"Wow! What a huge city!" Davin exclaimed at the sight of Lilycove. After crossing through Route 121, he had arrived at the city that was near the ocean which would take him to Mossdeep City.

"I better go heal up at the Pokemon Center. Soar really did a number on them." Davin was still sad and confused on why his former Salamence had just gone crazy like it did awhile ago. Was it something he said? What could he have possibly done to make it so mad at him?

He ignored the thought and ran straight into the Pokemon Center. He looked around, seeing a bunch of trainers gathered, but one person he saw in particular got him excited.

"MAURA~!" Davin shouted.

The brown haired girl that was sitting in a table booth turned around at the mention of the name.

"DAVIN~!" she shouted, recognizing the black haired boy. They both ran towards each other and embraced.

"It's good to see you again." said Davin happily.

"You too." Maura responded, letting go of him.

After their small reunion, they decided to catch up with each other and talk about their recent achievements.

"So you now have six badges? That's wonderful!" Maura smiled.

"Well, it's not as wonderful as you having four ribbons and five badges." Davin smiled back. Maura had told him that she won the Heat and Balance Badges from Lavaridge and Petalburg, but lost against Winona in Fortree and decided to skip it for the time being. She also told him that she won the Slateport and Rustboro Pokemon contests.

"So what are you doing here in Lilycove?" she had asked.

"I'm just passing through. The ocean near this city leads to Mossdeep City, where the next gym is located."

"I knew that. I was planning on going there after I had finished my business here."

"Which is...?"

"Entering the Lilycove Pokemon contest, of course! If I win a ribbon there, I'll have enough ribbons to enter the Grand Festival."

Davin grinned. "That's good to hear."

After healing his Pokemon, Davin and Maura walked out of the Pokemon Center together. "So when's the contest supposed to start?"

"Sometime tomorrow. I wanted to get here early so I wouldn't be late for the registration deadline." Maura gasped. "Speaking of which, I almost forgot. I need to go to the department store to pick up some things. Care to join me?"

"Like I would say no to you. I'd love to go." he smiled.

Maura giggled at his sweetness.


When they walked up the stairs that lead to the store, Maura started a conversation. "Hey, Davin?"

"Hmm?"

"You know... I've really missed you ever since we separated." she blushed.

"You have?"

She nodded. "It's just... you're such a nice person... a-and you have a great personality..." she swallowed. "I was wondering if... maybe... you'd..." she was then interrupted by a gasp from Davin. Maura turned to where he was facing and saw a blonde haired boy wearing a white jacket and blue jeans staring at the front of the department store.

"Haro..." Davin said. The call of his name got the boy's attention and he scowled when he recognized who it was.

"Haro? Isn't he the guy you told me about? The one you lost to?" she asked.

Davin nodded. "Yeah. And just recently, I defeated him when we last encountered each other."

Haro pointed his finger. "You shut it! You had just caught me on an off day, that's all!"

Davin's anger awoke. "What are you talking about? You're the one who challenged me, remember?"

"Guys, just calm down." Maura intervened.

Haro looked at her, then he looked at Davin. "Who's the chick?"

"Excuse me?" she said, offended. "My name is Maura. I'm... his friend..." she said, sounding hesitant.

Haro smirked. "You must have exceptionally low standards if he's your friend."

Davin ignored the insult. "What are you doing here anyway? It's not like you to be in a city where there's no gym."

He closed his eyes. "What? A guy can't come and visit his hometown once in awhile?"

"You live here?!" Davin was stunned. "No way!"

"Way. I was born and raised in this city for eleven years." He turned and pointed to a house with a big backyard at the far east of the sea shore. "Over there is where I live."

"Huh." Davin said, taking in the information. "Well, how's about we battle. If what you say is true about our last battle, then you should have no problem in defeating me this time."

"Sure, why not? I could use a good warm up anyway." Haro agreed.

Davin nodded and faced Maura. "You go ahead in without me. I'll catch up with you after I'm done."

"Are you kidding? There's no way I'm going to miss a battle that you're in." she glared at Haro. "Not to mention that I want to see the look on that guy's face when you beat him."

Both boys were ready and took their battle positions while Maura leaned on the wall of the building to watch.

"Shall we do the usual?" Haro asked.

"You bet!" Davin agreed. "Halo, I choose you!" He threw a Poke ball and his Beautifly appeared in the air in a flash of white light.

Haro smirked. "I had a feeling I'd see you in this battle." He tossed his Poke ball to the sky. "Dustox, let's go!" The Poison Moth Pokemon appeared in flight with Halo.

"I didn't know you had a Dustox." Davin stated.

