call it a battle.
While Glenda had appealed with a poised and collected Persian, she premiered the battle rounds with a much more imposing Dusknoir. The girl with the Jumpluff looked less than confident, hoping to immediately dazzle and deflate with a toxic Poison Powder.
Sadly, the spores met their end in an eerie round of Will-o-Wisp. Blue flames danced around Dusknoir, catching and incinerating the powder in a way that ignited the haunting fires further.
"Now, Mean Look."
Jumpluff found himself in the shadow of a horrible sight. Still highlighted by Will-o-Wisp, Dusknoir leered down upon the grass-type, their singular red eye projecting itself upon its prey.
Jumpluff shuddered, suddenly feeling ambushed by the gaze. Meanwhile, his trainer's points dropped by a huge margin.
"Ooh, what a terrifying display by Dusknoir! I'm shaking in my heels, all the way over here!" Lilian narrated.
"There's no tactical advantage of using Mean Look in a contest battle," Ash thought aloud, furrowing his brows. Even from the crowd, he felt a tinge of unease. "There's no switching involved, at all. But, on the other hand…"
"That wasn't to gain any real advantage in the battle. She brought out Dusknoir's most frightening qualities in just two, non-offensive moves!"
Dawn clutched Piplup close to her chest. This opponent was certainly a step above Ember, if nothing else.
"J-Jumpluff! Use Bullet Seed!" The coordinator stammered, clearly losing nerve in the face of her foe.
Jumpluff fought valiantly, nonetheless, bombarding Dusknoir with a brilliant, emerald barrage of explosive seeds.
Dusknoir, in contrast, didn't so much as budge. The ghostly giant's infamous defenses were on full display, leaving Bullet Seed a futile endeavor. A ghostly, intimidating groan put an end to it.
Tragically enough, Jumpluff's trainer ended up losing points in the process. A brave effort to shine looked dim and dreary, in the face of certain invincibility.
"Don't give up, Jumpluff! Use Bounce!"
"Jump! Luff!" The feather-light Pokémon ascended with graceful twirls and bounces, practically walking on air! The charming display chipped away at Glenda's points, for the first time.
"Use Shadow Punch, Dusknoir."
Just as Jumpluff reached his aerial zenith, he found himself in an iron, ghoulish grip. A grey, translucent hand had shot out of Dusknoir's hand, leaving the puffy Pokémon immobile.
The difference in power was palatable. The difference in skill, stark.
Dusknoir didn't dwell in needless brutality. Jumpluff was promptly slammed to the contest floor. It only took a quick glance to tell that he was unable to battle.
"...And, that's a knock-out! But not at all without presence; I think it's safe to say that Glenda made the stage her own!"
Behind the scenes, Dawn exhaled a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding. On the display screen, the older woman seemed to offer some words of condolence to her younger opponent, who curtly bowed and scurried off-stage.
"Piplup…"
"I have to be honest. After seeing her Persian, that wasn't the kind of battle I was expecting. The next round won't be an easy one. What do you say, Piplup; do you still want to battle? I could always swap you out for Togekiss-"
"Lup!" Piplup immediately hopped out of Dawn's arms, turning to face her. With a wide variety of gestures, he squawked a whole spiel in his native tongue. Although Dawn couldn't pinpoint the words to a tee, she could see the resolve in his bold, blue eyes.
Dawn smiled to herself. "I get you. That settles it, then! I promised you your time in the spotlight for this contest, Piplup. If you want to keep on fighting, then we'll win this contest, together!" She winked, flashing a peace sign at her starter. "Y'know, for a Pokémon with two syllables to his name, you give an awfully good pep-talk!"
"Pip! Piplup," the penguin gave a cheeky smirk, waving his wing. As if to say, 'would you expect anything else?'
"Without further ado, it's time for our final round! Will our two competitors, Dawn and Glenda, join us on stage? I'm sure everyone is anxious to see their Pokémon shine!"
