Part CXLIX: Route Planning
"Alright this looks like a good enough spot to set up camp and go over what is ahead of us." May said as the group found a nice, large, grassy area a day's walk to the east of Anistar. "It's a bit early for dinner so just set up tents and let out our Pokémon, we can eat once we have the next stage planned out and there is a fair bit to deal with because we are nearing the end of the year. This is the last stretch for us so it's about to get busy."
Ash, Misty, and Serena all nodded as they set to work letting their Pokémon out to play and stretch before setting up the two tents that they had on them and marking a spot to make dinner. They were all so used to this by now that it was almost autopilot to sort it all out.
It was three days after Ash's victory over Olympia and her subsequent vision right afterwards, two after the Anistar Contest and a day after they had actually left the city. It had certainly been an interesting time in Anistar to say the least what with Misty's win in the Showcase, the revelation of a Mega Stone for her Banette that she'd have to personally get by Professor Sycamore when he showed up, Ash's 7th gym badge and the cryptic vision about his Frogadier and the future, and the Contest but they were ready to move on with their journey.
The only part of their time in Anistar that had been really uneventful was the Contest at the end. With May and Misty judging it many of the top names couldn't compete in it, not that the Big 3 would as they all had 4 ribbons with public claims of seeking the 5th at the Wallace Cup, so it was a wide-open Contest.
The committee actually really liked these Contests because of how the winner was usually an unknown so they were a lot more fun and a great display of them for the future. Naturally, the Anistar Contest produced such a result and helped continue to grow the popularity of Contests in Kalos.
Only 3 had ribbons from Kalos, none of them with more than one though. To add to it, only one of those with a ribbon wasn't a rookie but a coordinator from Johto who'd secured 2 ribbons there over a 4-year span and was now in Kalos aiming for the hybrid approach and in need of 2 more Kalos ribbons.
He did win in the end putting him one away from the Grand Festival via the hybrid path, but it was a close call against a coordinator with no ribbons who was just thrilled to be there as he was a native to Anistar who clearly loved the pageantry of performances based off his appeal but couldn't compete on a matter of his sex. As such this was a great way to enjoy a similar grace with the added bonus of battles that he turned out to be quite decent at.
The final had come down to the wire and was decided on points in a thrilling match that showed how even the field was in the Anistar Contest and how much potential Contests had in Kalos as they grew in popularity. This was great news for the committee and coordinators like Misty and May who loved what they did and were thrilled to see so many new trainers finding their passion and Pokémon trainer paths through Contests.
The early years of the expansion to Kalos, Unova, Alola, and Galar were expected to attract a few top tier coordinators who'd gotten unlucky in the original regions and were looking for a fresh start elsewhere where they could shine. This was shown by the presence of skilled coordinators with deep Grand Festival runs like Jessilina, Brianna, Molly, Emily, and Kenny. They came to these regions to win a Ribbon Cup, and glory as the first ever Top Coordinator for those regions, and thus help inadvertently promote Contests with their skills.
It was expected that they would take the Top Coordinator spots over the first few years, especially as several were starting in one region, though as many knew upsets could happen which added to the thrill of everything and the chance for an underdog to rise up. However, by the end of the expansion period it was believed that the scales would have balanced.
This would be due to the rise of local talents in their regions who'd become coordinators during the expansion period and honed their skills and sought the honor of being the first native Top Coordinator in their region. At the same time, it also providing many more opportunities for coordinators from all over to come into the new regions and bring their own talents to bear in them thus furthering the level of competition, popularity and skill.
Both May and Misty were big fans of this as they knew how long it could take to become a Top Coordinator and how exciting it was to go to a different region and try the Contests that that region held. May had taken 4 years and all 4 regions with Contests at the time to win her Ribbon Cup in Sinnoh while Misty had taken 3 before she finally won it in Kanto on her 3rd attempt. This way, there was now 8 chances every year and many more coordinators would rise to chase their dreams.