"Just to let you know, after I lost to you, I decided that I needed a new battling strategy." Haro explained. "So when I came to Lilycove, I went home and left my current team there, with Bayleef and Linoone as exceptions, and replaced them with Pokemon I've previously caught. This Dustox is one of them."

"Well, let's see if you've made progress. Halo, Aerial Ace!" The Beautifly got higher into the air and dove towards Dustox.

"Dodge it!" It flew upward before Halo could strike. "Use Attract!"

Hearts flew around Dustox and it sent them towards Halo. Once hit, Halo had hearts in its eyes and it gazed at Dustox admiringly.

Davin groaned. "Oh, great. Now Halo has Dustox fever."

"Silver Wind!" Dustox flapped its wings to release a wind with silver crescents in it. Halo was struck and fell to the ground, though it was too infatuated with Dustox to care.

"Halo, snap out of it! Try and use Gust!" She flew into the air and pushed Dustox backwards with the wind it blew from its wings. "That's what I'm talking about! Way to go!"

"Stay focused, Dustox! Psybeam!" A multicolored beam shot from its eyes and Halo was struck again.

"Use your Stun Spore!" Halo was too busy bouncing up and down over Dustox to hear his orders. "Come on!"

"Finish it with Air Cutter!" Light blue S-shapes were flung from its flapping wings and they slashed Halo one after the other. Eventually, the butterfly collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Davin grunted. "Return, Halo." The Poke ball absorbed the fallen Pokemon. Haro mirrored this action by recalling his Dustox.

"Ferro, you're up!" The Iron Armor Pokemon materialized into battle.

"Ah! So that little guy evolved," Maura commented.

"Vulpix, come out!" A small, red-orange fox with six tails appeared on Haro's side.

Davin's Pokedex
"Vulpix, the Fox Pokemon. It can freely control fire, making fiery orbs fly. Before evolution, it's six tails grow hot as if they were on fire."

"Just because it's Fire against Steel doesn't mean you should get smug. Ferro, use Stone Edge!" The sharp rocks formed and rotated around Ferro and it shot them towards the cute fox.

"Use Safeguard!" Vulpix's body glowed green and a barrier formed around it, protecting it from the stones. "Now, use Fire Spin!" It shot a spiraling red-orange flame from its mouth, hitting the Lairon on the spot, but it was still okay.

"Headbutt, go!" It slammed its head against Vulpix's body, causing damage.

"Use Dark Pulse!" A black and purple beam was released from its mouth.

"Dodge and use Stone Edge!" Ferro jumped to the side and fired its sharp rocks, this time making contact with the flame fox and making it fall into an unconscious state.

Haro called back the fox with more than less of bitterness. Davin copied and called back the victor of the battle.

Davin wore a toothy grin. "Ros, come on out!" His newly evolved Swampert made its battling debut in its new form.

"And he's evolved as well!" Maura said to herself. "Davin really has gotten stronger since we departed."

"What do you think, Haro? My Mudkip's evolved to its final evolution. Impressed yet?"

"Please. Let me show you a real final evolved Pokemon!" He tossed his next Poke ball in the air and a green Pokemon with a pink flower around its neck entered the battle.

"What's that?" Davin asked himself as he checked his Pokedex.

"Meganium, the Herb Pokemon. Meganium is the evolved form of Bayleef. The fragrance of Meganium's flower soothes and calms emotions. In battle, it gives off more of its becalming scent to blunt the foe's fighting spirit."

"So your Bayleef's evolved as well, eh?" Davin said. "This'll be Ros's first battle as a Swampert."

Haro gave a smirk. "What a coincidence. My Meganium just evolved recently, so this'll be its first new-form battle as well."

"Then, let's get started! Ros, use Water Gun!" A straight shot of water blasted from its mouth.

"Meganium, Petal Dance!" A spiral of pink petals were released from the flower around its neck and they proved to be more powerful than they looked by penetrating Water Gun and hitting its target on Ros.

"Use Muddy Water!" Brown, mud-like water was shot from its mouth, just like Water Gun.

"Petal Dance, once more!" The petals made another round and didn't break a sweat as they repeated the penetration technique.

"Quick, use Rest!"

"Petal Dance, now!" Right before it could shut its eyes, Petal Dance made another strike and the Swampert fainted to the ground.

"Oh no! Ros!" Davin exclaimed.

Meganium began to dizzily sway back and forth, confused from using Petal Dance.

"Just as expected from you, Meganium." Haro spoke, not sounding disappointed or happy, as he called it back. Davin recalled Ros as well.

"All right. So far, it's one win for me and two wins for him. There's no way i'm going to let him win. No way!"