Ashley exhaled deeply, stretching her arms over her head as the sun warmed her skin. The soft rise and fall of Vulcan's breathing made for the best pillow she could ask for—fluffy, warm, and just the right amount of squishy. The Arcanine let out a contented huff, barely acknowledging the fact that he was being used as furniture.
Mars, curled up against her side, flicked his tail once, the embers at its tip glowing slightly before settling. His eyes were half-lidded, arms folded like he was too cool to be cuddling up with his trainer—but the way he leaned just a little closer whenever Ashley shifted told a different story.
The beach was… fine. It was a little too crowded, a little too polished, the kind of tourist-trap setup with overpriced drinks and beach chairs that cost extra to rent—basically, a Gary Oak paradise. But the sea itself? That was something else. The water was crystal clear, waves lapping gently against the shore, reflecting the bright midday sun in rippling patterns.
And Venus—Venus was in her element.
Ashley propped herself up on one elbow, adjusting her sunglasses as she watched her newly evolved Vaporeon weave through the water. The fear and hesitation that had once stiffened her movements were completely gone now. She ducked beneath the surface, her sleek body cutting through the waves effortlessly before re-emerging with a playful twirl. Neptune trilled in approval, nudging her along with his head, while Gary's Wartortle and Kingler flanked her, keeping up with the impromptu training session.
Ashley could hear Kingler's aggressive clacking even from here, which probably meant he was being unnecessarily dramatic about something. Wartortle, on the other hand, was egging Venus on, swimming ahead and looking over his shoulder like he was daring her to catch up. Venus narrowed her eyes, flicked her tail, and surged forward, easily closing the distance.
Ashley grinned. "Look at her go! She's finally got her groove back."
Eva, lying beside her on a towel, propped herself up on her elbows and nodded. "Told you she would. She just needed time." She squinted at the water, watching as Venus easily matched Wartortle's speed before flipping underwater in a perfectly executed roll. "I think she might actually be faster than Wartortle now."
Gary, stretched out beside them with his arms behind his head, cracked one eye open. "Hey, hey, hey. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. My Wartortle has technique."
Ashley snorted. "Right, because technique totally matters when Venus just smoked him."
Gary sat up, brushing some sand off his shorts before pointing toward the ocean. "First of all, it's called pacing. Wartortle is pacing himself. He's been swimming longer than she has today."
"Oh, please," Eva scoffed, sitting up fully. "You realize you don't have to defend your Pokémon's honor every five seconds, right?"
Gary scoffed right back. "You realize that it's not my fault all of my Pokémon are objectively better?"
That earned him a face full of sand.
"HEY!" He spluttered, shaking his head wildly as he tried to get the grains out of his hair. "What the hell, Ketchum?!"
Ashley casually brushed off her hand, not even bothering to look guilty. "Oops. Hand slipped."
Eva was giggling next to her, trying (and failing) to look innocent as Gary continued his dramatic suffering.
Nate, who had been sitting off to the side watching his Dugtrio and Sandslash have a very strategic game of tag with Mercury, finally decided to chime in. "Y'know, I think this might be the most relaxed I've ever seen all of you. I mean, normally there's a tournament, a training session, or a coordination appeal brainstorm." He gestured toward Ashley. "You're actually sitting still. It's a miracle."
Ashley huffed, leaning back onto Vulcan again. "It's called a vacation, Nate. Ever heard of one?"
Nate smirked. "Oh sure, but I didn't think you had."
"Wow, thanks," Ashley deadpanned.
Nate just chuckled before nodding toward the ocean. "But seriously, seeing Venus out there like that? That's gotta feel good. She was totally out of it when she first evolved. I can't believe it's only been a week since."
Ashley's gaze softened as she watched Venus dive under the water again, this time disappearing for a good few seconds before surfacing with a splash. "Yeah… she had it rough. I mean, imagine one day having a completely different body, completely different instincts. It's not a normal evolution where you just get bigger or faster—she went from a land-based Pokémon to an aquatic one in a few minutes."
Gary rubbed the back of his neck. "I get that. I've seen many Pokémon in Gramps' ranch going through something similar. They are totally thrown off at first—not used to how their bodies felt." He shrugged. "Takes a while for them to adjust, but once they do? They owned it."
Ashley nodded. "Exactly. Venus just needed time. And a little help." She shot a glance toward Neptune, who had taken up the role of patient big brother, letting Venus swim circles around him while occasionally nudging her into different currents to get her used to the push and pull of the sea. "I owe a lot to Neptune. He helped her figure things out way faster than I could have."
Eva smiled, resting her chin in her hands. "I love that. Pokémon helping Pokémon. It's like a built-in support system."
Nate smirked. "Or, y'know, they just get tired of watching their teammates struggle and decide to do the job themselves."
Ashley laughed. "Honestly? Probably a mix of both."
At that moment, Venus let out a sharp, playful cry before leaping out of the water in a full arc, twisting midair before splashing back down. Wartortle whistled in appreciation, Kingler clacked his pincers like some kind of judge at a diving competition, and Neptune let out a proud trill.
"Show-off," Ashley muttered, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face.
Gary scoffed. "You say that like you didn't just have a full proud-mom moment."
Ashley pointedly ignored him.
Mars grunted beside her, clearly unimpressed with all the water-type nonsense, and curled further into the warm sand. Meanwhile, Mercury had abandoned his game with Dugtrio and was now digging into the shore with the intensity of a Pokémon possessed, his tiny paws a blur of motion as he kicked up sand in all directions. His fluffy tail wagged so hard it could've powered a windmill, and his ears were perked in full treasure-hunting mode.
Eva blinked, watching a fresh spray of sand fly past her leg. "Uh, what exactly is he doing?"
Ashley let out a long, suffering sigh, crossing her arms as she watched her hyperactive Eevee go full-on archaeologist. "Probably trying to tunnel to Sinnoh."
Gary smirked. "Well, tell him to send a postcard when he gets there."
Nate shook his head with a knowing chuckle. "Nah, knowing Ketchum's luck, he'll somehow unearth some crazy rare fossil or stumble onto a hidden treasure chest."
Ashley threw up her hands, exasperated. "I get lucky ONE TIME—"
Eva, Gary, and Nate all shot her identical, unimpressed looks.
"…Fine, maybe a few times."
Gary snorted. "Yeah, like the time you tripped over a rock and found a buried TM under it? Like who in the Distortion World ends up finding a Shadow Ball TM on the first day in an island?! Do not get me start it with you going treasure hunting as a joke and finding an Ice Rock just floating around an Intertidal Reef—"
Ashley groaned, rubbing her temples. "Okay, okay, we get it, the universe has a twisted sense of humor when it comes to me."
"Yeah," Nate muttered. "A profitable sense of humor."
At that moment, Mercury let out a sharp bark, tail wagging even harder, his entire body half-buried in the hole he'd dug. His paws scraped frantically against something in the sand, and a second later, there was a small metallic clink.
Ashley blinked. "Oh no."
Eva leaned forward. "Oh yes."
Mercury whipped around, looking victorious, his mouth now clutching onto something shiny. He trotted back proudly, his chest puffed out like he had just uncovered an ancient relic. Ashley knelt down, prying the object gently from his jaws before dusting off the sand. The moment she got a good look at it, her eyes widened.
"…You have got to be kidding me."
Gary leaned in. "What is it?"
Ashley held it up, the sunlight glistening off the metallic sheen.
A Metal Coat.
There was a moment of pure silence.
And then—
Nate burst out laughing. "WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!"
Gary pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling. "This isn't even luck anymore. This is a phenomenon."
Eva clapped her hands together. "Okay, seriously, is Arceus, like, personally watching over you?"
Ashley groaned dramatically. "I CAN'T CONTROL IT."
Mercury, entirely unbothered, wagged his tail happily and immediately dove back into the sand, fully intent on finding more treasure.
