Megan's POV
I left my house, leaving Adam and Jason to talk with my mom if they pleased. I started heading towards the contest hall with Eevee trotting along happily at my side. I knew exactly where I was going, since I'd seen the hall many times throughout my life while growing up in Petalburg City. I had gone there to see several contests over the years with my family, too. It would be very special to perform on the stage that I had watched so many other coordinators perform on.
As I glanced ahead of me and away from Eevee, I saw a girl my age running towards me. She had pale skin, sky blue eyes, and straight lavender color hair with bangs across her forehead. Her hair was long, reaching the middle of her back, almost waist-length. She was wearing jean shorts, a blue shirt with long sleeves that were grey, and white knee-high boots.
"Hi! Sorry, but do you know where the contest hall is? I'm trying to register for the upcoming contest and I have no idea where I need to go." she asked.
"You're in luck. I'm heading there now! Follow me." I replied with a smile.
"Thank you!"
With the girl now beside me and Eevee trotting between us, I struck up a conversation.
"My name is Megan,"
"I'm Skye. How old are you?"
"I'm ten years old. I just started my journey. This will be my very first contest. What about you?"
"I'm also ten. I just started my journey and this will be my first contest, too." Skye replied.
We soon reached the contest hall and walked inside. It was mostly empty, which was understandable, since the contest wasn't for four more days. Most coordinators would be practicing right now and preparing for the big day. We approached the front desk and the lady smiled at her.
"We're here to register for the contest." I said.
"Okay. Please show me your Hoenn contest passes."
Skye and I exchanged looks with one another.
"We...don't have one..." Skye admitted.
"Is this your first contest?" the lady asked.
"Yes, it is."
"Okay, no worries. I can issue one to you both. All I need are for you to answer a few simple questions."
After a few questions and a short wait, we had our contest passes and were registered for the Petalburg City Contest.
I looked down at the pass in my hand. This was it. I was registered and I could officially start trying to achieve my goal of becoming a Top Coordinator.
We then walked outside and I turned to Skye.
"Would you like to train with me for the contest?" I asked.
"Sure, that would be great." Skye replied. "How about we walk outside of the city and find somewhere to practice? That way, we won't disturb anyone and have some privacy." she suggested.
"I know just the place."
As we walked, Skye spoke. "So what made you interested in contests?"
"My mom actually inspired me. My dad was a coordinator, too."
"Who are your parents?"
"May and Drew Hayden."
Skye's eyes widened. "Oh wow, they're very well-known coordinators. I always admired Drew's Roselia's performances in his early days. And I loved seeing how your mom's strategies progressed as the years went on. You know, you do look a lot like May, now that I know you're related to her."
I chuckled. "What about you? How did you get interested in contests?"
"It was my dad. He's a coordinator. But my mom's a gym leader. So because of her, I'm also interested in battles, too. So I've decided that I'll be a coordinator this year and try gym battles next year. Then I'll decide my sole future goal based on which type of battles I enjoyed the most. I want to explore both options before I make a final decision."
"Oh, wow. That's dedication, but very smart for choosing your dream, since you're interested in both. I'm sure whichever path you choose will be the best fit for you.
"So your mom's a gym leader. Which gym?"
"My mom is Winona, the gym leader in Fortree City, which is where I'm from. I was born and raised there. My dad is Wallace, the former Regional Champion of Hoenn, who now organizes the special Wallace Cup contests."
I was shocked and amazed at Skye's parents.
"That's...wow. Your dad is the creator of the Wallace Cup! I loved watching those when I was growing up."
"Same here."
We finally arrived to an open, grassy field and it was time to practice.
Four days later, it was time for the contest. I was in the lobby of the contest hall with April, Adam, Jason, and my mom.
"You two have fun and do your very best. I'll be proud of you, no matter what. This is the first step, the moment that you start trying to reach your goals of becoming Top Coordinators." my mom said.
"Also, each region handles contests differently, just like how each region's Pokemon League has slightly different rules. In Hoenn, the three judges will immediately grade your performances with a score out of ten. The eight coordinators with the highest total scores will move on to the second round."