Dawn inhaled, and exhaled. "Well, that's our cue!" Flashing a smile at her starter, she lightly tapped him with his own Poké Ball, recalling him. Turning towards the arena, she made her way.
At this point, she noticed that she wasn't quite alone. Glenda walked beside her, speaking nary a word. Just a bit uncomfortable, Dawn put on a brave face. "May the best coordinator win!"
Leaving the shadowed ambiance behind the curtains to step into the spotlight, the elder woman was quiet, pursing her cherry red lips. "...Quite. Do hope that you can make your Pokémon shine."
A twitch of Dawn's brow. Talk about cocky. "You can count on it."
The two coordinators took their place on stage, Poké Ball in hand. Already sure in her choice, Dawn took initiative. Twirling, she flung her capsule with grace into the fray. "Piplup! Spotlight!"
Glimmering light took the shape of the cute, rotund penguin, introducing him to twist and twirl onto the contest stage, landing by striking a cute pose! "Pip-Piplup!" He squawked, resting his wings proudly on his hips.
"Persian, if you'd please." Glenda was next, introducing her own Pokémon to the fray.
Appearing in a much more grounded pose, Persian stood proudly on all fours. Under the arena's intense lighting, his forehead gem shone with splendor. His short, vanilla coat showed its luster.
Dawn and Piplup, alike, were taken aback.
"She chose Persian…!?" Lips creased, Dawn mentally shifted gears. 'And, I'd been psyching myself up for Dusknoir… that changes things, a little.'
Dwelling on the past did a coordinator no good. Not that Dawn had any time to, anyway.
"Alright! With both Pokémon looking glamorous and battle-ready… let's get busy!"
"We'll start things off! Piplup, use a spinning Bubble Beam!"
Piplup sprinted at Persian, quickly jumping into a tight spin! Twirling, he'd fire a swarm of bubbles from his mouth, aiming a cyclone of explosive foam with a stylish flair.
...That's what he would've done, anyway, were it not for a vicious Persian, right up in Piplup's personal space! Leering eyes psyched out a squawking Piplup, causing him to flinch and falter.
With Piplup's focus broken, Persian swiftly smacked him aside! He bounced unceremoniously off the arena floor, rolling onto his rear.
"Piplup!" Dawn exclaimed, as she watched her points take a slight dip. 'Talk about Deja Vu… Zoey's Glameow started the same way. But, if there's one thing I learned there, it's that we can't let a setback shake us up!'
"Piplup, Hydro Pump!"
Bouncing back to his feet, Piplup reared his head back, and spat a powerful torrent.
"Persian, use Power Gem."
Rearing himself on all fours, Persian growled haughtily, lighting his gem with a brilliant red. Its luster met Hydro Pump with a strong crimson, stopping the jet in its tracks.
A brief struggle ensued between the stubborn waters and glistening rock-type energy. Spraying mist reflected off the glimmers of light, creating a beautiful show of red mist that highlighted both Pokémon.
The two attacks reached a stalemate and burst. Meanwhile, Dawn and Glenda's points both dropped.
"Let's make use of that glitter and glam!" Dawn called. "Use Drill Peck, Piplup!"
Piplup launched into action, building up into a sharp spin that accentuated an artificial sharpening of his beak. Shooting through the remains of the clash, his healthy coat was highlighted, once more!
Glenda's points chipped away again to match Dawn's.
"Bite, Persian!"
Piplup passed where Persian had stood, but he found no resistance. Taking purchase of his surroundings, he found himself, instead, in the feline's shadow. It was too late to change course; sharp fangs gnashed into Piplup's body, making him squawk in pain.
Proud of his catch, Persian took to the air in a stylish leap. With a spin, he flung his prey towards the stage in a brutal motion. Piplup hit the stage with an audible 'smack.'
"Oooh! That's a swift and brutal Bite, from Persian! Piplup didn't know what hit him!"
Dawn grimaced. "Fight back with Bubble Beam!"