Ashley narrowed her eyes at him. "Merc, if you find an Eviolite in there, I'm putting you in a lab."
"Too late," Gary muttered, smirking. "You should be put in a lab."
Ashley shot him a look, then sighed, shaking her head before tossing the Metal Coat toward him. "Here. You're the one with a Scyther—you take it."
Gary caught it with one hand, blinking. "Wait, seriously?"
Ashley shrugged. "I have zero use for it. But you? I'm pretty sure your buddy is eager to evolve."
Gary turned the Metal Coat over in his hands, considering it. "…You're not wrong."
Nate crossed his arms. "Okay, but now I wanna know—how far does this insane luck go?" He turned to Mercury, who was still digging like his life depended on it. "If I start digging, am I gonna find something rare too?"
Ashley smirked. "Only one way to find out, buddy."
Without hesitation, Nate dropped to his knees and started shoveling sand with both hands.
Gary facepalmed. "Oh, my Arceus."
Eva, cackling, leaned forward with mock seriousness. "If you unearth an evolutionary stone, I'm gonna start believing in destiny."
Ashley just sat back, watching the chaos unfold, completely resigned to whatever absurdity was about to happen next. Because, knowing her life?
It wasn't a question of if something ridiculous would happen.
It was a question of when.
The sound of the waves mixed with the distant laughter of other beachgoers, the scent of salt and sunscreen lingering in the air. For once, there was no urgency, no battle waiting to happen, no looming challenge. Just the sun, the sand, and the sheer ridiculousness of their friend group. Nate was still digging around for a buried treasure, while Mercury had had enough and started building a sandcastle with Dugtrio and Sandslash. Much to Ashley's relief, a TM, an Ice Rock, and a Metal Coat are more than enough.
She will never go treasure hunting again!
Ashley adjusted her sunglasses, squinting against the sun when the familiar voice reached her. She didn't even need to turn around to know who it was—the energy was way too familiar. A grin split across her face as she nudged Mars off of her. The Charmeleon grumbled at the disturbance but didn't fight her as she stood up, brushing sand off her legs.
"Damian!" she called, her voice full of excitement as she jogged toward him.
The young man waved with that same easy confidence he always carried, his Hitmonchan walking beside him with a steady, measured stride. As soon as she was close enough, Ashley pulled him into a quick, firm hug, patting his back before stepping back with a bright smile.
"Man, what are you doing here?" she asked, hands on her hips.
Damian chuckled, shaking his head. "Please, like I'd pass up a chance to hit up Chrysanthemum Island." He gestured around them with a lazy smirk. "Beaches, good food, and the upcoming Contest? I'd be an idiot not to be here."
Ashley rolled her eyes but grinned. "Yeah, yeah, always about the performances with you."
"Of course," Damian shot back. "And don't act like you're not here for the same reason."
Before she could respond, Ashley glanced around. "Wait—where's—?"
Right on cue, chaos erupted.
The sandcastle that Mercury, Sandslash, and Dugtrio had been working on suddenly moved. Not a small shift. No, this thing came alive. The whole structure lurched forward with a low, echoing booooo, sending the Pokémon scrambling in absolute terror.
Mercury yelped, fur puffing out like he had just been hit by a Thunder Wave, and bolted toward Ashley at full speed. Without thinking, she caught him, stumbling back slightly as the fluffy Eevee practically buried himself into her arms.
Sandslash dove into the sand and disappeared in a flurry of dirt, while Dugtrio shrieked in their weird, synchronized triple voices before tunneling underground at a frankly impressive speed.
Ashley cackled, holding Mercury up as she ruffled his fur. "Oh, come on, Merc. There's nothing to be afraid of!"
Mercury whined, ears flattened, fully committed to the wronged victim act.
She turned back toward the sandcastle, which was now just vibrating ominously. Narrowing her eyes, she pointed a finger at it. "Haunter. Stop messing around."
The castle collapsed instantly, and from the pile of sand, a dark purple mass emerged, spinning around her in wild, playful circles. Gengar grinned with that signature, mischievous look, clearly pleased with himself before stopping on the other side of Damian.
"No way!" Ashley's eyes widened. "You evolved? So proud of you buddy!"
Damian, completely unfazed, just smirked. By this point, Gary, Nate, and Eva had wandered over, each of them giving Damian a once-over. Gary, in particular, looked less than thrilled about the mysterious guy suddenly showing up and hugging his little sister.
Nate, ever the casual one, was the first to speak. "Alright, so who's this?" He jerked a thumb toward Damian. "You got another rival we didn't know about, Ketchum?"
Ashley smirked. "Yep. Guys, this is Damian—my other rival." She nudged his arm. "And before you ask, yeah, he's the Contest kind."
Gary, arms crossed, immediately looked mildly less suspicious. "Huh. So, you're that Damian."
Damian arched a brow. "That Damian?"
"The guy from Saffron," Gary specified. His usual overprotective stance about random guys around Ashley softened as he nodded in understanding.
Damian, on the other hand, tensed at the mention of Saffron. He allowed his gaze to drift over Ashley's team, looking for a distraction. His expression shifting into something both impressed and nostalgic. His eyes landed on Vulcan, who was still sprawled out in the sand like the oversized, fire-breathing pillow that he was. With a low whistle, Damian took a step closer, giving the Arcanine's thick mane a good ruffle.
"Man, would you look at you," he said, shaking his head in amusement. "You're definitely not the little pup I remember."
Vulcan cracked open one eye, huffed, and let his tongue loll out lazily—very much embracing his new massive and unbothered energy.
Ashley grinned, patting Vulcan's side. "Right? I keep telling people he's still the same goofball, just way heavier."
Damian smirked. "Yeah, I bet you realized that real quick the first time he tackled you."
Ashley groaned. "Do not remind me. My back is still recovering."
Gary, arms crossed, smirked. "You say that like you didn't immediately forgive him because he's 'so fluffy.'"
Ashley shot him a glare. "Listen. That is classified information."
Damian chuckled but then tilted his head, finally noticing the shivering ball of fur still clinging to Ashley's chest. He blinked. "Okay, hold on. Who is this? Because the last time I checked, the Eevee I knew was a whole princess, and this guy?" He leaned in slightly, watching as Mercury's ears flattened even further. "This guy looks like he just saw a Ghost—"
Right on cue, Gengar materialized directly behind Damian.
"Boo."
Damian flinched—just a tiny, almost unnoticeable jolt—but that was enough for Ashley to immediately latch onto it.
"Ohhhh, no way," she gasped, beaming as she pointed at him. "Did Gengar just get you?"
Damian cleared his throat, schooling his expression into one of forced calm. "No."
Nate raised an eyebrow. "That looked like a flinch."
"It was not a flinch," Damian argued, brushing nonexistent dust off his jacket.
Eva, giggling, looked at Gengar. "Do it again."
Gengar grinned wickedly and phased through Damian's back, making his shoulders twitch involuntarily.
"Okay, fine," Damian admitted, throwing his hands up. "Maybe I wasn't expecting that, alright?"
Ashley snickered, shifting Mercury in her arms before shaking her head. "Anyway—this little guy is Mercury. He's new."
She smoothed out the fur on his head, though it immediately puffed back up. Mercury squeaked indignantly but made no effort to defend himself, still staring at Gengar like the Ghost-type was his personal boogeymon.
Damian huffed out a laugh. "Alright, alright, so where's Venus then? You can't tell me she turned into a coward too."
Ashley beamed, barely containing her excitement as she turned and pointed toward the water.
There, moving seamlessly through the waves, was Venus.
She glowed in the sunlight, her sleek, wet fur catching the light as she dove under a wave and resurfaced with a smooth flick of her tail. Neptune rumbled in amusement beside her as she effortlessly twisted through the water, circling Kingler and Wartortle like she'd been a Water-type all her life.