My mom hugged us both and wished us good luck once more before she left to go and take her seat.
"April! Megan!" a familiar voice called out.
Turning, I saw my dad approaching us. He wore jeans, a gray long sleeved v-neck shirt, and red and black sneakers.
"Good luck, my girls. I'd never miss your contest debuts." he said, hugging us.
Both of us looked at him uneasily. We had heard of the rumors surrounding him and we were worried. It was especially strange to see April being closed off to our dad, since she was always closer to him than I was.
"I promise you both that nothing bad is going on with me. Your mother and I will be fine."
He then left to go find his own seat and then Skye approached us.
"Hi, Megan."
"Hey, Skye. Guys, this is Skye. We've been training together for the contest. Skye, meet Adam, Jason, and my sister, April." I said, introducing her to everyone.
Any further conversation was halted as a feminine voice called out Adam's name. We all turned and saw two girls walking up. Adam and Jason seemed to recognize them, judging by the smiles on their faces.
"Hey!" Adam cried, hugging one of the girls.
"It's great to see you both again. How have you been?" Jason asked, hugging the other girl.
"Uh...who are you two?" I questioned.
"This is Amber and Ashlyn, who are also coordinators. We first met Amber on our Kanto journey and Ashlyn on our Johto journey." Adam replied.
He then introduced the rest of us. "And this is Skye, Megan, and her sister, April."
Amber was older than me, that much I could tell. She had long golden yellow hair and brown eyes. She was wearing a gold-colored halter top with a white midriff jacket over it, which was open. She also wore blue skinny jeans and black shoes. She was obviously very stylish and I loved her style.
Ashlyn was also older than me. She had straight bright blue hair that reached her shoulders and bright blue eyes. She was wearing white biker shorts, a dark blue T-shirt with a white midriff jacket over it, and dark blue sneakers. She also wore earrings that were gold stars.
"Wait, where's Michelle?" Amber asked.
"Who's Michelle?" I asked.
"Michelle Waterflower. She was a coordinator who traveled with Jason and I through both Kanto and Johto over the last two years, but she decided to leave us and take a break from competing.
"At the end of our Johto journey, I took a trip with Michelle and her mom and my dad to Altomare. There, her mom reconnected with an old flame and things have been going great for the family. So great, that he's moved to Cerulean City to live with Misty and Michelle. Misty also invited her three sisters and their families to visit Cerulean City recently, and they had a family reunion. So Michelle decided to take some time off from traveling to be with her family. She also told me to tell you both 'hello' if I ever saw you."
Amber smiled. "I'm happy for her. She and her mom deserve to be happy."
"That's great. Be sure to say hi for us when you talk to her again. It'll be different without her being around in our contests, but it's understandable that she wants to spend some time with her family." Ashlyn said.
"Ashlyn, where's Seth, your brother?" Adam asked.
"He's continuing his journey on his own. Seth is usually shy, except when he battles. But after battling you in the Johto League last year, he realized that he'd have to be brave in order to get stronger, and to him, that meant leaving me and making it on his own. I still check in on him, just to make sure that he's doing okay. So far, he is, and he's enjoying traveling on his own, too." Ashlyn answered.
"Well, I'm glad that I helped to inspire Seth and give him the courage that he needed. He's a trainer to look out for."
"Guys, I hate to break up catching up, but we can't stay here talking all day." Jason interrupted.
"Right. We'll hang out after the contest and you can all get to know one another." Adam added.
As the boys left, we said goodbye and went backstage to get ready to perform. We all split off to different changing rooms and began changing into our contest outfits. I was the first one to be done.
I was dressed in a yellow dress that fell to my knees with a white bow on the back that was tied around my waist. I also had on long white gloves that reached up to my elbows. My shoes were yellow flats with white ribbons that I tied around my ankles to secure them.
I walked over to the mirrors, sat down in front of one, and began to brush my hair out to straighten it, since I had taken it out of its usual ponytail. Once I was satisfied with my hair, I applied some cherry flavored lip gloss and rose scented perfume on my neck and wrists. I gave a satisfied nod to my reflection and walked out to the waiting area. I was ready to go!
