Draco: Full disclosure - there are some important-to-the-storyline points here, but I only had them happen around a Contest Show because I've been wanting to write a Contest Show since I played BDSP. My absolute favourite thing in Gen VIII Sinnoh was the fact that Contest Hall no longer just takes what Hoenn had and adds extra steps; a Sinnohan Super Contest Show is a genuinely different experience from a Hoennian Contest Spectacular. Plus, Ball Capsules just work so much better than accessories. As you got up in rank, things got needlessly busy the more you decorated your Pokémon. I prefer the way the Pokémon Musical handled props, with designated positions for everything to make sure there wasn't just too much going on.

...Separately, there's a specific Contest I've been wanting to write since pre-Alola. So I was ecstatic to discover that there's a Gen VIII Contest Show that references the dance sequence from Gen IV Super Contests, which gives me the excuse to use that vision in my head.

Pokémon and protagonist © Nintendo. Character designs © Koei. Ransei © somewhere in the middle.

Hearthome: Blessings of Fortune

"Oh, wow!"

Kaguya's excited cheer as she and Kirlia dashed ahead of the group had Dawn giggling. "Welcome to Hearthome City," the Trainer announced. "Home to a Pokémon Gym for people who want to battle, a Pokémon Fan Club for people who want to show off, and the Contest Hall for people who want to perform."

Evia hummed. "Nobunaga's mentioned Pokémon Gyms before," she admitted. "A challenge for those aspiring for greatness."

"That sounds a bit overblown," Dawn confessed, "but maybe not inaccurate. A Trainer who wants to get stronger will challenge Gyms - in regions with Gyms to challenge, anyways. A bit of an assessment to see how the human tackles an obstacle, some battles with Gym Trainers, and then a match against the Leader."

"Leader?" Evia echoed.

"The title might seem like a bit of a misnomer, from a Warrior perspective," Dawn admitted. "It's not a position of authority, exactly; more like a threshold of power. A Gym Leader's job is to serve as a test of your prowess as a Trainer; defeating one is proof that you've achieved a certain height of strength. If you defeat all eight of them, and earn their Gym Badges, you qualify to challenge the Pokémon League to try and earn the title of Champion."

Evia narrowed her gaze. "So they're... what, prohibited from having their Pokémon grow stronger?"

Dawn shook her head. "Not exactly. Most Gym Leaders raise multiple teams of Pokémon - one for the Gym challenge, and a personal team for unofficial business. If they're determined enough, the latter is usually fit to challenge the League themselves." Her gaze fell. "Which, come to think of it, does result in a Gym Leader being the go-to when something unpleasant happens, and a strong Trainer is needed."

"So it's not an official authority position," Evia observed, "but a Leader does tend to fall into that niche by nature?"

"I suppose they do," Dawn admitted.

Kaguya's yawn interrupted the conversation, and Evia gave her a smile. "It is getting kind of late," she admitted. "You said the 'Contest Show' you wanted us to see would be tomorrow, correct?"

"Right," Dawn confirmed. "The Pokémon Centers have open beds for travelling Trainers, but I don't know for sure if a Warrior counts. I'll book you a room at a hotel nearby."

Evia turned. "Are you sure you don't want to at least ask?"

Dawn shook her head. "It's a communal room - nowhere to put your weapons and know they'll be safe. Besides..." She glanced at Evia. "...I'd rather you didn't have someone pull on those in your sleep because they were trying to prank you with a Shinx-ear headband or something."

"...Fair enough," Evia conceded. "Thank you."

They made their way to the hotel; Dawn insisted on leaving the room to them, saying she had someone she wanted to meet. The room had two beds, but Kaguya insisted on sleeping next to Evia, who made no objection as they settled down for the night.

"Mama Evia?"

Evia turned to her daughter. "Yes, Kaguya?"

Kaguya nestled in close. "...Are we ever gonna go back to Ransei?" she asked. "Will we get to see Mama Oichi again?"