Damian stared for a second, then let out a slow chuckle, shaking his head. "No way."
"Yes way!" Ashley turned back to him, practically bouncing. "She evolved!"
The sheer pride in her voice was impossible to miss, and Damian couldn't help but smile at the sight. "Man, that's awesome!"
Gengar had taken off toward the water at full speed, floating with a ridiculous amount of enthusiasm. He zipped across the surface like some kind of deranged water ghost, stopping just short of colliding with Kingler and Wartortle.
The two Water-types immediately stiffened, snapping to attention like someone had just thrown a Voltorb into their personal space.
Kingler clacked his pincers aggressively, eyes narrowed.
Wartortle crossed his arms, giving Gengar a long, slow blink that clearly said, What in Arceus' name are you supposed to be?
Neptune, ever the composed one, simply tilted his head.
Venus, however? She let out an excited trill before launching herself toward Gengar, water cascading off her sleek form as she bounded through the shallows.
Neptune followed suit, swimming up beside her with a happy rumble.
Kingler made a grumpy clacking noise—probably something along the lines of, We just got used to the last new addition—but Wartortle just shrugged, apparently deciding that if Venus and Neptune were cool with this floating menace, then he'd allow it.
Venus wasted no time making her way onto the beach, her smooth body glistening as she shook off some of the water. She trotted up to Damian and Hitmonchan, eyes bright and full of recognition.
Damian knelt down as Venus nuzzled against his hand, giving her a few firm pets. "Look at you, all grown up," he said, grinning as he ran his fingers along her now-sleek skin. "Guess you're not the little fluffball from Saffron anymore, huh?"
Venus purred—a low, almost musical chime—before she turned her attention to Hitmonchan. The Fighting-type stood with his arms crossed, observing her with a thoughtful nod before giving her an approving pat on the head.
"It's kinda nice seeing them all together again." Ashley commented. "After… everything that happened in Saffron, I think we kinda needed this."
There was a brief pause.
A memory hung in the air for a second—one neither Ashley nor Damian needed to say out loud. Saffron had been chaos, a nightmare of a situation that had pushed all of them to their limits. But it had also forged something strong.
Their teams had fought together. Had won together.
Had survived together.
Damian exhaled, patting Venus one last time before standing up. "Well," he said, flashing a grin, "looks like we've got one more thing to celebrate, huh?"
Ashley smirked. "Duh."
Nate stretched, cracking his knuckles. "Sooo, are we still eating first, or is this about to turn into a full-blown beach battle?"
Gary scoffed. "Obviously food first."
Eva clapped her hands together. "Yes, thank you! Someone with priorities."
Ashley, still smiling, patted Venus on the head before nudging her toward the water. "Go back and swim a little longer," she said. "We'll come get you guys when it's time to eat."
Venus let out an excited chirrup before bounding back toward the ocean, Neptune trailing behind her as Gengar twirled midair and shot after them.
As the trainers turned and started heading toward the food stalls, Damian chuckled. "Man, it's never boring with you, is it, Ketchum?"
Ashley threw her arm over his shoulder with a smirk. "Never."
As they walked toward the food stalls, the chatter was lively—mostly Nate loudly debating with Eva about which food stand had the best deep-fried bites. Once they had their purchases, they made their way back, savoring the food.
Eva, ever the curious one, turned to Damian. "So, are you competing in the Chrysanthemum Island Contest?"
Damian grinned, taking a bite from his deep-fried bites. "Of course. You think I'd skip out on a chance to redeem myself?" He shot Ashley a playful side-eye. "I might've lost Saffron, but I'm winning this one."
Ashley snorted, shoving a bite into her mouth. "Oh, you think."
"I know," Damian corrected smugly. "You got me once, Ketchum, but I've been working on some new routines. This time? I'm not going easy."
Ashley smirked, tilting her head. "Neither am I."
Gary groaned, rubbing his temples. "Oh, great. Here we go again."
Eva giggled. "Come on, it's fun watching them go at it."
Nate, who was now very done listening to the contest debate and apparently ready to switch gears, perked up as he got rid of the paper wrap as he finishes his food. "Okay, okay, I got a better idea—before you two start throwing Poké Balls at each other, let's do a beach volleyball match." He jabbed a thumb at Damian. "You and Hitmonchan versus me and Eva."
Damian blinked, then glanced at his Hitmonchan, who was stretching his arms in a very battle-ready way. He smirked. "Oh, we are so in."
Eva cheered, already rolling up the sleeves of her cover-up. "Yes! Prepare to get wrecked."
Ashley shook her head, chuckling. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
She and Gary stepped back toward a more shaded part of the beach, close enough to watch but far enough to not get hit with sand shrapnel.
Damian grabbed the ball, tossing it up and catching it with ease. "Alright, let's make this interesting—first to fifteen."
Nate cracked his knuckles. "Deal."
Hitmonchan, already in a fighting stance like this was an actual battle, nodded firmly.
Ashley sat down in the shade, stretching her legs out while Vulcan plopped down beside her with a heavy sigh. Gary, standing nearby with his arms crossed, was watching the game unfold with an amused smirk.
Then, with no real transition, he muttered, "You really do make friends everywhere you go, huh?"
Ashley raised an eyebrow, adjusting her hat. "Uh, yeah? I talk to people. That's kinda how friendships happen."
Gary exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "It's just… I don't know. You've never had a problem with it. You just go places, meet people, and suddenly they're in your life."
Ashley shrugged. "It's not that hard, Gary. You could do it too, y'know."
Gary scoffed. "Right. Because I totally have time for that."
Ashley gave him a look. "No, it's because you don't make time for it. You cruise through everywhere, meet people, make nice for five minutes, and then move on before it can turn into anything real."
Gary's jaw tightened slightly, but he didn't interrupt.
Ashley sat up a little, brushing some sand off her legs. "Not everybody is after the Oak name, Gary."
He exhaled, glancing at the ground.
Ashley leaned back onto her palms, looking out at the ocean where Venus and Neptune were still gliding through the water. "I wasn't." Her voice was softer now. "I mean, come on, even after how much of a jerk you were to me, I still stayed, didn't I?"
Gary was quiet for a second. He didn't look at her—he just watched the game in front of them, where Nate was currently screaming about a technical foul that absolutely did not exist.
Then, finally, he said, "Yeah. But that's because you're special."
Ashley turned to him fully, frowning. "Gary—"
"No one else is like you," he continued, still watching the game, his tone unusually serious. "People are different with you. You don't care about names, reputation, or what anyone thinks. You just are, and people like that."
Ashley studied him for a second before sighing, leaning back again. "They could be like me," she muttered. "If you gave them a chance."
Gary didn't respond, but the way his fingers tapped absently against his arm told Ashley he was thinking about it.
The volleyball game suddenly erupted into chaos as Nate made a terrible dive, landing face-first in the sand.
"I REGRET EVERYTHING," he wheezed.
Damian cackled just like his Gengar. "Point for us!"
Ashley and Gary both turned back to the game, and for now, the conversation ended.
But Ashley knew she'd planted the seed.
And maybe—just maybe—Gary would start to see things a little differently.
When the sun set and the moon rose, they all parted ways. The night breeze was warm but carried just enough of the sea air to make it refreshing. The ocean stretched out beyond the massive luxury cruise ship, shimmering under the moonlight as waves gently lapped against the hull. The deck was quieter than usual—most of the passengers were either out enjoying Chrysanthemum Island's nightlife or winding down in the ship's lounges.
Nate, Eva, and Damian remained on the island, deciding to go out for drinks, the three of them made a quick and strong friendship. Ashley, however, had only one destination in mind.
The buffet.
Even after two weeks on this cruise, she was still obsessed with the endless mountains of food available at all hours of the day. And as Gary followed her inside, he was doing a terrible job at hiding his amusement.