I found an unoccupied bench and sat down, waiting for the others to finish and join me.
April was the next one done. She wore a dark purple dress that fell to her knees with wide straps and a design of white roses patterned around the bottom of the skirt. She had white heels on her feet and her hair was in its usual style, with the fake red rose tucked behind her ear. Despite all of the drama revolving around my dad and mom, April couldn't part with the trademark rose that my dad had possessed when he was younger.
Skye walked out next, dressed in a strapless lavender color gown that graced the floor. The skirt was flowy while the top half clung to her figure. She had lavender color heels and silver colored gloves that reached just past her elbows. Her hair was pulled into a high ponytail that had long curls.
Ashlyn walked out in a white dress that reached her knees and had thin straps, white gloves that reached her elbows, and white high heeled knee-high boots. Her hair was in its usual style, left down and straight.
Amber was the last to finish and she walked out in a long yellow strapless dress that reached her ankles. The top part of the dress until her waist was covered in golden sparkles. She wore yellow heels and her long hair was clipped back.
"You all look beautiful." Amber said, seeing our outfits.
This caused us all to smile and thank her.
"By the way, I'm twelve years old. How old are all of you?" Amber asked.
"I'm thirteen," Ashlyn said.
"I'm eleven," April replied.
"I'm ten," I said.
"I'm also ten," Skye replied.
"Ashlyn and I have been coordinators for a few years now. Judging by your ages, I take it that this is the first contest for each of you?"
Skye, April, and I confirmed that it was our first contest.
"How are you all feeling? I remember that I was nervous before my first contest."
"Same here. I was nervous, but now it's nothing but an adrenaline rush. I love the thrill now." Ashlyn said.
"I'm a little nervous. I'm sure I'll be fine, though. I've had a lot of practice, more so than Megan." April said.
I looked at my sister with lowered eyes and said, "I'm feeling nervous, but I'm going to take my mom's words to heart and try my best and enjoy this. This is my first contest, so this will be my trial and error day. I'll be able to learn and know what to expect in the future."
"I'm so terrified that I feel like I'm going to be sick." Skye replied.
Looking at her, her already pale skin did seem more pale than normal and she looked worried.
"Why are you so nervous?" I asked.
"For my entire life, I've always felt like an outcast in my own family and inferior to them, because I'm the youngest, and because of their achievements. Besides being the daughter of a gym leader and a former Hoenn Champion, I also have an eighteen-year-old brother who's already became a Top Coordinator and a fourteen-year-old sister who's already won the Hoenn League title. Everyone in my family has made a big name for themselves except me! I haven't achieved anything to be proud of!" Skye explained.
"I know that I'm only just starting out on my journey, but along the way, people are going to be comparing me to not one, not two, not three, but FOUR other people! That will just put added pressure on me to succeed! And even though my parents haven't said anything to me, I know that they're a lot more proud of my brother and sister than they are of me, based on what they've achieved. So if I fail to win the entire Grand Festival, I know that my parents will be very disappointed in me and compare and contrast me to my successful siblings."
It was clear that Skye was feeling inferior to her very successful family members.
"All that you can do is do your very best, Skye." April said.
"And now you have something to prove. Your family seems to look at you like an outcast, so prove them wrong. Show them all that you belong and that you can succeed, even if you are the youngest in your family!" Ashlyn added.
"Don't let the negative thoughts scare you and make you nervous." said Amber.
"Just go out there and show the world who Skye is!" I said, smiling.
Skye looked a lot better after all of our words of encouragement and she gave a determined nod.
We then all looked up as we heard the TV screen turn on.
"Good morning, everyone! Welcome to the Petalburg City Contest! I'm your host, Sofia!"
Sofia had pale skin with reddish brown hair that was curly and fell down her back and had sky blue eyes. She was wearing a flowing red skirt that was knee length, a white midriff top with a red jacket over it, and white knee-high boots.
"Before we begin, let's meet our wonderful judges!" she announced. "First, we have Shawn Contesta!"
"I'm happy to be here today. Good luck to all coordinators." Shawn said.
"Next, we have the President of the Pokemon Fan Club: Mr. Tatsu!"