The other thing the Contests allowed, at least in Kalos, was a way for performers to become more rounded and find new avenues to bond with, and show off their, Pokémon which was what Serena was doing, as was Miette and Shauna. By tying Showcases and Contests together this was really helping bridge the gap between them and thus broadening both in the process. It was also why Kalos was the furthest along with the expansion hence why the Wallace Cup would be held here first. That was why they had to deal with that first in their upcoming plans.
"Ok well the first thing to deal with is the biggest fixed event on our schedule before the three competitions to close the year." May said as they set up a blanket to sit on while the Pokémon played or dozed around them, the size of the plain such that they could all be out and play, and she pulled out their schedule and itinerary that she was in charge of as the only one of them not actively competing in something this year. "The Wallace Cup. That one is set in stone, and it has actually caused some other changes we have to deal with."
"It has?" Ash asked confused, all he needed to worry about was the fixed gyms so when it came to planning he was the last of the considerations as the others had competitions on set dates and as such he was usually the least cognizant of the schedule trusting May's planning and doing his own training. "What changes has it cause?"
"It has caused the Master Class to be pushed back from its usual time which would be just after the Wallace Cup's planned dates." May said surprising Serena and Misty with this. "Something about the timing of it and slotting it in when they did, along with Wallace's special request, that caused it."
"The Master Class is later than last year?" Serena asked. "I didn't know."
"Well, it would be a month away normally." May said. "But as Wallace couldn't get the cup scheduled until near the end of the season when Contests would have had a chance to really take hold here thus maximizing the attendance, and no doubt planning for the favorites to use it to all compete in for their final ribbon thus making it an even bigger spectacle, which is now happening, it fell to around the time of the Master Class give or take a week."
"And because there are a lot of dual coordinators and performers that could cause problems with the distances in this region." Serena said realizing it. "So, they move the Master Class back to after it, while also hosting the Wallace Cup in a city not to far from where they hold the Master Class, to accommodate all of that. That is really quite clever because the Grand Festival is what, a month or so after the Wallace Cup."
"6 weeks so the Master Class will be in between both thus giving people the necessary travel and planning time between the three." May said checking the dates in the various published schedules she had. "And in the same place as before so nearby Snowbelle though I didn't realize how close until you pointed it out Serena."
"I didn't either until it was all laid out like this." Serena admitted. "Really quite impressive all they do for this stuff so that it works out well."
"They are experts at it, and we can draw inspiration from the committees as we make our own plans." May said. "Because we will have to focus on getting back to Lumiose after the Master Class. That is easily doable with the time we have, and pass the Chamber of Emptiness along the way so we can have that be our main distraction during the final leg of our journey. It will take at most a fortnight to get back after the Master Class even with more than just the Chamber as a distraction, so that part is where Misty will go for that Mega Stone that Professor Sycamore told us about."
"Let's plan that after we deal with the earlier things as we know that stone isn't going anywhere thanks to the Professor's report." Misty said. "I don't mind waiting until then but let's deal with the biggest issue first, the Wallace Cup and planning around it for other requirements we might need. We have a month before it and I will need one Princess Key to make the Master Class and Serena at least one ribbon for the Grand Festival's special wildcard round."
"About that, I'm actually going to focus on the Wallace Cup and not do another Contest before then." Serena said surprising them. "I know it is a long break, but I have a feeling that there is some big distraction for us before it if things play out like last year and there is Couriway which is next, and I can't compete there so I may as well focus on Wallace first. If I win it I have 3 ribbons for the wildcard qualification and if not then there should be at least one Contest for me to go all out in on the way back, right?"
"Contests run all the way up to the week before the Grand Festival though most of the final ones will be in the area around Lumiose or at least where an airport is to fly back for the Grand Festival should it be needed." May said checking the list of final Contests she had access to. "Which as we are heading there works for us so we will be able to hit them with ease. I expect at least one and up to 5 being available for Serena to compete in. With most of the favorites already qualified by then, or just needing one Contest to win, Serena should have a decent chance of getting at least her 3rd ribbon, maybe even the full 5."