With a deep breath, Evia put her arm around Kaguya. "We will. I promise we'll get to go home. It might take a while, but I swear to you, we will see her again."

"You promise?" Kaguya closed her eyes. "Then... I'm not gonna give up," she insisted. "I'm not gonna get tired of trying, and I'm not gonna be a quitter. I'm gonna do whatever I gotta do to see Mama Oichi again."

Evia gave her a smile. "All you have to do is smile when you see her," she assured. "Even if you're crying, promise me you'll give her a smile, okay?"

"I promise."

It didn't take long for Kaguya to fall asleep at her side. Evia laid her head back on the pillow... and, after a long moment, raised her right hand before her, staring at her palm.

Alpha, please... don't make a liar out of me.

+x+x+x+

"I'm sorry," Cynthia pleaded as Evia stepped out of the bathroom. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's not your fault," Evia dismissed. "I should've mentioned it before we began." Her horns weren't fully symmetrical again, but they were as close as they would get by hand, and it was enough to avoid constant pain. It was only now that the Warlord realized how much she'd come to rely on Oichi's healing where her horns were concerned; without it, setting them right involved a lot of immediate pain to stop a prolonged and consistent pain, and only time would restore them completely.

Dawn took a deep breath. "Can I ask...?"

"Of course you can ask," Evia assured her. "I'm hardly going to leave you wondering after all that."

She sat down at the table, prompting Cynthia and Dawn to take seats of their own. "It's not the result of some sort of terrible happening, is it?" the Champion asked.

Evia shook her head. "Nothing like that. I was born with these." Her gaze fell. "The power to forge a Link isn't something a person can learn, or acquire; it's something you're born with. And in Ransei, some Warriors are born with horns like this. They don't offer any sort of benefit, and a lot of times they can even be a hindrance... but it's believed that a horned Warrior is 'destined for greatness' in some way."

"And how much attention does that earn you in Ransei?" Dawn inquired.

"Not a whole lot, as it happens," Evia admitted. "Many Warlords choose to wear a decorative headpiece of some sort to signify their status, something that stands out. Colloquially, we call it a 'Warlord Crown'." She reached for the base of her horn. "As Warlord of Aurora - and daughter of the previous Warlord, at that - most people assumed that's what my horns are. Until they started getting struck in high-profile battles."

"And what sort of 'greatness' have you-?"

Cynthia hadn't finished the remark before the back of Dawn's hand found her shoulder. "Don't you even start with that."

The Champion looked surprised. "What are you talking about?" she asked. "What's so-?"

Dawn glared at her.

"...Oh."

"I understand your curiosity," Evia insisted. "But trust me when I say that I neither enjoy my achievements nor deserve accolades for them - least not on my own. I'd rather not recount them all for you."

"Alright," Cynthia insisted. "I'll respect that."

+x+x+x+

The next day, Evia and Kaguya were up early; as they made their way out of the hotel, they found Dawn waiting for them on a bench around the nearby fountain. A few hours (and a taste of some Poffins) later, the three of them made their way to the Contest Hall - a rather extravagant domed building in the center of Hearthome. There were quite a few people in the lobby, apparently quite looking forward to the show.

Kaguya held tight to Kirlia's hand as they made their way through. "Is it always this busy before a show?" the younger Warrior asked.

There was a suspiciously broad smile on Dawn's face. "No, it is not."

"Dawn!" An older woman's voice drew the Trainer's attention. "Over here!"

"Mom!" Dawn started forward, prompting Kaguya and Evia to follow. "I'm glad you could make it!"

Standing there was a woman who looked for all the world like an older version of Dawn; she was clad in a simple, but very appealing dress. "I couldn't well pass up this chance," she admitted. "Oh, and you must be the Warriors."

"Yes," Evia confirmed. "Pleasure to meet you. I am Evia of Aurora."

"My name's Kaguya!"