"Pokemon and contests are the perfect blend!" Mr. Tatsu cried.
"And lastly, our very own Nurse Joy!"
"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's performances and good luck to you all." Nurse Joy said, smiling her kind smile.
"You've met the judges. Now it's time to move on to the exciting performances! Remember that in Hoenn, coordinators are scored automatically by the judges on a scale of ten after their performances.
"So without further ado, entry number one!"
The contest began and we all watched the competitors. But as we watched, a new girl walked over to our group. Her eyes were glaring at my sister and I.
She looked to be my age, with pale skin, long straight black hair with purple highlights, and violet colored eyes. She wore a dress that was ankle-length and had long sleeves that reached her wrists. The top of the dress and the sleeves were purple, while the skirt from the waist down was black. She also wore short black gloves and black ankle boots that had slight heels.
"Are you the daughters of Drew and May Hayden?" she asked.
"Yes..." I replied cautiously. "Who are you?"
"I'm Christina, and if either of you have to battle me in the next round...I'll destroy you."
She left without another word and disappeared down the hall to head to the stage.
"What just happened?" I asked.
"I'm not sure, but she apparently has a reason to not like us." April replied.
"Next up is Christina!" Sofia announced.
Christina appeared from behind the curtain, gracefully spun, and threw her Pokeball.
"Shuppet, it's showtime!" Shuppet appeared, surrounded by white smoke, so its body was a stark contrast against the white.
"Use Will-O-Wisp!" Christina cried. The smoke hadn't fully cleared, so when the blue flames surrounded Shuppet's form, they also caused some of the smoke to start circling Shuppet, along with the blue flames.
"Now use Shadow Ball!" Shuppet shot a Shadow Ball forward.
"Sucker Punch!" With quick speed, Shuppet burst the Shadow Ball, causing a burst of colors.
Christina curtsied as Shuppet hovered over her head.
Her scores were 8, 7.5, and 8, which totaled to 23.5 points.
"I'm up next." Amber announced.
"Good luck." I said to her.
"Next up is Amber!" Sofia announced.
Amber ran out and spun, tossing her Pokeball.
"Furret, spotlight!" Furret appeared, surrounded by bubbles.
"Use Fury Swipes!" Furret slashed through the bubbles, causing droplets to rain down on it, and the water also created a shine to its fur. Amber must have groomed Furret very well and practiced to make the appeal work with its fur.
"Now use Agility and then break this!" Amber cried as she threw a frisbee into the air. Furret shot forward with speed in the direction of the frisbee. Furret jumped towards the disk and slammed into it with Defense Curl, causing it to spin a little higher, and then slashed through the disk with Fury Swipes and caught a piece of the frisbee in its mouth as it landed.
Amber curtsied and picked up the other piece of the frisbee as her scores were determined. Her scores were 7, 8, and 7.5, which totaled to 22.5 points.
A few more coordinators performed before it was April's turn.
"Time to show off my skills." April said as she left. We all wished her good luck.
"Next up, making her debut, is April Hayden!" Sofia announced.
April ran out and spun before tossing her Pokeball.
"Zigzagoon, curtain!" Her Pokemon appeared, surrounded in a big pink heart, and Zigzagoon spun out of it and landed.
So she caught Zigzagoon as her second Pokemon. I thought.
"Use Sand Attack, Zigzagoon!" April cried. Zigzagoon stirred up sand and made the sand surround itself, nearly hiding itself from sight.
"Pin Missile!" The sand parted as white pins shot forward and out from within the sand dome that Zigzagoon had created. The sand settled and Zigzagoon ran over to April, who curtsied. April's performance had been short in length, or had at least seemed shorter than others.
Because of this, her scores were only 6.5, 7.6, and 6.6, which totaled 20.7 points. She hadn't scored the lowest total in the contest so far, but she certainly hadn't scored the highest, either.
Ashlyn was up after April and we had all wished her luck, since she'd left as soon as April's performance had finished, before her scores had been announced.
"Next up is Ashlyn!" Sofia announced.
Ashlyn ran out and jumped over the stairs and spun, tossing her Pokeball.