"You do realize we have literally eaten here every single night, right?" he asked, arms crossed as he leaned against the buffet counter, watching as Ashley enthusiastically loaded up her plate.
Ashley barely glanced at him as she reached for another serving of cheesy scalloped potatoes. "And?"
Gary scoffed, shaking his head. "And you still act like it's your first time here."
Ashley grinned, balancing a frankly dangerous amount of food on her plate. "That's because it never gets old, Gary. It's like living in a Pokémon Center, but better. Do you know how long I had to survive on vending machine snacks and stale PokéMart sandwiches before this?"
Gary rolled his eyes, grabbing a much more reasonable plate of food before following her to one of the quieter tables near the window. They sat down, the glow of the ship's deck lights casting a soft reflection against the glass.
Ashley wasted zero time digging in.
Gary took a more casual approach, chewing a bite of grilled fish before tilting his head slightly. "So," he started, tone lighter than usual, "have you figured out your lineup for the contest yet?"
Ashley swallowed, tapping her fork against her plate. "Yeah, but it's not like I had many choices." She ticked them off on her fingers. "Chione and Mercury haven't been trained for contests yet, so they're out. Mars would literally set my clothes on fire if I forced him into another one—"
Gary snorted. "Smart call."
Ashley nodded. "And Apollo, Vulcan, and Venus? They only just evolved. I don't trust their control over their new bodies yet." She pointed her fork at him. "And in contests, control is everything. Doesn't matter how strong your Pokémon are if they can't land a move exactly how you want it."
Gary leaned back, nodding thoughtfully. "Makes sense." He tapped his fingers against the table, thinking. "So that leaves… Proserpina and Neptune?"
Ashley took another bite of food before answering. "Yup."
Gary hummed. "You do realize that if this were a gym battle, that team would take almost anyone, right? You've got Proserpina, your tank, and Neptune, your stormbringer."
Ashley smirked at the nicknames. "Oh, now you acknowledge how busted they are?"
Gary rolled his eyes. "I always knew they were busted, I just don't whine about it like your opponents do."
Ashley snickered but then leaned back in her chair, expression turning more serious. "But contests are a whole different game."
Gary studied her carefully. "You don't sound convinced."
Ashley shook her head, swirling her fork absentmindedly in her mashed potatoes. "I'm not."
Gary arched a brow. "That's new. You usually go in ready to win."
Ashley exhaled, resting her elbow on the table and propping her chin on her hand. "Look, I barely beat Damian in Saffron." She met Gary's gaze. "He was literally just a couple of points short from winning."
Gary frowned, tapping his fingers against the table again. "So, you're saying he should have beaten you?"
Ashley groaned. "No, I earned that win. But—" She gestured vaguely with her fork. "If the match had gone on for even a few more seconds, he would've turned it around."
Gary leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. "And you think he's improved since then?"
Ashley nodded. "Oh, definitely. Damian's not the kind of guy who just sits on a loss." She smirked slightly. "If anything, losing probably pissed him off just enough to go full hyperfocus mode."
Gary chuckled. "So, you're saying he's me?"
Ashley rolled her eyes. "Arceus, no, he's way more fun than you."
Gary placed a hand over his chest, gasping dramatically. "Wow. The betrayal."
Ashley snorted, shoving another bite of food into her mouth.
Gary shook his head, but his expression turned thoughtful again. "So, what's the plan, then?"
Ashley exhaled, setting her fork down for a second. "I don't know yet. I mean, Proserpina and Neptune have the power, and they definitely have the synergy, but… I still need to figure out how to use them in a way that'll actually stand out."
Gary nodded slowly. "You need strategy instead of just brute force."
Ashley smirked. "Exactly. See? You do understand contests."
Gary scoffed. "Don't push it, Ketchum."
Gary only truly understood what Ashley meant the next day as he sat in the stands of the Chrysanthemum Island Contest Hall, wedged between Nate and Eva, watching Damian's appeal round unfold on stage.
And it was brilliant.
The moment the spotlight hit the battlefield, Damian had stepped forward with absolute confidence, the kind that made even the most casual audience member sit up a little straighter. His Pokémon—Gengar and Hitmonchan—stood across from each other, their stances so perfectly controlled that for a second, it didn't even look like a contest.
It looked like the opening act of a professional martial arts performance.
Gary leaned forward slightly, arms crossed, watching as the two Pokémon circled each other, Hitmonchan bouncing lightly on his feet, his fists raised like a true fighter, while Gengar hovered midair, grinning like a chaotic menace.
Then, with a sharp flick of his wrist, Damian gave the command.
Hitmonchan lunged—his fists glowing with the energy of a Mach Punch, his movements so fast and fluid it looked like a real battle.
And then—nothing.
The moment his attack should have connected, Gengar simply phased through it, his body shifting into smoke as he vanished on impact. The audience let out a collective murmur of surprise, a mix of excitement and intrigue.
They were going all out, throwing punches, dodging, striking, and countering—but neither of them could actually hurt the other.
So, instead of a battle, it became a performance.
Gary exhaled through his nose. Damn. Ashley wasn't kidding. This guy really is on another level.
Nate let out a low whistle beside him. "Okay. Gotta admit. That's cool."
Eva, who was already clapping way too enthusiastically, nodded. "Are you kidding?! This is amazing!"
The display continued, Gengar now countering Hitmonchan's Power-Up Punch with a swift Sucker Punch—both moves harmlessly phasing through their targets, making the fight look seamless. It was a dance, a carefully choreographed exchange of attacks that never quite landed, making it feel like watching a legendary showdown between two rivals in an old martial arts flick.
Then, right as the timer began to tick down, Damian delivered his finishing move.
With a single, commanding gesture, Gengar dove forward, Shadow Claw glowing in his hand as he slashed downward—and at the exact same time, Hitmonchan ducked, his fist flashing with Brick Break energy, passing harmlessly through Gengar's stomach as the Ghost-type's attack swiped through thin air.
And then—freeze.
The two Pokémon stopped, locked in position, inches from what would have been a final, simultaneous knockout punch.
It was cinematic perfection.
The end of the performance was followed by the audience erupted into applause.
Gary clapped, actually impressed despite himself. "Well, damn."
Nate nodded. "Yeah, that was sick."
Eva was practically bouncing in her seat. "That was so cool! And the way they moved—ugh, it was flawless."
Gary leaned back in his seat, rubbing his chin as he watched Damian take a quick bow before returning his Pokémon to their Poké Balls.
As the Contest Hall buzzed with excitement, Gary, Nate, and Eva stayed glued to their seats, watching the rest of the double appeals unfold on stage. Each performance brought something new—some acts were jaw-dropping, others were hilariously overcomplicated, and a few were… well, straight-up disasters.
Gary sat back with his arms crossed, watching as the next Coordinator stepped up. "Alright, place your bets. Is this one gonna be impressive or a total train wreck?"
Nate squinted down at the contestant—a young girl with a Seadra and a Togetic. "Hmm. Could go either way."
Eva leaned forward, resting her chin in her hands. "I hope it's good! I love seeing how people mix up their strategies."
The lights dimmed, and the next performance began.
The appeal started smoothly enough. The contestant, a younger Coordinator with an energy that screamed "rookie," stepped up to the center of the stage with an eager grin, her Seadra and Togetic poised for action.
From the get-go, the strategy looked solid on paper. Seadra unleashed a Twister, his spiraling water vortex twisting through the air in a perfect, controlled storm. Togetic's role was to dance through it, dodging between the swirling currents like a fairy in an enchanted cyclone.
For the first few seconds? It looked amazing.
Togetic twirled elegantly, her tiny wings catching the light as she maneuvered through the air, barely grazing the Twister's edges while sparkling mist scattered in her wake. She was graceful, dynamic, and visually stunning—a balance of power and finesse that should have made for an impressive showcase.
