Yo, friends of fanfiction, I'm back with CHAPTER 20 of LPAOD! Wow, I can't believe I've made that many chapter for this one story... well, I can... since a lot of the chapter's are pretty short, but, eh, you know what I mean!

Enjoy the chapter!

Review if you did!

Ash and the crew were able to get a small room in the local pokemon center and they gathered around to discuss their plan. Gary spoke up, "Okay. So, we now know the Ribbon Syndicate is real." He began with a small chuckle, "That doesn't mean anything, right?"

Ash shook his head, "It shouldn't. After all, we never intended to enter it in the first place."

Brock snacked on some chips, "Right. But, we're now stuck on this island."

The three sighed at the same time, "What are we gonna do..." They all moaned.

And then, they heard a knock on their door. The three looked at each other, Gary even counted to make sure it was all three of them, "Uh, Ashy boy, you invite someone?"

"No..." He stood up and walked over to the door and slowly opened it, "Hello?"

It was Aiyumi and Yuta? "Hello!" Aiyumi greeted.

Ash raised his eyebrow, "Hey..."

Gary jumped in, "What are you guys doing here?"

Yuta sweat dropped, "Direct, huh...?"

"Not to be rude..." Gary dryly added with a deadpanned face.

Brock swooped in to cancel out the awkward situation, "Please, come in."

Ash, Gary, Brock, Yuta and Aiyumi all gathered around the small room, it was quite cramped, but no one had the heart to point that out. "So..." Ash began with a clap, "What'z up?"

"We need your help," Yuta said, straight to the point, with urgency in his voice. "We've got a problem."

"A problem?" Gary raised an eyebrow, already wary.

Aiyumi bit her lip nervously, "Our sister is supposed to compete in the Ribbon Syndicate's contest tomorrow, but..."

"She's sick," Yuta finished for her. "And we can't bare to see her miss out on getting that Ribbon..."

"So, seeing as you guys were already entering..." Aiyumi trailed all with a sheepish smile.

Ash's eyes widened as he connected the dots. "Wait, you want us to compete for you?"

Yuta nodded. "Exactly. If you can win the contest and get us the ribbon, we'll do anything for you guys!" He practically begged.

Brock's heart ached for the siblings, remembering his own and all he'd do for them, "You'd do anything?"

They both nodded, "Yup!"

"Brock... What are you thinking...?" Gary slowly asked, not liking where this was going.

"Think about it, they do anything for us if we win and help their sister, AND they're apart of the flight part of the island." Brock explained, but all he got was a puzzled Gary face in response.

But, Ash slowly peaced it together, "They could get us to Hoenn!"

"Hoenn?" Aiyumi asked with a headtilt.

"It's hard to explain, but could you take us to Hoenn if we win this ribbon for you?" Ash asked them with a serious expression.

The siblings looked at each, "We do have a helicopter..." They then nodded to each other, "Alright, deal. You win, we'll fly you to Hoenn."

"Deal!" Ash cheered.

"I'm no beauty queen," Gary muttered, scratching his head.

Brock chuckled and gave Gary a friendly pat on the back. "Guess we're about to find out if we're good at anything beyond running your mouth, huh?"

Ash smiled, full of determination. "Don't worry. We'll do it. Right, guys?"

Gary groaned, but he couldn't deny that he was intrigued by the prospect of getting to Hoenn. "Fine. But if this turns into some weird mess, I'm blaming you, Ash."

"You can hold me to it," Ash said, grinning. "But hey, at least we get to help you out, Yuta and Aiyumi. We'll win this ribbon for you, no problem!"

"Thank you!" Aiyumi said, clapping her hands. "You don't know how much this means to us."

As the gang entered the contest hall, the atmosphere was electric. There was a buzz in the air, with trainers prepping their Pokémon and contestants warming up for the big event. Ash, Gary, and Brock walked through the crowded room, their eyes wide in awe of all the preparation taking place around them.

"Alright, we need to make a plan," Brock said, glancing around. "This isn't going to be as easy as a battle."

Gary nodded, his gaze scanning the room, trying to soak everything in. "So, what exactly are we gonna do?"

Ash placed a hand on Gary's shoulder, "Just leave it to me, I've got experience with this."

Gary smirked, "I don't think cross-dressing will help you win this."

"I wasn't talking about that!"

It was late evening in the Pokémon Center in Johto. The warm light from the hallway stretched into the room where Paul sat by the window, looking out over the darkened city below. His legs were crossed, his arms folded as he leaned against the cool glass, lost in thought. His mind was a jumble of worries, mostly about his brother, Reggie, and the strange feelings that had been plaguing him ever since they'd parted ways. But there was one thought, one feeling, that refused to leave him alone.

"You've been at that window for a while," Dawn's soft voice broke through the silence.

Paul didn't turn around, but he heard the quiet rustle of her moving across the room and the slight creak of the door. He knew she was standing just behind him. "Can't sleep," he muttered.

Dawn paused, sensing the tension in his voice. After a long moment, she stepped closer, her voice gentle. "What's on your mind, Paul? Don't push me away."

Paul's eyes flickered toward her, but he didn't make eye contact. He couldn't bring himself to look at her, afraid that she'd see right through him. "I'm sorry," he said, dismissing it too quickly.