"Spotlight, Dragonair!" Dragonair appeared, surrounded by shimmering confetti.
"Use Twister!" Twister swept up the pieces of confetti, causing it to have bright colors popping against the neutral color. The twister was in the middle of the stage.
"Agility! Then use Hyper Beam!" Dragonair made it to the middle of the stage quickly and circled around the twister as Hyper Beam charged up.
"Now, Dragonair!" Hyper Beam was released and caused the twister to vanish. The pieces of confetti were the only things that fluttered around the beam. And afterwards, when it had all settled, they slowly fell to the floor.
Ashlyn curtsied and awaited her scores. An 8.7, 8, and 8.3, which totaled to 25 points. Ashlyn was the highest scoring coordinator so far!
After Ashlyn, another coordinator was up before it would be my turn.
"Good luck." my friends said as I got up to head behind the curtain to await my turn.
"Next up, also making her contest debut, is Megan Hayden!" Sofia announced.
I ran and twirled on one foot and tossed my Pokeball.
"Showtime, Eevee!" I cried. Eevee appeared, surrounded by little hearts.
"Use Swift, Eevee!" Yellow stars shot forward.
"Quick Attack!" This had been what we had been practicing the most. It was still a little rusty and I hoped that this would be a perfect run. Eevee jumped up and bounced from one star to the next. It had worked! It still wasn't quite how I wanted it to go, but it hadn't failed, either!
"Now use Shadow Ball!" Eevee jumped and spun, launching the Shadow Ball into the air, and landed on the stage. We both waited. As the Shadow Ball approached downward to her, I saw Eevee preparing.
"Headbutt!" Eevee slammed her head into the Shadow Ball, causing it to burst, and did a spin in the air before landing back on stage. I curtsied and picked up Eevee as I waited for my scores.
6.6, 7.4, and 6.6, which totaled to 20.6 points. I walked backstage, where April spoke to me.
"Your performance was good, but it still didn't score as high as mine did. So you still need some more work to be as good as me." she said smugly.
"I did my best. And let's see who makes it to and through the battle round before judging." I said confidently. I was never one to back down from my older sister.
Skye wasn't with the others, so she must've been next. I turned my attention to the television to see her performance.
"And lastly, also making her contest debut, is Skye!"
Skye ran out and spun, tossing her Pokeball.
"Let's dazzle, Electrike!" Electrike appeared, surrounded by white smoke and with its green body, it stood out against the white.
"Use Thunder Wave!" With the smoke still slightly covering its body, the yellow electric currents now also surrounded Electrike, along with the smoke. It was a cool effect and look.
"Now use Quick Attack and then use Spark!" As Electrike ran with Quick Attack, its body soon became engulfed in electricity as it started to use Spark and ran around the stage like a streak of lightning before the attack ended and Electrike stood in front of Skye as she curtsied. Skye's score were 7, 7.2, and 7.4, which totaled to 21.6 points.
As Skye made her way back to the waiting area, the intermission started as the judges determined the eight coordinators who had the highest scores.
"Let's go and see why Christina said what she said to us." I told my sister, who nodded.
We walked over to Christina, who stood against one of the walls, waiting for the scores. She saw us and her eyes lowered as we stopped in front of her.
"What do you two want?" she asked.
"Why are you so spiteful of us?" April asked.
She huffed and rolled her eyes. She seemed shocked that we were even asking, as if the answer should be obvious.
"I've seen your dad spending a lot of time with my mom recently. I can tell that something's going on between them and I'm sure that you both suspect it, too. Your dad is breaking my family apart! And don't even get me started on what your mom did to my dad when she was a kid!"
She walked off and we headed back to the other girls. Now we understood why she didn't like us. It was because of what our parents had done to her parents!
Then Sofia reappeared on the TV screen. "Here are the eight coordinators who will be moving on to the second round!"
All five of us made it, along with Christina and two other coordinators.
"Now the coordinators will be randomly shuffled to determine the matches for the second round." Sofia announced.
I was going up against a boy, Christina would also face off against the other guy, while Skye was going up against Ashlyn, and April would battle Amber.