But then—
It all went horribly wrong.
Gary noticed it first. He narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second. Is she supposed to be that close?"
Then came the moment of realization.
Togetic, a little too excited with her own movements, miscalculated a turn. She drifted too far inward—right into the strongest part of the Twister.
And then?
Togetic got sucked in.
The tiny Fairy-type let out a startled squeak as she vanished into the vortex, wings flailing wildly. A second later, she was violently ejected out the other side, spinning through the air like a badly thrown Poké Ball.
Nate gasped dramatically, grabbing Gary's arm.
"OH NO, SHE'S GOING DOWN."
Eva clutched her seat, eyes wide in horrified fascination.
"SOMEBODY CATCH HER!"
Gary, deeply unimpressed, simply raised an eyebrow. "...Well. That's unfortunate."
Togetic was now spinning like a completely out-of-control Drifloon, shrieking in an increasingly panicked pitch as she flailed.
But the worst part?
It was headed straight for Seadra.
The Water-type, still maintaining the Twister, barely had time to register the incoming projectile fairy before—
BAM!
Togetic slammed into Seadra's side like a living cannonball, sending both Pokémon sprawling across the stage in a tangle of wings, fins, and absolute failure.
The audience let out a collective wince, a few murmurs of "oof" and "that looked painful" echoing through the stands.
The contestant? Full panic mode. She waved her arms wildly, yelling something that was completely drowned out by the Twister, now uncontrolled, collapsed in on itself, sending a final splash of water straight into the contestant's face.
There was a long, awkward silence.
And then—
Nate whistled. "Welp. That was a whole mess."
Eva groaned, shaking her head. "Ugh. That could've been good if they practiced more."
Gary smirked, sitting back in his seat. "Or, y'know, had a backup plan for getting launched into the stratosphere."
The contestant, red-faced and soaked, recalled her Pokémon with as much dignity as she could manage before quickly fleeing the stage.
Ashley still wasn't up yet, so they continued watching, mentally preparing for whatever came next.
One thing was certain—
The bar for disaster had been set.
The next contestant stepped onto the stage, a young guy with an excessive amount of confidence and a dramatic sweep of his cape. Yes, a cape. He struck a pose, grinning like he'd already won, and tossed both Poké Balls into the air.
Out came Magmar and Koffing.
Immediately, Gary felt it in his soul—this was going to be a lot.
The guy snapped his fingers, and Magmar instantly blasted a Flamethrower into the air, sending an arch of fire high above the stage. At the same time, Koffing began spewing Smoke Screen, the black mist curling through the fire like some kind of mystical burning fog.
Gary leaned back in his seat. "Alright. Let's see how long this lasts before something catches on fire."
Then, for some reason, the trainer added another layer of unnecessary chaos.
Magmar, mid-Flamethrower, started juggling burning embers. Like, actual fireballs in his hands. Koffing, floating beside him, began twirling in place, puffing out rings of smoke like he was trying to be elegant, but it mostly looked like a ghost balloon attempting ballet.
Nate squinted. "I feel like this is either genius or about to explode."
Eva, watching as Koffing spun dangerously close to Magmar's flames, suddenly looked deeply concerned. "Uhhh, is that safe—"
And that was when disaster struck.
The exact second the words left her mouth, Koffing drifted a little too close to one of Magmar's flaming embers.
The Fire-type's hand grazed his gas cloud.
And then—
BOOM.
A small explosion detonated mid-stage, sending a shockwave of black smoke billowing into the air.
The audience gasped, a few people actually ducking in their seats. The giant contest screen flickered with a WARNING symbol and a message about hazardous appeal techniques—as if this hadn't been extremely predictable from the start.
Magmar frantically waved his arms, eyes bulging, looking absolutely panicked—this was not part of the plan. Koffing was wobbling midair, looking incredibly dazed, his smug expression replaced with regret. The contestant—who had clearly not accounted for literal combustion—was shouting something, but the explosion had left behind so much smoke that he was now barely visible on stage.
Gary snorted, completely unfazed. "Yup. Called it."
Nate was already cry-laughing, wiping a tear from his eye. "Okay, but if that worked? It would've been sick."
Eva groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead. "I get that people wanna go big, but subtlety is a thing, guys!"
Meanwhile, on stage, the smoke was finally clearing, revealing Magmar still dramatically flailing, while Koffing was now rotating slowly in place like a broken balloon. The contest judges exchanged a series of deeply concerned looks. The contestant, now coughing dramatically from his own failed smoke aesthetic, attempted to bow gracefully—as if he hadn't just nearly blown up the stage.
Gary, watching this all unfold, just shook his head. "Yeah. I really don't think 'controlled explosion' is a valid contest category."
Eva sighed. "Let's hope the next performance involves less near-death experiences."
Nate, still smirking, stretched back in his chair. "Nah, I live for this. This is fantastic entertainment."
And with that, finally came a Coordinator who clearly knew what they were doing. She walked onto the stage with a quiet, steady confidence—no unnecessary theatrics, no dramatic cape flips, just pure focus. With a graceful toss of her Poké Balls, two Pokémon emerged in a synchronized display: Rapidash and Floatzel.
From the moment they landed on stage, it was obvious this wasn't going to be another chaotic disasterpiece. Both Pokémon stood poised, waiting for the signal, their movements perfectly controlled even before the appeal began.
The lights dimmed slightly, the spotlight shifting to center on them.
Then—the routine began.
Rapidash took off first, galloping in a wide, fluid arc around the stage, leaving a trail of flames in her wake. The fire burned bright but controlled, forming a perfect ring of fire around the performance area.
A split second later, Floatzel followed, moving in perfect sync with Rapidash, twisting and weaving through the flames. But instead of extinguishing them, Floatzel bent the water around the fire, shaping it into a shimmering, flowing ribbon of liquid light that followed the flames but never doused them.
The combination was mesmerizing.
Eva gasped, eyes wide with admiration.
"Oh, that's gorgeous."
Gary, who had been skeptical of literally everything up to this point, actually nodded.
"Yeah. Now that is how you balance power and control."
Nate, watching closely, smirked. "And neither of them are getting launched into orbit. Bonus points."
The two Pokémon continued their elegant dance. Floatzel's water spiraled upward, interweaving with the flames in an almost ribbon-like effect, creating a living, moving piece of art. Rapidash's hooves barely seemed to touch the ground, her mane flowing behind her like a comet streaking across the stage.
And just when it seemed like the performance was peaking, the Coordinator gave one final command.
Floatzel dove forward, twisting her body midair, and sent a final, carefully controlled Aqua Jet through the spiraling fire and water, splitting the elements into a perfect yin-yang swirl before landing smoothly on the stage.
The entire contest hall was silent for a half-second.
And then—
The audience exploded into applause, cheers rippling through the hall as people clapped enthusiastically. Even the judges, who had been stone-faced for most of the night, nodded in clear approval, their scorecards flashing high points across the screen.
Nate let out a low whistle. "Damn. That's gonna be hard to beat."
Gary leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. "They made that look effortless."
Eva was still buzzing with excitement, hands clasped together. "That's what contests are supposed to look like! It's like a battle and a dance all in one."
As the Coordinator took a graceful bow, Floatzel and Rapidash stood proudly at her sides, the residual steam from the performance still swirling faintly around them.
The next contestant walked onto the stage with an air of absolute calm. No dramatic flourishes, no flashy introduction—just a quiet, almost unsettling stillness as he took his position.
Two Poké Balls snapped open, revealing Ariados and Chimecho.
From the very first second, something felt… off.
The usual fanfare of cheers and chatter from the audience faded into an eerie hush. Even the stage lighting seemed dimmer, like the Contest Hall itself was holding its breath.
Gary immediately frowned. "What… is happening?"