Still grounded, Piplup battered Persian with a swift barrage of bubbles. Stubborn as ever, he pressed his assault, forcing Persian higher and higher into the air.
"That's it, Piplup!" Dawn cheered her starter on. He wasn't one to go down, easily!
"Persian, clean that up, if you would."
The recoiling feline bared his fangs. They showed a devious grin. Swinging around, he smacked the oncoming foam with a whip of his tail. In a chain reaction, the bubbles exploded and fizzled out, leaving Piplup's attack ineffective.
"Lup!?" Piplup gawked. He no-sold Bubble Beam!?
"Now, Swift!"
"Mrow!" Golden stars followed the path of Persian's tail, whipping up in an arc before bombarding Piplup. A golden bundle of stars struck Piplup and burst, sending him tumbling.
"Ouch! Piplup's attacks are stylish and fun to watch, but Persian seems to be swatting them off, at every turn! Things are beginning to look rough, for Dawn."
Lilian's play-by-play prompted Dawn to glance at the scoreboard. After being repeatedly thwarted, her bar rested at halfway empty.
"Use Swift, darling." Glenda ordered, wasting no time. There was a slight drop in her points for repeating a move, but she seemed unbothered.
"Mrow!" Persian spun, slinging a whole arc of glittering stars towards Piplup. Shooting past him and wrapping back around, the move made full use of its perfect accuracy. He was surrounded.
"If they think that'll pin us, they've got another thing coming, Piplup!" Dawn coached, giving her starter her full confidence. "Let's show them a Counter Shield they'll never forget!"
"Piiip-lup-lup-lup!" With a rousing cry, Piplup whipped up an impenetrable wall of foam around him, buffering the incoming swift with dozens of sturdy and beautiful bubbles! In his fortress built by the combined efforts of Ash and Dawn, Piplup was confident. There was no ambushing this contest star!
"Good ol' Counter Shield." Ash smiled to himself. "This'll put them back on track! Glenda's points are already taking a dive… huh!?"
Returning his eyes to the action, he was privy to a point of view that, from her position, Dawn was not.
"What a sight for sore eyes! Dawn's signature Counter Shield; a move that just a few minutes ago, put down Ember's shocking shutdown; has been going head to head with Persian's Swift! Those bubbles are bursting with a golden brilliance, and blocking out Glenda's offense!
Oh, but what's this!? Persian isn't just sitting pretty, in the wake of it all!"
Sure, fleety paws pounced on the bursting bubbles and glitter, making the fleeting brilliance a foot hold to scale the wall of foam. With each graceful and calculated pounce, Persian soared higher!
"What!?" Squinting at an airborne silhouette under the spotlights, Dawn was taken aback. "How did Persian manage to…!?"
"Lup…!" Within the Counter Shield, Piplup's spinning finally came to a stop. He huffed and heaved for breath, having exerted himself in quite a big way. Surely, though, that would put an end to Persian's tricks! Piplup grinned to himself, satisfied. Victory was surely only a few points away!
A sudden, ear-splitting hiss put a damper on the penguin's hopes. Finding himself in someone's shadow, he looked above - just in time to catch the terrifying sight of a fierce feline plummeting!
Bubble Beam and Swift dispersed. In their wake was quite the eye-grabbing sight. Piplup, face-down, pinned to the contest stage without remorse under Persian's paw. Above him, the larger, predatory feline, standing triumphant.
"Oooh! Now, that is a striking image; surely one for the papers, tomorrow! In the wake of those attacks, Persian has made Piplup his prey, leaving him at their mercy!"
Dawn clenched her jaw, until she felt her teeth grinding. This was a hell of a fix she was in! But, she patted her cheeks, returning to clarity. 'Think, Dawn, think…! If Piplup's facedown, he can't really use any of his moves. Drill Peck's a no-go, and the others would just be aimed at the floor. That won't do us any good… or, would it!'
Looking hopeful, once more, Dawn punched the air. "Piplup! Fire a Hydro Pump at the ground!"