Christina was up first against a boy named Nicholas. Christina used Seviper and Nicholas used Magby. As I watched Christina's battle, I saw that she wasn't someone who played around. She was ruthless and didn't let up on attacks once she found an opening. She ended up winning her battle by knocking out Nicholas's Magby.
... ...
I was up next, battling against a boy who looked to be my age. He was fair skinned with blonde curly hair and dark eyes.
"To my left is Megan and to my right is Toby. Five minutes on the clock and begin!" Sofia cried.
"Showtime, Torchic!" I cried, tossing my Pokeball.
I saw Toby frown as my Pokemon landed on the field and I soon found out why.
"Bellsprout, curtain!"
"Use Ember, Torchic!" I commanded.
"Dodge it!"
Bellsprout successfully dodged the attack. It was very agile, being so skinny.
... ...
"Use Peck!" Torchic ran forward, beak-first.
"Grab it with Vine Whip, Bellsprout!"
"Counter it, Torchic!"
Torchic pecked at the vines, leaped over to avoid them, and landed a direct hit on Bellsprout with Peck.
"Way to go! Now use Ember!" Not hesitating at all, Torchic released Ember and it landed a direct hit on Bellsprout. That was two super-effective moves that had landed back-to-back on Toby's Pokemon!
The buzzer sounded.
"The winner is...Megan!"
I had done it! I had won my first battle!
"Way to go, Torchic!" I cried, hugging him.
... ...
April was up next against Amber.
"To my left is Amber and to my right is April. Five minutes on the clock and begin!"
"Treecko, curtain!" April cried, tossing her Pokeball.
"Rapidash, spotlight!" Amber cried, tossing her Pokeball.
April was at a major type disadvantage, on top of Rapidash being an evolved Pokemon.
"Use Flamethrower, Rapidash!" Amber cried.
"Dodge with Quick Attack, Treecko!" April cried.
... ...
Treecko struggled to get back up after taking a direct hit from Rapidash's Fire Spin as the buzzer sounded.
"The winner is...Amber!"
I watched as April frowned and returned Treecko, praising her Pokemon, and nodded her head towards Amber.
... ...
"To my left is Ashlyn and to my right Skye. Five minutes on the clock and begin!" Sofia cried.
"Let's dazzle, Taillow!" Skye cried.
"Let's go, Dewgong!" Ashlyn cried as the field changed to a pool.
"Use Quick Attack, Taillow!" Skye commanded, not wasting time to allow Ashlyn to strike first.
"Dewgong, dive underwater. Then use Aqua Jet!"
... ...
Taillow sped forward, using Aerial Ace. Ashlyn's Dewgong was waiting patiently on one of the floating platforms.
"Ice Beam!"
"Stop, Taillow! Dodge it!" Skye cried.
But Taillow wasn't able to stop and took a direct hit from the Ice Beam, and then the buzzer sounded.
"The winner is...Ashlyn!"
With the first round of battles over, we were now all waiting to see who would be battling who in the next round. Skye and April had decided to stay backstage to see what would happen, even though they were eliminated.
"April, what do you have to say now? I made it to the second round of battles while you didn't. What were you saying about being better than me?" I asked in playful tone of voice.
April looked over at me. "You got lucky, since you battled someone who was just starting out, too. I had to go up against a girl who has competed before and has stronger Pokemon. Next time, you won't be so lucky, Megan."
"We'll see about that."
"Now, to show the matches for the second round of battles!" Sofia announced.
I was going to be facing Christina and Ashlyn and Amber were going up against one another. I looked across the room and met Christina's eyes. She smirked at me.
... ...
"To start off the semifinals, I have Christina to my left and Megan to my right. Five minutes on the clock and begin!" Sofia cried.
"Seviper, it's showtime!"
"Showtime, Torchic!" I cried, tossing my Pokeball.
"Use Peck!"
"Dodge it, Seviper!"
Seviper managed to slither out of the way, but Torchic followed, still ready to use Peck.
"Poison Tail!"
I couldn't even command Torchic to move because of how fast Seviper moved.
Torchic recovered from the hit and I called out for him to use Ember.
... ...