"Johanna," the woman introduced. "I understand this is your first time seeing a Contest Show?"

Kaguya nodded. "Uh-huh. But I still don't get how you can put on a show when it's a contest..."

"The name is actually a bit off," Johanna admitted. "We're only 'competing' in the sense that every Coordinator wants the attention on her and her Pokémon, not really acting against each other."

"Should I ask why it's called a Contest, then?" Evia mused.

Johanna smiled. "Maybe after the show," she admitted. "You'd best find seats."

Dawn nodded. "Right. Let's go." She beckoned for the Warriors to follow, and Kaguya started after her. "The bleachers are tiered, so we shouldn't have too many people pestering us from behind, but let's make sure..."

"Wait." Johanna caught Evia's hand before she could make to follow, causing the Auroran to turn to her. "Have you met Manaphy?"

"Yes, I have," Evia confirmed. "A few times, actually."

"I thought so," Johanna admitted. "Dawn tells me that a Warrior was responsible for her being able to return to Sinnoh. That was you, wasn't it?"

Evia shook her head. "Not exactly... My wife Oichi was responsible. I just... happened to be present."

Johanna nodded. "I see. Then I want you to tell your wife 'thank you' from me." She set a hand over her heart. "That little one is the reason Dawn is able to enjoy being a Trainer again."

"Huh?"

"Dawn travelled Sinnoh for a League challenge," Johanna explained, "and she loved the journey and everything that came with being a Trainer. But she found herself wrapped up in some terrible events. The things she's been through, the Pokémon she's encountered, have left deep wounds. Despite getting her name in the Hall of Fame, she was just about ready to hang up her Poké Balls and hide away in the Resort Area. Until Manaphy's Egg arrived."

Evia was surprised. "I thought that-"

"She refused to hatch it herself," Johanna confirmed, "but she was there when Lucas did. The sight of that Pokémon, that darling Princess of the Sea... It breathed new life into her. She met with Lucas throughout his journey as he challenged the League for himself, and seeing Manaphy marvel at the sights of Sinnoh gave her the strength to continue as a Trainer in her own right. Manaphy called her 'Mama', and she did everything in her power to do right by it."

Her gaze fell. "But no Pokémon is perfect. Not even those of legend."

"It hurt her to be away from the ocean," Evia observed. "She told us - she started to get ill from being ashore so long."

"She did," Johanna confirmed. "It took an entire journey, and many days of leisure, but eventually it took its toll on her. And there was nothing for it but for her to go to sea. It broke Dawn's heart to say goodbye... and she never truly healed until the day Manaphy came back."

Evia took a deep breath. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I see it in you," Johanna insisted. "The same scars. You've suffered from the things you've been through, from the Pokémon you've met. Dawn sees it too - she sees you as a kindred spirit. But there is a difference. In your little one."

"You mean Kaguya?"

Johanna nodded. "She's young. She's human. And for that, you see her as someone to protect, and that desire to protect her gives you a certain strength. But she's strong for herself - I can tell from the way she carries herself. Maybe you can see it too... or maybe you're afraid to." She set a hand on Evia's shoulder. "Being a mother isn't just about protecting your daughter. It's about knowing when she's able to protect herself... and giving her the chance to do so."

Evia closed her eyes. "...I'll keep that in mind," she promised. "Thank you."

+x+x+x+

The seating in the Contest Hall was tiered such that there was a sturdy wall to the back of every row of seats; Dawn reckoned the architects were a little too familiar with jerks who would kick their feet up on someone's shoulder, consideration for their fellow spectators be damned. It would take very large headgear to be a distraction to another spectator, so Evia's horns had no risk of earning ire from anyone behind her, allowing her to prioritize getting a good view.

As the hour approached, lightning in the bleachers dimmed, a group of people stepped onto the stage, and a spotlight shone down on a woman at the fore. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to today's Super Contest Show!"

"Super?" Kaguya's confusion cut through the crowd's cheers as the woman kept speaking.