On the battlefield, Chimecho hovered completely still. Not floating in his usual cheerful sway—just dead still, his wide, glassy eyes locked forward in unnerving silence.
Ariados, meanwhile, was slowly spinning a web. Not frantically, not in any way that looked like a battle move—just… weaving. Methodically. Almost too methodically. The silk glistened under the lights as he stretched across the ground, forming a delicate but ominous spiral pattern.
Nate leaned forward slightly, narrowing his eyes. "Why is this so creepy?"
Eva, gripping the seat between them, visibly shuddered. "I hate this."
And then—
Without warning—Chimecho screamed.
It wasn't just any Hyper Voice. It was an ear-piercing, glass-rattling wail, a sound so unnatural and sudden that even the judges flinched.
Ariados dropped from the ceiling like some kind of horror movie monster, his spindly legs stretching outward as he descended into his web in perfect synchronization with Chimecho's shriek.
Gary jerked back in his seat. "Arceus!"
Eva clapped both hands over her mouth, eyes wide with absolute disgusted terror. "NOPE. NOPE. I HATE IT."
The audience let out a mix of reactions—some gasping, some murmuring in confusion, and some, like one very unlucky kid in the front row, hiding under their seat.
But the appeal wasn't over.
Chimecho's eerie voice faded into nothing, and for a brief moment, total silence filled the Contest Hall.
Then, Ariados moved.
Slowly. Deliberately.
Not attacking.
Just crawling.
One step at a time, skittering across his web, his red eyes flickering with something too intelligent, too aware. Chimecho hovered above, his tail tilting ever so slightly, as if watching.
And then—
They both attacked at once.
Chimecho unleashed Psywave, warping the air with a pulsing, distorted light, while Ariados lunged forward, his fangs gleaming as he fired a perfectly aimed Shadow Sneak.
The result?
A synchronized attack so seamless that it looked like a possessed puppet show.
The shadows twisted unnaturally, warping and stretching as the psychic waves bent the air itself, making the entire battlefield look like a hallucination.
It was silent horror at its finest.
And then—just like that—it stopped.
No flashy explosion. No final, dramatic pose.
Just… stillness.
Chimecho drifted back into place, as eerily silent as he had started. Ariados returned to his web, his spindly legs barely making a sound.
The audience didn't know what to do.
No cheers. No immediate clapping.
Just nervous shifting and whispering.
The judges exchanged deeply disturbed looks.
And then—
The Points Came In.
And they were shockingly high.
The contestant, looking completely unfazed, gave a polite nod before recalling his Pokémon and walking off the stage like he hadn't traumatized half the audience.
Gary exhaled, running a hand down his face. "That was actual nightmare fuel."
Nate shook his head in disbelief. "That was awful and I loved it."
Eva shuddered violently. "If I see that in a dark alley, I'm running."
They continued watching, each appeal bringing something totally different. Some were ridiculous, others were impressive, and a few were straight-up fever dreams.
Gary raised an eyebrow the moment Ashley stepped onto the stage.
He had never seen her dressed up like this before.
Ashley Ketchum—the same girl who spent half her time running through forests, covered in dirt, and battling in whatever outfit was most functional—was now standing in the spotlight, wearing a fuchsia kimono adorned with silver leaves, the fabric shifting elegantly under the stage lights. Her hair had been pulled into a neat updo bun, a delicate sakura-blossom pin tucked into it.
Gary barely registered Nate nudging him in the ribs.
"Hey, Earth to Gary," Nate smirked, gesturing to the stage. "Didn't know your childhood friend could clean up this well, huh?"
Gary rolled his eyes but didn't deny it.
Ashley, completely unbothered by the fact that she had an entire crowd staring at her, simply took a breath and pulled two Poké Balls from her sleeves. She tossed them into the air, and in a flash of light and swirling mist, her Pokémon appeared.
Neptune materialized in the center of the stage, his majestic form rising through the mist like a sea spirit. The water droplets that clung to his shell caught the light, making him look like he had just emerged from a hidden, moonlit lagoon. Proserpina landed gracefully beside him, her large petals fanned out in full bloom, droplets of mist glistening like morning dew.
Even before the performance truly began, the stage already looked surreal.
"Okay," Eva whispered, completely enraptured, "this is already insane."
Ashley didn't waste time.
"Neptune, Rain Dance."
The temperature in the Contest Hall seemed to drop slightly as a gentle drizzle started to fall over the stage. The lighting dimmed, the soft pattering of rain against the floor creating a calm, rhythmic backdrop. Neptune lifted his head toward the ceiling, his voice a melodic trill as the rain intensified, thickening into a proper storm.
Then, without hesitation—
"Thunderbolt!"
The hall exploded with light as a bolt of electricity tore through the artificial storm, illuminating every single raindrop for a split second, making them look like shards of crystal suspended in the air.
Gary, still watching intently, felt a strange sense of familiarity with the scene.
He had seen this storm before.
Just—never like this.
Nate leaned forward, eyes locked on the display. "Y'know," he muttered, "when you're not on the receiving end of Neptune's storms, they're actually kinda beautiful."
Gary let out a breath. "Yeah. No kidding."
For a few more seconds, the storm raged, flashes of lightning dancing across the stage, the water swirling in controlled chaos.
And then—Ashley switched it up.
"Proserpina, Sunny Day!"
A single pulse of warm, golden light radiated from Vileplume's petals, cutting through the storm clouds like the first break of dawn. The raindrops slowed, the thunder faded, and the Contest Hall was suddenly bathed in a soft, golden glow.
The audience gasped as a brilliant rainbow arced across the stage, the residual mist catching the sunlight in a dazzling display of colors.
Ashley wasn't done.
"Grassy Terrain!"
Almost instantly, lush green vines and tiny blossoms began sprouting from the stage floor, spreading in waves as if life itself was waking up after the storm. The battlefield, which had been dark and ominous just moments ago, was now blooming with color and warmth—a visual transformation from destruction to rebirth.
Gary let out a slow exhale.
Yeah. That was Ketchum, alright.
The moment the appeal ended, the entire hall erupted into applause.
Not just polite clapping. A full standing ovation.
Eva turned to Gary and Nate, her mouth still open in shock. "I—I can't believe she came up with this in just a week."
Nate just shook his head in awe. "This is why she's ridiculous. And also why I don't do contests—because what even is the point when stuff like that happens?"
Gary, arms crossed, watched as Ashley took a small, graceful bow.
He smirked.
"Yeah," he said quietly. "That's Ketchum for you."
As the contest continued with other Coordinators taking the stage, Gary, Nate, and Eva made their way down from the stands, weaving through the corridors toward the changing area where all the performers gathered between rounds. The hallway was buzzing with activity—contestants rushing to prepare, staff coordinating the event, and nervous Pokémon getting last-minute touch-ups before their time in the spotlight.
Gary, however, found himself mildly disappointed when they stepped inside the locker room.
He had expected glamour—some kind of high-end lounge filled with mirrors, fancy décor, maybe even a coffee bar. Instead?
It was just a locker room.
Metal benches. Rows of open lockers. A slightly flickering overhead light.
The only notable feature was the TV mounted on the wall, which every single Coordinator was currently glued to, watching the ongoing performances.
And, predictably, Ashley was one of them.
She stood near the screen, arms crossed, still half-dressed in her contest kimono, her eyes locked on the broadcast. Focused. Calculating.
Which was probably why she didn't see Eva launching herself at her.
"ASHLEY!"
Ashley barely had time to react before Eva slammed into her with full force, wrapping her arms around her in an enthusiastic, near-tackling hug.
Ashley let out a gasping laugh, catching herself before she lost her balance. "Whoa—okay! Hi! Still breathing!"
Eva pulled back, grinning so brightly it could've been a Sunny Day attack. "THAT WAS AMAZING!" She squeezed Ashley's arms. "How do you even come up with this stuff?!"