"Only one minute remains!" Sofia announced.
I couldn't bring myself to look towards the points, because I was so focused.
"Use Quick Attack, Torchic!"
"Dodge and use Wrap!"
Seviper managed to dodge and Torchic was now in its grip.
"Poison Fang!" Christina cried before I could command Torchic to do anything. Seviper sank its fangs into my helpless Torchic, who fainted.
I heard the buzzers sound, to signal that Torchic had fainted. I had lost the battle.
"Torchic is unable to battle. Christina and Seviper will be advancing to the finals!" Sofia announced.
Seviper swung its tail and hit Torchic's unconscious body, sending Torchic flying through the air, and he landed at my feet with a thud.
"Torchic!" I cried in surprise.
I looked up to see Christina returning Seviper with a satisfied smirk on her face. She then spun on her heel and headed backstage.
She must've done that to Torchic because of the drama between our parents. But I wish Torchic didn't have to suffer like this. I thought to myself.
I returned Torchic and made my way backstage to watch Amber and Ashlyn's battle, which was about to begin.
"To my left is Amber and to my right is Ashlyn. Five minutes on the clock and begin!"
... ...
So far, Ashlyn's Dewgong had been at a disadvantage, despite Amber using Rapidash. Amber's Rapidash was too quick for Dewgong to land a hit and Rapidash had been quick to strike a few direct hits with its hooves on Dewgong. So far, Amber was winning the battle, but Ashlyn wasn't too far behind in points. Dewgong was currently recovering from a hit.
"Dewgong, we're gonna turn this around. Use Ice Beam and freeze the field!" Now, with the field frozen, Rapidash was stumbling around and unable to control its usual quick movements. This was causing Amber to lose points.
"Dewgong, use Aqua Jet!" Rapidash had just managed to get back to its feet and couldn't dodge, despite Amber's command, and took a direct hit.
"Now use Headbutt, Dewgong!" Not fully recovered, Rapidash took another direct hit and stayed down on the field. Ashlyn had managed to win.
"Rapidash is unable to battle. Therefore, Ashlyn and Dewgong win!"
So the final battle would be Ashlyn and Christina.
... ...
"Dodge it, Dewgong!" Ashlyn cried as Seviper came towards her Pokemon with Poison Tail. Dewgong avoided the tail.
"Now use Ice beam!" Seviper took a direct hit.
"Shake it off, Seviper!" Seviper recovered and waited for a command.
"Use Bite!"
... ...
"No!" Christina cried as she fell into a trap.
Ashlyn had waited for Seviper to come in close for an attack and had commanded Dewgong to use Aurora Beam at close range. Seviper was too close and couldn't do anything as the hit landed. Buzzers sounded as the attack ended. Seviper had fainted. Ashlyn had managed to win the contest with a minute and a half to spare!
"Seviper is unable to battle. Dewgong wins! Which means that Ashlyn is the Petalburg City Contest winner!" Sofia announced as Ashlyn's picture appeared on the screen.
The crowd cheered as Ashlyn rubbed Dewgong's head in thanks.
Meanwhile backstage, Christina approached me and said, "I may not have won the ribbon, but at least I defeated you. And I'll never forgive you or your sister for what your parents did - and are doing - to my family! From now on, we are at war and the contests will be our battlefields."
With that, she walked off, leaving me with her words.
I only hope that she takes her anger out on me and not my Pokemon again. I can't defend myself or my family for being hated by her...because I feel that dad is doing the things he's being suspected of. But my Pokemon shouldn't have to pay for it!
We all changed back into our normal clothes and we found Adam, Jason, and my mom outside of the contest hall, waiting for us.
"You two did fantastic for your first contest! I'm so proud of you. And don't be discouraged that you didn't win." my mom said as she hugged my sister and then me.
"You looked really pretty in your outfit, Megan." Adam told me.
I felt my face heat up from the compliment and said a quick thanks. This meant that Adam was growing closer to me.
"Who are you girls? You all did great in the contest as well." my mom asked.
"This is Skye, Amber, and Ashlyn. Amber and Ashlyn know Adam and Jason from their past journeys. And Skye's parents are Winona and Wallace." I explained.
