GC134

==Synopsis==
The Grand Festival begins.
==Summary==
A week has passed since Justin and Rachel arrived at Slateport City, and the Grand Festival begins the very next day. Scores of coordinators have gathered, taking extensive time to practice, and Rachel is no exception. Justin and Andrew enjoy her appeal ideas with all her Pokemon. 
Justin admittedly does not have any notes on her appeals at least nothing different than usual. He has had Rachel focus more on her double battling skills, especially with Minun who would be her ace for the competition. Justin has full confidence Rachel will advance to the double battle rounds, but it is the double battle stage that truly demonstrates the best competitor because ordinary contests do not have double battles. Andrew asks why double battles would be so different, and Justin explains the intricacies of making contest combinations between two Pokemon that requires incredible rehearsal. 
Rachel wants to rehearse more for appeals, which Justin permits but he assures Rachel that Grand Festival at the end of the day is just one massive contest. The difference being is that every single competitor has earned five ribbons, making them and their Pokemon highly skilled. While this freaks out Rachel, Justin reminds her that she is also one of those highly skilled individuals, something she did not realize. 
That night, Rachel and Summer discuss their journey as Coordinators since they competed in Rustboro City. They also begin to discuss Justin and Rachel's mentorship under him, which Rachel believes has made her a better coordinator. Meanwhile, Andrew hammers Justin questions about Contests, which annoys him. 
The welcome gala for the Grand Festival is had. Summer and Rachel gather at the site to spot their competition who are all registering. One by one the two Coordinators recognize so many competitors they have faced in their journeys, including Derek and Rose. Magma Admin Courtney is in disguise and she passes by Rachel and Skitty with her Ninetales. Evyr makes herself known after she registers. She hugs Summer and Rachel, happy to reunite with them. 
Outside, Justin and Andrew are together. Since they are not competing, they have to wait to enter the gala. Now that they are alone, Justin expresses surprise that Andrew is interested in performing since he made no note of it in Johto. Andrew admits that he was not interested in contests at all, not even visiting the Contest Hall in Ecruteak City, but when he first arrived at Hoenn in Lilycove City, he visited one of the contests while taking time to relax and he was fascinated by the unique battling and how it could be applied to gyms. Despite Justin's knowledge of Contests, he admits he does not use contest tactics in gym battles but wonders if he did. 
Andre soon appears with Manectric and tells Andrew that Justin will give him all kinds of ideas for contests. Justin rolls his eyes, and Andrew recalls Andre from the Battle Pike Battle Tent. He can tells the bad blood between Justin and Andre, who presents his fifth ribbon. He entters the gala to register and intends to crush Rachel then they meet. Once Andre leaves, Justin gives Andrew the unfortunate story. 
The welcome gala unfolds with Coordinators and companions all ready. Juan gives a welcoming speech and encourages all coordinators to enjoy the gala. Rachel, Summer, Evyr, and Andre mingle with many of the competitors she's met in her journey. Several prospects have interviews. Lisia and her long-time rival, Chazz are there as well. Without Lisia competing, Chazz is the clear favorite for the Ribbon Cup. Justin meets with Leader Juan who is on the Festival committee and one of the judges. 
A woman at the entrance makes a fuss looking for Rachel. Security explains only one companion per Coordinator is allowed. The woman asks whom her daughter could possibly have invited other than her. Rachel is called and goes to the entrance and sees her mother, Josephine, who demands to know who Rachel is travelling with and Justin soon appears. Rachel recovers from the surprise of seeing her mother and introduces her to Justin. Josphine takes the chance to embarass Rachel about traveling with a boy. Rachel convinces security to let in her mother, and Josephine is thrilled to meet Rachel's new friends and rivals. Josphine whispers in Rachel's ears that she has a surprise for her daughter that she wanted to give her in person. 
The day of the Grand Festival is had. Justin and Rachel share a big hug, and Justin wishes Rachel best of luck for her performance. The first appeal stage is two days long, and Rachel is set to appeal on the first day. Rachel leaves for the coordinators' area and the dressing rooms where she and the others get changed into the festival costumes. Justin sits in the stands with Andrew, Summer, and Josephine. Summer and Andre are slated to perform on the second day of opening round appeals. Josephine eyes Justin and shares that she intends to interrogate the boy properly after the first day's events. 
The festival begins with the Idol Lisia flying in on her Altaria who fires a Draco Meteor into the skies for an explosion of fireworks. Lisia introduces the judges, including Juan and special guest judge Pryce of Mahogany Town, Johto. Lisia reminds everyone that the first appeal stage is two days long. She announces that 186 competitors have entered the event and 64 will advance to the second appeal stage. She announces that coordinators will be allowed to use as many moves as they need in three minutes to make the best appeal possible. The appeal stage finally begins.