Before Ashley could answer, Nate moved past them, making a beeline for Damian, who was sitting casually on one of the benches, arms resting on the backrest like he had already won the entire contest.
"Hey, man," Nate said, nodding. "Gotta admit, your appeal was kinda insane."
Damian smirked, leaning forward. "Oh? So does that mean I've converted you into a contest fan?"
Nate snorted. "Absolutely not. But I will say I respect the hustle."
Damian chuckled, giving a mock-bow from his seat. "I'll take it."
Meanwhile, Eva was still bouncing on her heels, waiting for Ashley's answer. "C'mon, spill! What's your trick? How do you make something that good in, like, two days?!"
Ashley rubbed the back of her neck, stepping away from the hug as she finally gave her full attention to her friends. "It's not about just making things look cool," she explained, shifting slightly as she loosened the obi sash of her kimono, letting it breathe a little. "You need to find a concept—an idea to revolve your appeal around. It needs to tell a story."
She gestured toward the TV, where another performance was wrapping up. "For me, it was simple. I wanted to show that after every storm, the sun will come."
Gary, who had been quietly observing from the side, tilted his head slightly. That was… actually a solid philosophy. He had noticed it before—Ashley always battled like she had something to prove, but this? This was different. This wasn't about being the strongest—it was about connecting with the audience.
But before he could voice his thoughts, Ashley sighed, shaking her head.
"Honestly?" she muttered, rolling her shoulders. "I'm not totally happy with it."
Eva's jaw nearly dropped. "WHAT?! Ashley, it was beautiful! You literally got a standing ovation!"
Ashley made a so-so gesture with her hand. "Yeah, but I know where I messed up." She leaned against the bench, loosening the pins in her hair, letting it fall naturally over her shoulders. "Neptune and Proserpina didn't actually work together. Their moves were separate. I had a solid theme, but I didn't use real teamwork—I'll lose points for that."
Nate let out a low whistle. "Man. You're really that harsh on yourself, huh?"
Ashley smirked. "You have to be. If you don't see your own weaknesses, you're never gonna get better."
Gary's gaze flickered toward her at those words.
Yeah. That was the difference between them.
It was something he had always kind of known, but now? He was really seeing it.
Ashley wasn't just naturally good at this—she was aware of her limits.
She didn't assume she was the best. She actively looked for ways to improve.
She knew she needed guidance, which is why she had trained under Blaine before even starting her real journey. That's why she kept growing.
Gary, on the other hand? He had spent so long assuming he was ahead of the curve, that he had all the answers, that he never really questioned his own flaws.
That was the difference between them.
And maybe, for the first time, he actually respected it.
Before he could say anything, the contest results flickered onto the screen, signaling the end of the appeal round.
The list of Coordinators moving to the battle rounds appeared.
And just as Ashley predicted—
Damian was in first place.
Ashley was fourth. Right after the guy with the Ariados and Chimecho, and the girl with the Rapidash and Floatzel.
Gary caught the way her eyes narrowed slightly, assessing the scores. She wasn't upset—not really. She had called it before the results even showed up.
And that was what made her dangerous.
She knew exactly where she fell short.
And now?
She was already thinking of ways to fix it.
Back in the stands, Gary, Nate, and Eva watched the battle rounds unfold with genuine curiosity—and just a bit of frustration.
They were Gym Trainers, used to battles that focused on raw power, strategy, and securing the fastest possible knockout. Watching contest battles was a whole different world—one that required them to actively fight every urge to yell at the competitors for make some of the most obvious tactical mistakes imaginable.
Nate leaned forward, gripping the railing, his eye twitching slightly. "Oh, my Arceus, just hit them already!"
Gary exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. "They're not trying to win by knockout, Nate. It's about style."
Nate shot him a look. "Yeah, well, style won't mean squat if you get obliterated by a Hyper Beam."
Eva patted his arm consolingly. "Breathe, Nate."
Nate didn't look like he was capable of breathing at this point. His entire existence was locked in watching a Roserade elegantly dodge attacks while her trainer completely ignored the fact that their opponent's Ninetales was literally wide open.
Eva, though, was actually fascinated.
"I mean, it's kind of cool," she admitted, tapping her fingers against her knee. "They have to think about how every attack looks, not just how much damage it does. Like—look at that!"
She pointed as a Lanturn used Surf, but instead of just wiping out the opponent's Flareon, the water curved into a shimmering spiral, surrounding the fire-type in a way that made it look like she was caught in a swirling vortex of light.
The audience cheered, and the points shifted significantly in Lanturn's favor.
Gary nodded in reluctant agreement. "Yeah. It's not about knocking them out—it's about controlling the flow of battle."
Nate groaned, sinking into his seat. "This is so stressful."
Gary smirked. "You'd probably hate the fact that they don't even let you yell commands like a normal battle."
Nate's eye twitched again. "What kind of lawless system is this?"
Eva giggled, nudging him. "Admit it. You like it."
Nate crossed his arms, grumbling under his breath. "It's entertaining. But I swear if someone loses because they were too busy making their Pokémon look pretty instead of hitting something, I'm walking out."
Gary, meanwhile, was quietly analyzing everything.
He had already seen Ashley's strategy in action—she knew how to balance power and presentation. But watching these battles made him realize just how different this world was from Gym battles. A well-timed attack dodge could mean gaining points, not just surviving. A flashy counter move wasn't about avoiding damage, but about making the opponent's attack look ineffective.
It was all about perception.
He had to admit—it was impressive in its own way.
The battle rounds continued, and the trio watched in mounting anticipation as Coordinators rose and fell.
Damian's match against the Ariados and Chimecho guy was…
Something else.
The less said about that battle, the better—because sweet Arceus, it wasn't even a contest fight anymore, it was a horror show with a scoreboard attached.
Gary, Eva, and Nate sat completely frozen, watching as Chimecho and Ariados turned the battlefield into an absolute nightmare realm, and Damian, fully unphased, just rolled with it.
It wasn't even a battle at that point.
It was two coordinators locked in an unspoken agreement to see who could traumatize the audience more.
Ariados' Shadow Sneak tendrils slithered across the floor like grasping hands, Chimecho's eerily still hovering made him look like a possessed doll, and then Damian, not to be outdone, had Gengar phase in and out of existence while Hitmonchan's punches came from the shadows like a ghost was controlling it.
At some point, an actual child in the crowd started crying.
Nate, gripping his seat, muttered, "No one in this arena is walking away from this battle emotionally okay."
Eva had her head in her hands. "How is this even LEGAL?!"
Gary, watching in disbelief, exhaled. "They should just end it here. No one's topping this for sheer psychological damage."
The battle finally ended with Damian's victory, and the other Coordinator, seemingly unfazed by his own actions, simply nodded before walking off the stage like he hadn't just summoned a ghost movie in real time.
The audience, clearly rattled, applauded cautiously—some, probably just happy to be alive.
But after that?
It was Ashley's turn.
And her match against the Rapidash and Floatzel trainer?
That was a completely different kind of fight.
Unlike the horror show that just happened, Ashley's battle was pure, strategic contest combat—a battle of elements, a clash between fire, water, and nature itself.
Rapidash started strong, galloping in a flash of fiery grace, while Floatzel spun into a controlled Aqua Jet, weaving through the battlefield like a streak of blue lightning.
It was a contest battle in its purest form—strength, movement, coordination.
But Ashley?
She was smarter.
She let Neptune and Proserpina control the field the way she had planned it from the start—turning their opponent's flow against them.
When Floatzel attempted to take control with Water Pulse, Neptune met it with a perfectly timed Ice Beam, freezing the attack mid-air, turning it into glittering ice shards that rained down onto the battlefield like snowflakes caught in sunlight.
Eva clapped her hands together, eyes bright with excitement. "Oh, that was GORGEOUS!"