Persian tilted his head in curiosity, paw firmly held to the back of Piplup's head. Suddenly, he felt a great deal of resistance - enough that totally broke his grip! The recoil from Hydro Pump had launched Piplup airborne - and the cat, himself, with him!
"Hey, I recognize that. It's just like when Staraptor pummeled the ground to slip out from under Paul's Gastrodon!" Ash observed. "Keep it coming, Dawn! You can still win this!"
"Well, I'll be." Glenda coolly blinked, focused entirely on the tense scene before her. "Persian, use Bite."
Still airborne, Persian hissed and lunged, snapping his jowls at his smaller foe.
A gleam of determination shone in Piplup's baby blue eyes. A hop, and a step squarely on Persian's face. He sprang out of range, turning swiftly to face Persian. "Pip! Piplup!?"
"Come on! Is that all you've got!?"
Persian re-oriented himself, now on Dawn's end of the battlefield. "I could ask you the same."
"Piplup's as full of fire as ever… but, we're still in a pinch," Dawn thought aloud. "If we want to win this, we have to finish it now, Piplup!"
When Dawn's gaze fell on Glenda, though, even for the briefest moment, she was unsettled. As reserved and enigmatic as her opponent was, she didn't even flinch at her do-or-die declaration.
"Use Swift, once more."
Golden stars fired from Persian's gem, cutting a spiraling pattern through the air.
"There! Jump in and spin, Piplup!"
Piplup charged the Swift, and identified his path. Twirling with grace and precision, he slipped through the gap in the stars. The force of his spin widened the tight loop within, clearing a straight shot for Persian!
"Use Power Gem, Persian!"
"What!?" Color drained from Dawn's face. In a split section, she identified the trap she'd run into, headfirst. But it was too late for a correction.
Glimmering red tore through the tunnel set by Swift, blasting a trapped Piplup. Power Gem's Shine ignited its golden decorations, setting off a chain of brilliant ruby and gold explosions.
Far too late.
"Piplup…!" Dawn watched her starter fly from the smoke and debris, landing on his back. His once shiny, spotless coat was covered in soot and minor burns. Hardly fitting for a contest battle.
It hurt to breathe; he'd been hit in the chest, leaving him in a sorry state. Rather, he'd been hit everywhere. The epicenter of Persian's brilliant display; for him, glory. For Piplup…
Well, it was rather humiliating. He forced himself to sit up, retaining the slightest sliver of pride. Splotches of vanilla took up his frontal view, under the contest lights; he was seeing double.
Piplup was in no state to fight; the judges seemed to agree.
"Aaand, that's a wrap! Dawn's points have hit zero, after that decisive combination, crowning Glenda the winner of this round! Not to mention, the Mulberry Contest as a whole!"
And so, Dawn's vigor left her. That was that. But, frowning in the face of a setback wasn't like a seasoned coordinator, was it? She'd carry herself with grace, scooping her partner into her arms.
"Lup…" Piplup whined, his voice hoarse. He looked to Dawn; a silent apology he was too proud to utter.
"There, there. No need to worry, Piplup." Dawn smiled softly, stroking his feathers. "It happens. Why don't you rest for a while, huh?" Not waiting for any further protest, she lightly tapped him with a Poké Ball. Then, doing the sporting thing, she approached Glenda.
"Hey, so… congratulations!" Dawn put on her best smile, offering a hand to her opponent. "That was a lot of fun; your Persian's well-trained!"
Glenda met her gesture. Despite her age, her grip was surprisingly firm; her expression surprisingly more forgiving with a hint of a smile. "It was a good match. You and your Piplup are very talented, dear. However…" Her trademark poker face resurfaced. Dawn noted that her voice had dropped to a whisper; giving them the slightest privacy on stage. "I'd like to offer you a bit of advice."
"Advice…?" Dawn echoed. Suddenly feeling silly, she flushed, shuffling by her faux pas. "What is it?"