"Ok then let's focus on Wallace as my next Contest." Serena said with a nod knowing she'd have to make all this time she had count and really go all out in the Wallace Cup. "And of course, it is in Snowbelle so that is where the final gym is so we can factor Ash's gym battle there around it as we always do. That can be played by ear however, so we don't need to worry about it."
"Right, I will face the leader there before the Cup if there is time or after if we get to the city too late for it." Ash said. "Regardless, I want to compete in the Wallace Cup again for more training. Noibat is a must for it, his flying type is great for it as flying and water types, or flight or swim capable Pokémon, are the best for the Cup so he can get some good experience there. As can a few others like Frogadier, Talonflame, Pikachu, Lucario, and Goodra depending on how the Cup goes. I just used Sigilyph and Dunsparce so they can take a break."
"I had a feeling you'd compete in it Ash." Misty said. "You did twice before and unlike May and I you don't have any restrictions on competing in it again."
"Yup it's great practice and facing coordinators in it really challenge me to improve in battles because of how different they are." Ash said. "So, I am looking forward to that and how they will help me get better and adapt to other forms and styles of battling."
"Typical Ash." May said with a chuckle. "And with him in the Wallace Cup he provides a great challenge to all the coordinators there because of his normal battling style which can throw even a seasoned coordinator off."
"That and Ash entering will cause a stir, remember he has beaten two Top Coordinators in Contest battles." Misty said. "So far only Jessilina has that claim on the circuit with her win over me back in Sinnoh a few years ago and that was when I was a rookie as well so long before I was a Top Coordinator, one of Ash's two wins doesn't have that asterisk. The other does because it was over me in a regular Contest last year, but I got my own back in the Wallace Cup."
"Wait Ash beat a Top Coordinator after he or she had won a Ribbon Cup?" Serena asked her eyes wide. "In a Contest battle?"
"Yeah last Wallace Cup Ash faced Zoey in the quarterfinals." Misty said remembering the unique battle well. "Zoey and May were invited to compete as special guests, well that and May's Wallace Cup history and the fact that it was in her hometown, but no one expected Ash to beat Zoey."
"How did he manage that?" Serena asked though something was nagging at her, she felt like she'd at least heard of this particular match before though certainly not the specifics.
"Well, I had just gotten a new Pokémon and I wanted to use it in the Wallace Cup." Ash explained. "Same with my other two new ones that I'd caught by that point last year actually and I'd already used Dragonair, so it was Gengar or Porygon2. Zoey had made a big challenge to me beforehand and wanted my best so I went with the latter as it would be unexpected, and I had a good plan for how to use it."
"Porygon2?" Serena asked confused. "I've never heard of that Pokémon, and I only watch the finals of the Wallace Cup last year on TV, so I didn't see the quarterfinals."
"It's a Pokémon you have to see to understand." Misty said. "And Ash's has since evolved into its final stage, Porygon-Z. Still, Zoey wasn't expecting it at all, and Ash really showed his skills with it."
"Well, it wasn't that hard really." Ash said trying to downplay what he did and failing spectacularly at it. "I just used a mix of Porygon2's unique move Conversion2, the fact that almost no one knows what one is, let alone ever faces one, and its unique biology as a virtual Pokémon so it doesn't breath air, to win. That and an electric type move that worked great in the pool battlefield and against Zoey's water type Pokémon that she was using against me. I also wanted to pay Zoey back for beating me in a Contest I once entered in Sinnoh, so I had multiple forms of motivation to win the battle."
"Somehow that sounds like something Ash would do, so it's no wonder that he'd win like that." Serena said as it all hit her why she'd heard of this particular battle. "Though Zoey, she's Misty's best friend from Sinnoh, right? The one who has a crush on her?"
"Had, she's got a girlfriend since then who she's serious about but yes that was when I found out that she liked me like that, I'd found out that she liked girls a few days prior." Misty said. "Right before the quarters she told Ash and me and used the battle to see if Ash was worthy of me kinda like how I keep ending up doing just more frequently."