"They said they'd explain the names after," Evia insisted. "Let's just focus on the show for now."

"Without further ado," the woman proclaimed, "give it up for our Coordinators!"

The entire stage was illuminated as the woman made her way off, revealing four figures standing at the back who now stepped forward - though only enough to make sure they were illuminated, each with a Poké Ball in hand. Johanna was at one end, and she brought her Ball back and tossed it forward gently as the announcer proclaimed: "Entry #1: Johanna and Jumpy!" Fire seemed to burst out as the Ball opened, and a Kangaskhan touched down on the stage amidst a shower of falling stars, earning cheers from the crowd.

Next to Johanna was a woman in an elegant floor-length dress in spectral colours; her violet hair was done up in a bizarre quartet of buns. She had a certain flourish to her movements, drawing her Poké Ball back and holding out her other hand like she was holding a dance partner's hand, then twisting into a spin to hurl it forward. "Entry #2: Fantina and Loony!" Confetti burst around the Ball's opening, and a Drifblim swept her trails forward through a cluster of bubbles, to loud whistles of approval.

After Fantina was a girl in a simpler sundress of steely grey; her brunette hair was left to hang halfway down her back, and a pair of leaf-like hair clips held her bangs back and extended upward. Her motions were a bit less confident and more earnest as she brought her Poké Ball back and tossed it upward with a full-bodied throw. "Entry #3: Jasmine and Rusty!" Sparks danced out around the Steelix that emerged from the Ball, and more stars fell around it as he dropped to the stage and reared back, earning much applause.

On the other end of the group was a boy in what looked like a suit, albeit one much more showy than formal; a blue shirt and red bowtie, a pair of segmented white-and-blue shorts, and a white coat with blue patterns worn over it all. Evia only realized he looked familiar when he brought his Poké Ball back in a much more forceful motion. "Entry #4: Lucas and Manaphy!" The Sea Princess emerged in a scattering of snowflakes and a wave of water, blades of ice carving through the air around her as she descended.

The crowd exploded as Evia turned to Dawn. "When you said you were gonna pull strings, you meant you were gonna have him and Manaphy enter?"

"I meant I was gonna have them all enter," Dawn insisted. "If you're only gonna see one Contest Show while you're here in Sinnoh, I'm gonna let you see the best damn show Sinnoh can put on!"

Music began to play throughout the Contest Hall, a rather excitable tune; the Pokémon on stage moved, Jumpy taking the fore as Loony, Rusty, and Manaphy lined up behind her. The Coordinators began to move to the music, and even younger audience members like Kaguya started dancing as the tune got into full swing; the Kangaskhan on stage started to dance for herself, and after a few steps the other three Pokémon did the same.

"Oh, wow!" Kaguya exclaimed. "It really is a show!"

"A different sight than watching a battle," Dawn mused, "isn't it?"

The Pokémon on backup seemed to be trying to imitate the leader's motions, though everyone's wildly different bodies meant they couldn't imitate the same steps exactly. As they concluded, Jumpy began to move again, leaning to one side and then the other before stomping on the ground with side-walking steps - and kicking up dirt from the wooden stage, shaking the Contest Hall with a Bulldoze and earning cheers from the crowd.

"Now I see where the contest comes in," Evia observed as the other three started to move a second time. "Vying for the crowd's attention, just like your mother said."

"That's something in common between all kinds of Contests," Dawn insisted. "Showing off with your Pokémon's moves - not to defeat an opponent, but just for a spectacle."

As the second round of follow-alongs ended, Loony started to drift forward; Rusty moved to take her place, Manaphy moved to take his, and Jumpy circled around to where the Princess had been as the Drifblim took center stage. Owing to the nature of the Blimp Pokémon's body, her motions had a lot more sway to them, and she finished with a spin before dark mist shrouded her body, into which she vanished instantly. The mist scattered to clear the stage as the others imitated her steps, moving from side to side and twisting into spins of their own; then the shroud returned, and Loony emerged from the Phantom Force with a forward rush, causing the front-row viewers to pull back with awed gasps before she swept back again.