Dawn crossed her arms, concern clear on her face. "Paul," she said firmly, stepping in front of him. "I know 'feelings' are hard for you," She used air quotes, She took a breath, "You're worrying about Reggie again, aren't you?"

The words hit Paul like a cold splash of water. He couldn't hide it anymore—not from her. With a sigh, he leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples as if trying to push away the headache of unresolved emotions. "I don't know what's going on with me," he admitted, finally meeting her gaze. "I feel... I don't know, distant. Like I'm not doing enough. I should be there for him more, but I can't shake this feeling like he's hiding something from me." He let out a dry chuckle, "But, I have no evidence..."

Dawn gently placed a hand on his shoulder, surprising him. "You care a lot about him, don't you?"

Paul nodded, his expression softening for the first time in a while. "Yeah, I do. But I don't know how to help him... I'm afraid of being wrong." He let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I'm not good with emotions, Dawn. I don't know how to fix this."

Dawn smiled softly, her eyes filled with understanding. "I don't think you have to 'fix' anything. Sometimes people just need to know someone cares, even if we don't always have the right answers." She paused, her gaze gentle. "I know you've been struggling, Paul. But you're not alone in this. If you ever need to talk or need someone to be there, I'm here."

The sincerity in her voice caught Paul off guard. His eyes softened, but he quickly looked away, trying to hide the vulnerability she was pulling from him. "Thanks," he muttered, still unsure how to express his gratitude.

For a moment, there was only silence between them, comfortable yet heavy. Dawn let out a quiet breath before turning to leave the room.

"Goodnight, Paul," she said softly as she reached the door.

"Goodnight," he replied, his voice a little quieter than usual.

"Remember, I'm here for you..." Dawn sweetly smiled, "No matter what's bothering you, no matter how trivial or unproven it is, I'll still listen..." As Dawn closed the door behind her, Paul turned back to the window, his thoughts swirling once more. For the first time in a long time, he felt a small sense of peace, knowing that despite his inner turmoil, there were people who cared about him.

And that, for now, was enough.

"Reggie..." Paul stood up, "Am I wrong? Am I right?" He sighed, "I wish you could talk to me..." He let out a self-deprecating laugh, "Look who's talking..."

Yuta and Aiyumi led them to a small stage where a contest official was waiting with an assistant. The official was a tall man with bright red hair, wearing a sharp suit and a serious expression.

"You must be the replacements," the man said curtly, sizing them up. "I hope you're ready. The competition will be fierce."

Gary crossed his arms, clearly not pleased with the lack of pleasantries. "We're here to win, not just fill a spot." He claimed with perhaps too much gusto.

"Heh, alright then," the official replied with a nod. "The contest will consist of three rounds: the talent round, the battle round, and the grand performance round. The winner of each round will earn points, and the trainer with the most points at the end of the event will be crowned the Ribbon Syndicate Champion."

Brock frowned slightly. "It sounds like a lot of work... but we're up for it."

The man raised an eyebrow. "I'm not so sure you'll be able to handle the full pressure, but we'll see. The first round is about showcasing your Pokémon's unique talents. Are you ready?"

Ash nodded, his smile returning. "Let's do this!"

As they prepared backstage, Ash quickly called upon Pikachu and the rest of the team. He had to make sure they were all ready for the challenge ahead. Meanwhile, Gary and Brock did the same with their Pokémon, trying to prepare for the unexpected.

"Alright, buddy," Ash said to Pikachu, patting him on the head. "This is it. You ready to show them what we've got?"

Pikachu nodded, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Pika!"

The first round began shortly after. Trainers lined up in front of the stage, each one eager to show off their Pokémon's abilities. The crowd cheered, and the first contestant, a young woman with long brown hair, walked up to the stage, holding her Pokéball tightly.

Her Pokémon, a Buneary, jumped out and performed a series of quick, dazzling flips. The audience was impressed, clapping loudly as the Pokémon finished its routine.

Ash grinned, looking at Pikachu. "Alright, it's our turn!"

When it was their time to take the stage, Ash and Pikachu walked forward, with Gary and Brock watching from the sidelines. Ash's heart raced, but he knew they could do it. This was just like a battle—he had to give it his all.

"Alright, Pikachu! Let's show them how it's done!" Ash called.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, running to the center of the stage. It immediately launched into an energetic sequence of acrobatic flips, sparking with electricity as it moved. With perfect timing, Pikachu leaped into the air and summoned a thunderbolt, causing a brilliant flash of light that lit up the entire room.

The audience gasped in awe, and the judges immediately began jotting down notes, clearly impressed.

Gary let out a low whistle. "Now that's a performance."

The next round would be just as difficult. But as Ash, Gary, and Brock stood there, adrenaline pumping through their veins, they knew they'd do whatever it took to win—for Yuta, Aiyumi, and their mission to get to Hoenn.

As the contest continued, the stakes grew higher. But for now, they were focused on doing what they did best: working together and showing the world what they were made of.

And that's the end!I hope you enjoyed, I tried a different writing style for this, let me know if you liked. I plan on posting a bit more often, seeing as I'm now on spring break! So, hope to see you soon friends of fanfiction!