"Well yeah we all know that Ash has that effect on a lot of people." May pointed out though naturally it went over Ash's head. "I'm just a little surprised it was so many for him to deal with, usually he's the one who gets the multiple attentions not us."
"Yeah I seemed to pick a few up without realizing it as well though Zoey did come out of left field to me." Misty admitted. "Still, it was the first of the three battles Ash has had on that front, and by far the most pleasant one, which he passed by beating Zoey before losing to me in the semifinal. However, that was in part because I knew he'd use Gengar after using Dragonair and Porygon w and as I'd already lost to it before I had a strategy, one based off Ash's own style, that beat him with my Espeon despite me having the type disadvantage. Well, that and the motivation to get Ash back for HopHopHop Town and to face May in the finals again."
"It was a good Cup." Ash said with a nod clearly missing the subtler parts of the conversation. "So, I am hoping this one will be as well."
"With you in it, it can't not be." Serena said with a smile. "And more reason for me to be ready for it so I will be training extra hard for it. Of course, first up is Couriway though and what that contains."
"Right, we should be there in two days' time and that is good for us as it ensures that we are ahead of schedule for what we need to do there." May said checking the map. "That's mainly because the Contest is first not second like in Dendemille and Anistar and will be held the two days before the Showcase that takes place there at the end of next week."
"Wait there's a Showcase in Couriway?" Ash asked. "So that's why we're going there then."
"Yup we've known for a while, but you were focused on preparing for your gym battle, so you missed it." May said. "But there's always been one there, Serena actually lost in it to Nina last year in her only performance loss before the Master Class showdown with Aria, and it's an outdoor one with a great backdrop of the waterfalls the town is known for, so it looks great and is a lot of fun to watch. That is set for the end of next week and thus our first stop of two before the Wallace Cup. Excluding any other potential distractions on the way that is."
"Oh, ok so we will be there in time for Misty to compete in it." Ash said understanding now as the girls all nodded. "But why is the Contest first? Usually, they have it afterwards as a bit of a snap Contest due to you two being in the town, or whatever the case was back in Lagoon Town."
"Pierre has an annual tradition held towards the end of the Showcase year that takes place after the Couriway Contest, that is the big distraction I am predicting." Serena said to which May just nodded at. "Mainly because it's at his place which is in this part of Kalos, which now makes even more sense that this is the area where the Master Class is held. It's at the end of the season so that as many performers as possible can be invited to it and is a big deal as it is between the last few Showcases and the Master Class."
"It's not changing it's timing so Pierre needs to leave Couriway right away so the Contest will be before." May said. "We were told that Pierre couldn't stay so the committee asked if Misty and I would be able to be in Couriway at least 3 days before the Showcase which they know Misty will enter given its proximity to, and timing after, the Anistar Showcase. Thanks to Ash winning first time we knew that we could make it because of the distance so it all worked out in the end. That is why the Contest is first."
"I guess that makes sense." Ash said. "And this special Pierre thing is?"
"A surprise, we haven't told Misty it either." May said with a grin that both Misty and Serena didn't like though for different reasons. "She has to wait for the right moment to learn about it directly from Pierre as all rookies on the Showcase Circuit would."
"Yeah I tried to ask but they won't tell me." Misty said with a sigh. "Other than that the thing will be a lot of fun so I can't wait. It's after Couriway and what with there still being Showcases I can go for one of them if I lose in Couriway. I don't intend to, but I have to be prepared for it and I am certain that Jessilee will be there, so I need a contingency plan just in case."
"And for that we have two though there is one I'd actually recommend we focus on first and not just because it is sooner." May said. "Rather mainly because I think Wallace will be asking you personally to be in it Misty should you still need a Princess Key."
"Yes the other reason why it took a while for the Wallace Cup to be planned." Misty said. "Wallace's special request, a one-off Wallace Showcase to show off Kalos's own unique event as part of the whole Wallace Cup event period. This way more will be drawn, and it will not look like Wallace is just coming in with his prestigious Cup but also honoring the main appeal in Kalos. I believe he's planning something similar with those battle club things in Unova for next year's which is going to be in that region."