Even Kirlia was trying to imitate the dances now, though Kaguya tried to stop her. "Hey, careful! You're gonna hit someone!"

"Let her have fun," Dawn insisted. "Just the dancing is fine. You're doing it too."

Kaguya turned red at that.

Rusty swept forward, prompting Loony to drift away as Manaphy and Jumpy moved over to make room for her. The Iron Snake Pokémon had a different approach to the performance, sweeping left and right as only a Steelix could before sweeping into a round motion and curling up into himself. This left the other three largely unobscured as they tried to imitate his motions, each with their own take on the sweep and curl; then Rusty swept out into a reverse curl, rolled himself forward on the stage, and reached heavenward with maw alight before closing a ferocious Fire Fang on the air above the crowd, earning much applause.

"No!" Kaguya grabbed Kirlia's hands before the psychic power gathering around them could go anywhere. "We'll get you in a Contest of your own if you wanna do that!"

Kirlia looked at the spacious Contest Hall and everyone gathered there, contemplated for a moment, and then moved back into her seat and tried to recede into the cushioning.

"Uh-huh, thought so."

Manaphy moved up to take center stage, prompting Rusty to arc back as Loony and Jumpy moved aside. The Sea Princess seemed to be floating upon nothing as she brought her hands together before her, sweeping out one and then the other before arcing into a spin with arms outstretched and eyes closed. She halted with a hand raised behind her and one down towards the crowd as the others took their turn, each with their own take on her motions; once their turn had ended, Manaphy began to move again, and her hair-antennae rose into the air as the tips illuminated with a hall-filling Tail Glow that earned the entire crowd's calls once more. She had a constant fluidity to her motions, and this time halted with her back to the crowd, one hand raised skyward before her to stage right and the other reaching back behind her as the others began to move.

"She is beautiful in motion," Evia gasped.

"She really is," Kaguya agreed. "Does Lucas bring her into a lot of Contest Shows?'

Dawn nodded. "When she's ashore, he does. They enjoy it so much to just perform on the stage, earning smiles from everyone."

The music faded out, and the crowd applauded as Evia sat back in her seat. "I can see why."

+x+x+x+

"You were so awesome!"

Lucas' face was bright crimson as the Warriors and Dawn met him outside the Contest Hall - a blush reflected on Manaphy's face from his shoulder. "We tried our best," Lucas insisted.

"Like?" Manaphy asked.

"We loved it," Evia insisted. "But I thought you said you didn't have a Ball?"

"I don't keep her in a Poké Ball," Lucas admitted, "but she does technically get one when she's here in Sinnoh. Makes it easier to heal her up after a battle, and it lets us use Seals for the Contest Show."

"So that's what all that flashiness was when the Pokémon were being sent out," Evia mused. "Thanks so much for putting that on for us."

Manaphy shook her head. "Only part," she insisted. "Mama did rest."

It was Dawn's turn to blush. "I didn't 'do the rest'," she insisted, "I just made sure all the players were on stage."

"C'était une scène magnifique!" The voice from behind drew the group's attention to find Fantina approaching. "Such a rare plaisir to perform with so many talented Coordinators - to say nothing of la princesse de la mer herself!"

The deepest blush in the group was probably Manaphy's. "Th...Thank you."

"And then there is you," Fantina mused, turning to Evia and Kaguya. "You are the Guerrières from Ransei, yes? The ones for whom we put on une performance si merveilleuse."

"Did she tell you about us?" Evia asked.

Fantina shook her head. "Non, not Dawn. But the Champion is très busy of late, seeking to arrange a difficult journey. So when Dawn calls upon us to put on une performance for those awaiting a difficult journey, it's harder not to understand who you are." She set a hand on her chest. "I know you are going through much, when Sinnoh is une terre si étrange for you. So I would bid you enjoy as much as you can, while you are here. Treat this region not as a place to escape from, but one where you can make memories."