Nate nodded, actually impressed this time. "Now THAT is contest battling."
Then came the final play.
Rapidash charged forward, preparing to burst through the frozen mist with a Flame Charge, but Ashley was already ten steps ahead. Proserpina used Grassy Terrain, but instead of just covering the field, she manipulated the flowers into soft, vine-like growths, making the ground itself shift beneath Rapidash's hooves.
For one split second, the Fire-type lost her footing—just enough for Neptune to fire off a Water Gun, hitting her at the exact moment of imbalance. The audience roared as Rapidash skidded back, soaked but unharmed, but the scoreboards had already confirmed it—Ashley had taken the win.
Gary smirked, leaning back in his seat.
Still, as each battle ended, it became more and more obvious who the finalists were going to be. And when the final matchup flashed across the contest screen, all three of them let out a collective sigh of relief.
Ashley vs. Damian.
Gary grinned, shaking his head. "Finally."
Nate let out a scoff, stretching his arms. "Thank Arceus, man. We were dying over here."
Eva clasped her hands together excitedly. "This is gonna be so good!"
Gary sat back, crossing his arms, his smirk unchanging. "Yeah. At least now we actually get to watch a real fight."
Because if nothing else, he knew that when it came to Ashley and Damian?
Neither of them would be holding anything back.
Ashley's words about Damian being a strong opponent rang through Gary's mind as he watched the battle spiral out of her control—fast.
From the very start, things had looked promising. Neptune, as expected, opened with his weather moves, setting the stage exactly as Ashley had done in the appeals. The storm rolled in, the clouds crackling with tension, rain falling in a steady, rhythmic downpour. It should have been her battlefield.
But Damian?
Damian turned it against her.
Gengar vanished into the clouds, his ghostly form completely absorbed by the storm, using the natural cover to become a horror movie villain in real time. The moment he disappeared, the stage shifted—what had been an elegant stormy battlefield now felt like a haunted wasteland.
And then? The Scary Face came.
Gary had seen plenty of Scary Faces before—most of the time, he was just a Pokémon glaring really hard and somehow making that an attack.
This? This was different.
Instead of just Gengar's usual menacing grin, the storm itself twisted in response, forming shifting, monstrous faces within the clouds, flickering in and out with the flashes of thunder.
The lightning illuminated grotesque, twisting grins, empty eyes, and flickering silhouettes of nightmare shapes that shouldn't have been there. And then—
The laughter started.
It wasn't just Gengar's usual cackle anymore. It echoed, bounced, warped—as if there were a hundred of them, whispering, chuckling, watching from the storm itself.
"Did the coordinator decide that today will be horror themed and not tell anyone or what?!" Even from the stands, Gary felt a chill crawl up his spine.
He wasn't alone.
Nate had visibly tensed, his usual smirk completely wiped from his face. "Okay. That's... way creepier than it needs to be."
Eva hugged herself, shifting in her seat. "I hate that. I hate all of that."
Meanwhile, Ashley's points dropped. Hard.
The moment the move landed, the contest scoreboard flashed, penalizing her for losing control of the battlefield's atmosphere.
Gary clenched his jaw.
Damn. That's smart.
Ashley needed to turn it around—fast.
She called for Proserpina to bring the battlefield back to her side, giving a sharp command for Grassy Terrain—but Damian was two steps ahead.
While everyone's eyes were locked on the storm, Hitmonchan had already positioned himself perfectly behind Gengar, hiding in his shadow.
Ashley, so focused on dealing with the storm, didn't see it coming.
"Power-Up Punch!"
In an instant, Hitmonchan shot forward—and instead of aiming at Gengar's opponent, he punched through his partner. And, because of Gengar's Ghost-type immunity, the attack went right through his body—completely unhindered. Which meant the full force of the Power-Up Punch—already charged up by the boost—slammed directly into Proserpina's face.
Gary flinched.
Ouch.
Proserpina stumbled backward, dazed, her petals shaking from the impact. The moment's hesitation cost her even more points, as the scoreboard dipped again in Damian's favor.
Nate let out a groan, running a hand down his face. "That's so cheap—but, like, in a genius way."
Gary nodded slowly, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. He's not just battling—he's playing the contest system, too."
Eva winced, watching Proserpina steady herself. "I hate how much sense that made. That was brutally efficient."
Ashley tried to recover, but the momentum was lost. Damian's battle never slowed down, and he never let her fully reset. Gengar kept vanishing, the storm never quite dissipating, and every move Ashley made, Damian found a way to use it against her.
By the time the final moments ticked away, the points were too far apart to fix.
Then, the bell rang—signaling the end of the battle.
And that was still weird to Gary.
Even after watching so many of these battles, his brain was hardwired to expect a knockout—but that wasn't how contest battles worked. The fight ended when the timer ran out, not when a Pokémon fainted.
And when that buzzer sounded—
Damian was the winner.
The scoreboard flashed final rankings, confirming it—Ashley had lost.
Gary exhaled, sitting back.
Ashley stood there for a moment, completely still. Then, with her usual unshakable grace, she stepped forward, shaking Damian's hand. Gary watched as Ashley shook Damian's hand with a smile, her posture perfectly composed, her voice light as she congratulated him.
But he knew better.
Ashley wasn't as happy as she was making herself look.
The way her fingers curled slightly even after letting go of Damian's hand, the tightness in her shoulders, the way her smile didn't quite reach her eyes—these were all things only someone who knew her well would catch.
She hated losing.
And not in the sore loser kind of way. Not in a "this isn't fair" way. Ashley could accept a loss—she could learn from it—but that didn't mean it didn't sting like hell.
Gary stayed back as Damian took the stage again, accepting his ribbon with a confident smirk, waving to the roaring crowd.
Ashley stayed just long enough to watch, then turned and walked off the stage, her pace calm, measured—but Gary knew she was getting out of there as fast as possible without looking like she was getting out of there as fast as possible.
He gave Nate and Eva a quick nod, ignoring the way Eva's eyes flickered with concern, and then he left the stands himself.
Ashley was already gone by the time he made it to the contestant hall, but he knew where she'd be.
Sure enough, when he walked into the locker room, she was there.
She had already changed out of her kimono, now back in one of her usual comfortable outfits—her vest, her skirt, the clothes that let her move freely. But she was sitting on the bench, silent, staring at her hands, her fingers pressing into her palm like she was trying to physically feel the loss.
Gary didn't say anything. He just walked over and wrapped her in a hug.
And just like that—Ashley broke.
She sobbed into his chest, her shoulders shaking, the sound raw in a way that made Gary's chest tighten. She clutched onto his jacket, burying herself in the warmth, letting it out—the frustration, the disappointment, the sheer gut-punch of losing when she had come so close.
Gary didn't say anything.
Didn't tell her it was fine. Didn't tell her she'd get 'em next time. Didn't try to fix anything.
He just held her.
Because he knew Ashley.
And he knew that, just like Vulcan, she would bounce back like nothing had ever happened. She would grin and train harder and pretend it didn't sting.
But for her to be able to smile honestly tomorrow, she needed to cry today.
And Gary?
Gary had zero issues being there for her.
If anything, he was just glad she trusted him enough to be vulnerable.
Ashley Ketchum's Team:
Mars - Charmeleon
Vulcan - Arcanine
Neptune - Lapras
Proserpina - Vileplume
Venus - Vaporeon
Apollo - Dragonair
Mercury - Male Eevee
Chione - Alola Vulpix
Gary Oak's Team:
Wartortle
Nidorina
Nidorino
Scyther
Kadabra
Kingler - Krabby
Doduo
Golem
Eva's Pokemon Team:
Ivysaur
Tangrowth
Exeggcute
Parasect
Nate's Pokemon Team:
Dugtrio
Sandslash
Graveler
Damian's P.O.V:
Gengar
Hitmonchan