"Precisely." May said with a nod. "The Wallace Showcase will be held the day after the Wallace Cup ends and will be the culmination of the festivities with a true Showcase to honor and thank Kalos for hosting the Wallace Cup complete with the first ever Aqua Princess Key. Likely the gym will be closed then so we will have to wait regardless for Ash's battle if we arrive too late for him to face Wulfric before the Wallace Cup begins. If Misty doesn't win in Couriway this will be the next Showcase."
"And if I fail there as well there's at least one more before the Master Class in Fleurrh City." Misty said. "Serena told me about it as she won it last year, so we have that as a fallback."
"Regardless we will probably go there if there is time though even one delay would likely cause us to miss it." May said as she reviewed the schedule. "There's a Contest scheduled for after the Showcase there that Serena will enter. This Contest isn't a snap one, Fleurrh had it on the schedule which means that at least one of the normal judges will be there so only one Top Coordinator is going to be needed at most and as all are around for the Wallace Cup to show their support for it neither Misty nor I would needs be the one."
"Yup so I will compete in it if things work out." Serena said. "And as it is a little longer after the Wallace Cup, hopefully the others aren't because only one can win the Wallace Cup and the losers will be scrambling for that final ribbon."
"Which is actually why there are so many Contests scheduled in the area around the Wallace Cup but after it." May said. "The committee foresaw that many might go for their 5th at the Wallace Cup due to the timing of it and the prestige of the Cup and thus planned accordingly. We will be held up in Snowbelle with Ash's gym battle so we will aim for Fleurrh which is two weeks after the Wallace Cup and one of the last Showcases before the Master Class should Misty need it. All that is accorded for, including the special Pierre thing which will take some time between the Couriway Contest and Showcase and the Wallace Cup."
"But if it is not needed for any reason or if we are delayed or distracted it can be skipped to focus on getting to Gloire City for the Master Class." Serena said. "And I'll go after a Contest after the Master Class on the way to Lumiose to get that final ribbon I need for the wildcard, should I fail to get it in the Wallace Cup that is."
"Correct and we will make sure to take the path that will take us past the Chamber of Emptiness." May said looking at the map. "There will be Contests along that route for Serena and of course Misty can use that time to go to the Chamber and get her first Mega Stone."
"Yup I'll do that though I will wait until Lumiose to use it." Misty said surprising them.
"Really?" May asked. "Why wait? You can use mine or Ash's Key Stones and do it right away seeing as you will have Banette on you just to get the stone. We all know the story of your Banette and how you caught him, there's no way it won't work."
"That's not it." Misty said shaking her head. "It's more, I have an idea that I want to do, and I will have to wait until the right time to do it. I'll borrow probably May's Key Stone when the time comes but it won't be right away because the right time will be when we are in Lumiose but not until after the Grand Festival. It will be before the Lumiose Conference during the period between. It will also be the perfect moment for Professor Sycamore to study it when I first Mega Evolve Banette."
"I see, that does make sense even if I don't know what your idea is." May said trusting that Misty had a plan for it all and leaving it up to her. "Alright, we'll hold off on that part for when the time comes. That should be all the plans we have for now. Once we get to Couriway I'll have to make some calls as there are other things to factor in what with the Wallace Cup and all those who will likely attend, we already know Dawn will be in for it and Sabrina will be in Kalos, so I need to contact her to arrange a meeting, but for now I saw we are set for the coming weeks."
"Good because I'm starving." Ash said as his stomach roared. "Which means that it's dinner time."
The others laughed and set about getting dinner ready for themselves and the Pokémon. It had been a good day and they'd accomplished a lot both to get to this point and plan for the future. They had that sorted now, with contingencies for various eventualities, so they should all make what they were going for as they continued into the last phase of their Kalos journey, the final qualification requirements.