Kaguya nodded. "We'll try, Lady Fantina," she promised.

"Contente de l'entendre," Fantina praised. "And if you should ever be in the mood for une autre performance, you are always welcome to be in the crowd."

Dawn crossed her arms. "Is there anyone who hasn't been welcome in the crowd?" she argued.

"Oui," Fantina confirmed, "though they are très rare. Mostly those who are gênante for all save their favourite Coordinators, but there was that one griffé woman whose dress made such noise."

Evia double-took. "A noisy... dress?"

"Lady Kichō, over here! I knew I saw the light bouncing off something!"

The eager yell drew the Warriors' attention - a young figure was approaching, dressed all in black with long sleeves and leggings, and rounding the corner behind her was a woman in a flowing dress that sang as she walked.

"Evia?!"

"Nō!?"

"Mitsuki!"

"Kaguya!"

Draco: Allow me to tell you a story, if I may.

The year is 2016. I have concocted and thoroughly planned a giant original-story fanfic by the name of Pokémon Ranger: disOrder. It involves Trainers and Rangers cohabiting the region, a Ranger School graduate getting a taste of battle and deciding to become a Trainer, her and her Kalosian boyfriend (who remained a Ranger) encountering two separate villainous teams which are NOT in conflict, a heartbreaking plot point involving the Sea Princess, and an in-universe book titled A Collection of Notes on Personal Experiences with Legendary Pokémon. I have a whole Pokémon League with teams planned for every Gym Leader and Elite Four member, I have thought through interactions between Mega Evolution and the effects of a Capture Styler, I have made a region map that isn't just a geometric shape with routes and cities laid on top (I don't remember how), I have come up with Gym Badge designs that I somehow managed to actually give visual form, and I have references to a(n unfinished) Final Fantasy/Pokémon crossover fic written by a clueless announcer I once called my friend.

I have written the introductory chapter and posted it as a teaser while I start a new playthrough of Y Version to try and raise the aforementioned Ranger-turned-Trainer's party. Before I even defeat the Santalune City Gym Leader, a Pokémon Day presentation announces Pokémon Sun and Moon. I know from experience that if I am writing an original-story Pokémon fanfic during the breach of a Generation, I will include far too many Pokémon from the new Generation, to the detriment of my story, in a misguided effort to stop the story from seeming outdated. I paraphrase a quote from a movie I've never seen about a road trip to Chicago and try to power-write the whole damn story, and I get nine or ten chapters out pretty damn fast.

Then Bravely Second comes out in North America, and my inspiration goes completely to Distortion. I abandon and delete disOrder, I post a #Defictionalization of Collection of Notes, and I go into a downward spiral that eventually ends with me deserting the Pokémon fandom. I don't come back until we're en route to Generation VIII.

Prior to writing that story, I concocted my "canon" progression for the entire franchise. (Yes, that is where my stupid quote comes from.) An important plot point in that progression that was highly relevant for disOrder was the Ranger Net program. The Rangers in Fiore, Almia, and Oblivia made contact with Trainers in Sinnoh and entrusted them with several Legendary Pokémon who could not remain in Ranger regions for various reasons. Dawn, being traumatized by her experiences with Legendary Pokémon, refused to take care of them, so Lucas stepped in.

How did I (plan to) bring this up in disOrder before it became relevant? One of the Ranger-turned-Trainer's friends is a fan of Pokémon Contests, so he has videos of various Contest Spectaculars and Super Contests. When sharing his passion with his friends, he brought out the biggest event he had at his disposal. Entry #1: Johanna and Jumpy. Entry #2: Fantina and Loony. Entry #3: Jasmine and Steelix. Entry #4: Lucas and Manaphy.

I will never be able to properly write disOrder, but I am so happy to finally be able to write that Contest.