"It's nice to meet you all. Skye, I've met your parents before on my journeys." Mom said, then her expression turned worried. "Megan, I saw how that girl's Seviper treated Torchic at the end of your battle. What happened?"
I quickly went on to tell my mom who Christina was and why she didn't like April and myself and our parents.
"And apparently, Christina has seen Dad with her mom." I finished.
"Who are her parents, anyway?"
"She didn't say."
My mom frowned. It was clear that she and Dad had wronged them somehow.
"Anyway, it's lunchtime now. Why don't we all get to know one another better over some lunch?" Adam suggested, changing the subject.
I was glad that he had done that because I didn't like seeing my mom upset at the news that I had just revealed to her. It was just further proof of my dad's unfaithfulness.
"But if we get closer and become friends, wouldn't that make things harder for when we have to battle one another in a contest? If we're all competing to reach the Grand Festival, we're all enemies..." Skye said uncertainly.
"No, we won't be enemies. We can be friends, but we're also rivals. But the rivalry is a friendly one." Amber said.
"We'll always cheer on one another, but we also have to remember that we all have the same goal." Ashlyn added.
"And we're rivals, too." I said, pointing to myself and April. "But we're still sisters who love each other. We'll never put anything before family."
"That's right, Megan." April added.
"Well, you all have fun. I'm going to head home. I'll see you later." my mom said, and walked off, leaving the seven of us to ourselves.
"Like my mom, I have a knack for finding and making delicious food and I know where to find the best restaurants in Petalburg City." I said, leading the group as we started walking together.
As we walked, I listened to Adam as he struck up a conversation with Amber.
"So Amber, why did you decide to start another journey only after just a few months of finding your dad? I thought you would both want to spend some quality time together after not seeing one another for a decade." he inquired.
"We were inseparable during the months that followed our reunion. But then we realized that we both had dreams that we wanted to achieve and neither of us have been known for staying in one place for long. So we both left, but agreed to stay in touch. I call him whenever I'm at a Pokemon Center. He's currently training to become an agent for the International Police, which, as you know, was offered by Looker. Thanks again for saving my life in Johto. I'll always be indebted to you for that." Amber replied.
"Wait, what?" I asked, confused.
Everyone except Jason looked at the two with confused looks. Adam and Amber shared a laugh.
"We promise to fill you all in when we get to the restaurant." they said.
I could see that Adam was closer to Amber than any of the other girls in the group, so she must have known him the longest. Thinking back, he had mentioned meeting her in Kanto and I knew that he was from Kanto, since Master Ketchum lived there.
"So Megan, is your grandpa still the gym leader in Petalburg City?" Adam asked, changing the subject.
"He is." I replied.
"Great! He'd better be ready, since I'm going to challenge him for my first Hoenn badge tomorrow!" he replied.
"Are you sure? My grandpa is a very strong trainer and even your dad didn't challenge him right away!" I said, shocked.
"Yeah, we know that your dad waited until his Pokemon were stronger and he had won four other badges before challenging our grandpa." April added.
"I know that my Pokemon can do it! I have absolute faith in them!" Adam declared, not looking scared at all.
I was amazed and impressed at his confidence. I hoped that I would someday become that way as I traveled across Hoenn with him.
Author's Note: Megan meets a new friend and rival in Skye, who is the daughter of Wallace and Winona. Skye seems very unsure of herself, worried about living up to the level of success that her parents and siblings have achieved.
Amber and Ashlyn also return, ready to try out contests in Hoenn as Megan gains them as two new rivals as well. Amber in particular is happy to see Adam again.
But Megan also meets Christina; a girl who hates her and her sister for what May and Drew did (and are doing) to her family! Like Michelle and Carley in the previous story, Megan has a rival who does NOT like her or April!
Megan loses to Christina in her contest battle, but Christina loses to Ashlyn, who is the first girl in the group to win a Hoenn ribbon.
But now it's Adam's turn to step into the spotlight. He's ready for his first Hoenn gym battle, against Megan's grandpa, no less! Will he be victorious?
Find out in the next chapter of Pokemon NG!