Several thrilling appeals are had. Evyr appeals on the first day as well. She calls on her Roselia to start the competition. Roselia releases a magnificent Petal Blizzard, accompanied by springtime sparkles. Roselia then glows beautifully with Synthesis. 
When it's Rachel's time to perform, she is in a brand new outfit for the Grand Festival. She calls on Jigglypuff. Jigglypuff first uses Psychic. She does not control anything, but when Jigglypuff uses Psychic, her eyes illuminate a shining aquamarine. Jigglypuff then levitates into the air. She then performs a Sing. Jigglypuff glows white and sings a magnificent melody. Unlike the performance in Verdanturf Town, Jigglypuff's song produces glistening sound waves on top of rainbow notes, emphasizing how well they've trained to improve a former appeal. At the end of the appeal, Jigglypuff lands on Rachel's head, and they pose. 
Toward the end of the first day of appeals, Chazz performs and calls on his Machamp, who performs a Bulk Up. Machamp then punches the ground with all four fists using Dynamic Punch. Machamp's attack has so much power that it releases an earthquake that cracks the entire stage. Backstage, Rachel and Evyr observe Chazz's power appeal and they are reminded that contests are not just about beauty but showing off the best attributes of Pokemon, and they may happen to be power. The two are reminded of their horrible loss to Chazz in Slateport City months ago. While they recognize each other as rivals, they know Chazz is the real competition. 
On the second day of the first appeal stage, Rachel and Evyr sits in the audience with their friends. Summer performs with her Meditite on a pool of water. Meditite levitates above the water and performs Meditate, building power. Meditite then strikes the water with Ice Punch. Due to its own Pure Power ability and the increased power from Meditate, Meditite's Ice Punch creates a massive splash that then freezes to become a glorious ice flower in one of most beautiful appeals of the opening stage.
When Andre performs, he calls on Chinchou. Chinchou glows yellow with Charge. While maintaining the golden glow, Chinchou's antennae glow purple with Confuse Ray. The blend of contrasting colors yellow and purple in a shining light on Chinchou's body produces an amazing appeal.
At the end of the second day of appeals, after an intermission, the judges announce the top 64 coordinators in order of performance. Summer is among the top five scorers. Evyr is not far behind, comfortably in the top 10. Andre scores in the top 30. Rachel becomes disheartened when she's not among the Top 40 Coordinators, causing her to grip Justin's hand in nervousness, but she scores in 52nd place. Rachel is deeply relieved. She does not care how "low" she scored. She's moving onto the second appeal stage.
==Major Events==
*Evyr and Andre arrive in Slateport City and register for the Grand Festival
*Andre is revealed to have earned his fifth ribbon
*Magma Admin Courtney appears in her disguise and registers for the Grand Festival
*Leader Juan appears as one of the judges for the festival
*Lisia acts as the emcee of the Grand Festival
*Rachel's mother, Josephine, arrives at Slateport City from Kalos
*The Hoenn Grand Festival begins
*Rachel, Andre, Summer, and Evyr advance to the second appeal stage
For a list of all major events in this anime, please see Major Events (Grand Conquest). 
==Characters==
===Humans===
*Justin
*Rachel
*Andrew
*Summer
*Evyr
*Andre
*Lisia
*Chazz
*Juan
*Rose
*Derek
*Courtney (disguise)
*Mr. Suziko
*Mr. Contesta
*Nurse Joy
*Coordinators
*Audience
===Pokemon===
*Eevee (Justin's)
*Skitty (Rachel's)
*Aipom (Andrew's)
*Meditite (Summer's)
*Manectric (Andre's)
*Altaria (Lisia's)
*Machamp (Chaz's)
*Dustox (Derek's)
*Ninetales (Courtney's)
*Mightyena (Coordinator's)
*Breloom (Coordinator's)
*Aron (Coordinator's)
*Swalot (Coordinator's)
*Hariyama (Coordinator's)
*Ninjask (Coordinator's)
*Golbat (Coordinator's)
*Lairon (Coordinator's)
*Staryu (Coordinator's)
*Grumpig (Coordinator's)
*Sabelye (Coordinator's)
*Wigglytuff (Coordinator's)
*Girafarig (Coordinator's)
*Mawhile (Coordinator's)
*Kecleon (Coordinator's)
*Xatu (Coordinator's)
*Banette (Coordinator's)
*Misdreavus (Coordinator's)
*Clefairy (Coordinator's)
*Clefable (Coordinator's)
*Koffing (Coordinator's)
*Numel (Coordinator's)
*Grimer (Coordinator's)
Category:Grand Conquest
Category:Episodes with Contests
Category:Grand Festival Episodes