With a full set of Hoenn Region starter Pokémon now in his care, Ash sent Grovyle back to Professor Oak's lab so it could adjust to its new evolved form.
Two days later, the long-awaited Slateport City Pokémon Contest officially began. Unfortunately for Team Rocket, Jessie had missed the registration deadline and couldn't participate.
[Contest Hall – Main Stage]
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience!" The host, a cheerful woman with bouncy curls and a bright voice, stood center stage. "Welcome to the Slateport City Pokémon Contest, one of the Hoenn Region's premier Gorgeous Competitions!"
Applause thundered throughout the venue.
Following the formalities, the three judges were introduced in turn: Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, and of course, Nurse Joy. After that, the host introduced herself.
"I'm Vivian, and I'll be your host for today's Contest. Please treat me kindly!"
The audience responded with even louder cheers.
[Backstage – Contestants' Lounge]
May sat nervously on a bench, trembling slightly as she waited for her turn.
"May… May…" Ash called gently, but she didn't respond.
"May!" he said again, stepping forward and placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Wha—Ash?!" she jumped slightly, startled from her anxious thoughts.
"Calm down, May. You've got Beautifly with you, don't you? You're not doing this alone. Believe in your partner—and believe in yourself."
At that moment, Beautifly gently landed on her head, flapping its wings softly."Beautifly~" it cooed.
Ash smiled. "If a Trainer is too nervous, their Pokémon will feel it too. You've practiced hard for this moment, right? Don't let those efforts go to waste. Just stay calm—it'll go great!"
May took a deep breath and looked up at Ash. She could feel his words grounding her.
"Yeah. You're right. I've got this!" she nodded firmly.
As Ash walked away, May looked at his back and whispered to herself, Thank you, Ash.
Vivian's voice echoed across the Contest Hall:"Our first round is the Appeal Stage! Coordinators will perform with their Pokémon to showcase not only the beauty of their moves but also their sense of timing and presentation!"
The Contest began, with Coordinators stepping up one by one to show off their appeal routines.
"Now, contestant number 24—Drew takes the stage!"
Drew walked confidently into the spotlight and released his Roselia.
It opened with a swirling Petal Dance, showering the stage in delicate pink petals. The air sparkled as Roselia followed up with a synchronized blend of Stun Spore and Magical Leaf, making the leaves shimmer like glittering emeralds.
Then, it spun again—using Petal Dance to cloak itself in a flurry of petals—before slicing through the veil with Magical Leaf. Green-glowing leaves burst through the pink flurry, revealing Roselia dramatically at center stage.
The crowd was captivated, and the judges were clearly impressed.Drew's final score: 29.4 points, the highest so far!
Backstage, Drew passed by May and couldn't resist another snide comment. The two exchanged barbs, but the interaction actually helped—May's nerves completely vanished in the heat of their rivalry.
"Now entering—contestant number 34—Ash Ketchum!"
"Go Ash!""Pikachu~!"
Ash strode confidently on stage and tossed his Poké Ball."I choose you—Noctowl!"
A burst of light flashed in the air as his shiny Noctowl spiraled down in an elegant arc, landing on his arm.
"Whoa! A shiny Noctowl!" the crowd gasped in amazement at its glistening golden feathers.
"Let's go, Noctowl—Feather Dance and Confusion combo!"
Noctowl unleashed a stream of floating feathers and, with a focused Confusion, shaped them into massive wings surrounding itself like a mystical aura.
"Time to finish! Feather Twister—then Air Slash!"
The twin wings of feathers swirled rapidly around Noctowl as it unleashed blue wind blades, sending the feathers scattering in a soft rain while highlighting Noctowl's shining form in the middle of the swirl.
The audience went wild.
"Wow! Ash is incredible!" May clapped, eyes wide in admiration.
Even Drew narrowed his eyes, watching the performance intently.
Ash's final score: 29.8 points, knocking Drew down to second place.
"Next, contestant number 38—Robert!"
A tall, golden-haired young man stepped onto the stage, releasing his stunning Milotic. A wave of Safeguard wrapped around it in a glowing green halo, further enhancing its natural grace and beauty.
Even Ash couldn't help but be impressed. "Man, that Milotic is something else…"
Robert's final score: 29.8 points, tying with Ash for the top spot!
"Now, please welcome our final contestant—May!"
"You got this, May! Believe in yourself!" Ash called out from the waiting area.
"Pikachu~!""Chamo~!"
May took a deep breath and stepped onto the stage. She could feel the weight of so many eyes on her. Stage fright was real—after all, she was only ten.
Vivian, noticing her nervousness, smiled warmly and said, "This is May's very first Pokémon Contest! Let's give her a warm welcome and see what kind of performance she and her partner have prepared!"
May steadied herself. Ash's voice echoed in her mind—Believe in yourself.
With a firm motion, she threw her Poké Ball. "Beautifly, take the stage!"
Beautifly fluttered into the spotlight, wings dazzling with glimmering scale powder that sparkled under the lights. Its very presence drew applause.
May took out a pink frisbee and tossed it high. "Use String Shot!"
Beautifly gracefully shot a silk thread, catching the frisbee midair and sending it back like a whip. May caught it and threw it again. They volleyed it back and forth—a rhythm of trainer and Pokémon perfectly in sync.
"Now—Hurricane!"
Beautifly whipped up a gust of swirling wind that sent the frisbee spinning wildly in the air before returning it. May leaped, catching it mid-jump and landing in a dramatic pose.
"Time to finish—Beautifly, spin and use Silver Wind!"
Beautifly released a glowing wave of Silver Wind while spinning in midair like a dancer, sending glimmering particles all around the stage in a breathtaking finale.
While the midsection of her routine was simpler, the beginning and end were so elegant and well-executed that she earned strong marks from the judges.
May's final score: 27.9 points! A solid result, more than enough to pass the first round.
Unlike her debut in the original timeline—where she barely scraped by with beginner's luck—this May had grown stronger through her training with Ash.
Backstage, Ash greeted her with a smile. "That was awesome! You'll definitely make it to the second round!"
"Really?! That's amazing!" May beamed, her face glowing with joy.
At that moment, Drew walked over, holding a single red rose. He extended it to her.
"Your performance… wasn't bad. I may have underestimated you."
"Oh… are you giving that to me? Thank you!" May said, surprised.
"It's not for you," Drew said curtly. "It's for Beautifly. As for you—well, you still have a lot to learn."
"You—!" May's face flushed as they launched into another argument.
Just then, the results for the first round were posted!
As expected, Ash, May, Drew, and Robert had all qualified for the next round.
"We did it! We're moving on!" May cheered excitedly.
To be continued...