"You show your hand too easily. Eagerness to bring out your Pokémon's charm to the fullest is admirable. But, you might want to keep in mind that a bit of mystery is every woman, and every coordinator's ace in the hole."
Swallowing the information, Dawn nodded. "I'll definitely keep that in mind. Thank you."
Had she really been that predictable…?
Dawn could dwell on her mistakes later, though. It was time for her opponent to be rewarded with her ribbon. With a wave and another round of congratulations, Dawn left the stage.
"Well, Dawn, I think you'll be happy to know that your Piplup is fighting fit!" Nurse Joy cooed, sliding the Poké Ball tray towards the girl… though, there was only one Poké Ball in its grooves, and its occupant was sitting on the tray, wings folded over her chest in the grumpiest manner possible.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" Dawn bowed her head, reaching to pocket Piplup's Poké Ball, tilting her head. "Erm…?"
"Oh! I tried to return him to his ball, but he was being very stubborn as soon as his health returned. I just decided to let him be," Joy giggled.
"Piplup…" Dawn chided. "That's no way to treat a Nurse Joy."
The penguin huffed, pointedly turning away.
"Now, now. My feelings aren't hurt. You put on a very great performance, Piplup! As did you, Dawn; you both should be proud."
"Pip-Piplup!" Piplup's chest puffed up to match his ego, beak held high. "All in a day's work!"
"So, try not to take your loss too hard, okay, Piplup? It happens to the best of us."
And so, a storm cloud was cast over Piplup's hung head, with the reminder. "Lup…!"
With uneasy laughter, Dawn scooped her partner into her arms. "We'll definitely keep that in mind. Thank you!" Turning to leave Joy's desk and give her peace, Dawn turned her attention to the last pit stop of this contest; finding Ash. "Now, where could he have run off to…?"
On cue, Dawn felt a 'tap, tap' on her shoulder. "Looking for me?"
"Ah!" Dawn yelped, whipping around to face… Ash, who carried Pikachu on one shoulder, and Rosemary on the other. "It's rude to sneak up on people, you know."
"Thought I'd give you a laugh." Ash gave a half-smile. One that reeked of sympathy for the loss, but he clearly didn't want to offend her pride. "Sorry about the loss. You guys put on a great show!"
"You don't have to sugarcoat it, you know. I'm not a little kid." Dawn smiled to herself, shaking her head. "We got beat. That's all there is to it. Just a motivator to work even harder!"
Ash audibly snorted, playfully ribbing Dawn. "Don't give me that. I know how it feels to put on a brave face after a loss! I'm serious. You gave it your all; you especially, Piplup!"
~Yeah! Your… your moves were super cool! They were like 'bam!' And, 'WOW!' And, 'POP!'~ A scratchy, juvenile voice rang through the small group's mind, as Rosa made vague, over-the-top gestures with her paws… until she realized all eyes were on her, and she flushed a deep red, burying her face in Ash's jacket.
Piplup seemed to perk up a bit at the praise, but he still neglected to comment.
"Rosa's talking to you, Piplup. Be nice!" Dawn scolded… until she caught up with reality, and did a double take. "Wait, Rosemary; you're here!? I would've thought a crowd would be too much for you."
The Riolu audibly whined into Ash, no longer one for words. Her designated papa gently stroked her fur. "I brought her out when the crowd was focused entirely on the match. She almost went back into her ball a few times, but she got caught up in watching your battle!"
Finding his way back to the initial subject, Ash pointed at Dawn. "Oh yeah, speaking of the contest. I saw Glenda whisper something to you, out there."
"She did, actually."
"Well?" Ash fished.
Dawn smirked, closing her eyes and lifting her chin up. "Can't tell you. It's a secret."
"Hey! That's not fair!" Ash whined. "I'm not your competition!"
Dawn giggled to herself, playfully shoving Ash aside when he pressed his curiosity. The contest came with a bittersweet end. Even a loss, though, was a step towards her ultimate goal of Top Coordinator!