Heading to the Grand Festival

Ash and May were busy for the rest of the month, training their Pokemon for the Hoenn Grand Festival. During this time some of their Pokemon evolved; Ash's Spoink evolved into Grumpig and May's Marill evolved into an Azumarill. Tomo had been training his Pokemon with Ash and some of them evolved too; his Duskull evolved into Dusclops and his Numel evolved into Camerupt, a red Pokemon that looked like a camel with two small volcanoes on it's back. Tomo also trained some of his old Pokemon and his Slugma evolved into Magcargo. So a lot of things happened this month.

Right now the gang was on a luxury cruise ship called the S.S St. Flower. This ship was for contestants of the Hoenn Grand Festival to get to Slateport City. Ash and May were happy they were traveling in style, and they were allowed to bring friends with them so Max, Tomo and Brock were happy to be on the ship too. This ship had everything; a Pokemon Center, a game room, a movie theater, restaurants and a shopping gallery. Ash thought this ship was better than the S.S Anne and May was delighted to be on a luxurious ship for once.

When Ash and May asked Nurse Joy to take care of their Pokemon for the Hoenn Grand Festival, Ash asked if she had a Leaf Stone. He explained that he decided it was now time for his Nuzleaf to evolve into Shiftry.

"Now that you think about it, I want to evolve my Staryu into a Starmie." May said.

So she asked Nurse Joy for a Water Stone.

Ash's Nuzleaf and May's Staryu had become stronger over the last few months and they knew new moves. Nuzleaf knew Bide, Harden, Growth, Synthesis, Sunny Day, Solar Beam, Explosion, Bullet Seed, Razor Leaf, Energy Ball, Seed Bomb, Nature Power, Faint Attack, Razor Wind, Swords Dance, Dark Pulse, Brick Break, Rock Slide, Swagger, Extrasensory and the egg move Quick Attack. Staryu knew Tackle, Harden, Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Recover, Camouflage, Double Team, Swift, Bubble Beam, Gyro Ball, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Power Gem, Light Screen, Cosmic Power, Hydro Pump, Water Pulse, Thunder Wave and Flash Cannon. So Ash and May decided that it was time for the two Pokemon to evolve.

Nurse Joy handed a Water Stone and a Leaf Stone to Ash and May, and they immediately evolved Nuzleaf and Staryu. Ash's new Shiftry and May's new Starmie looked a lot stronger than they did as Nuzleaf and Staryu. And they learned new attacks; Shiftry now knew Leaf Storm, X-Scissor, Focus Blast, Air Cutter and Cut. Starmie now knew Confuse Ray, Shadow Ball and Psychic.

"I cannot wait to use my Starmie in the Grand Festival." May said.

"I can't wait to use my Shiftry in a Pokemon battle." Ash said.

They were happy.

Officer Jenny then came up to the group.

"Is there something wrong Officer Jenny?" Brock asked.

"Yes there is." Officer Jenny answered. "You see a man who calls himself Brodie the Phantom Thief has been spotted on this ship."

"Brodie?" Ash questioned. "Wait, the same Brodie that was a Team Magma member?"

"Yes." Officer Jenny said. "You see after the arrest of Team Aqua and Team Magma, Brodie managed to escape and now he's a thief."

"Since Brodie disguises himself, it won't be very easy trying to catch him especially considering he's very clever." Brock said. He remembered Brodie.

"I know, but if you kids do manage to see him please tell me right away." Officer Jenny said.

Suddenly Officer Jenny was called on her two way radio.

"Officer Jenny speaking." She said, speaking into the radio.

The radio spoke out that something had happened in one of the rooms on the ship.

"I'm on my way." Officer Jenny said.

The gang asked if they could help in any way.

"You better come with me." Officer Jenny said. "Since you kids know so much about Brodie, I will need your help in case he is here."

Officer Jenny and the gang ran into a room, where to the gang's surprise, Raoul Contesta was. Raoul explained that the other cup, which was held on display in the room, had been taken and a fake one was in it's place. The ribbon cup was a trophy that would be given to the winner of the Hoenn Grand Festival.

"If we don't get that trophy back, then I'm afraid the Hoenn Grand Festival will be cancelled." Raoul said.

Ash and May were not happy to hear that, especially since they had come too far to enter the Grand Festival.

"We have to do something." Ash said. "We can't let the Grand Festival be cancelled."

"You're right Ash." Officer Jenny said. "And I have a idea what to do."

Officer Jenny's plan was that they would place a fake golden Poke Ball in the same room where the fake ribbon cup was and lure out the thief. Everyone thought this was a good idea. So while Officer Jenny placed a gold painted Poke Ball in the glass container, the gang went around spreading news about the golden Poke Ball. Then the gang went back to the room and Officer Jenny told everyone to hide to wait and see if Brodie would make a appearance.

"I'll give the signal when Brodie shows up." Ash said. "I saw right through him last time we encountered him in a disguise."

"That's right, you noticed him when he was disguised as a woman before." Max recalled, remembering the Weather Institute incident.

"Okay Ash, I'll leave you to point out Brodie." Officer Jenny said.

So Officer Jenny and the gang waited and watched to see if Brodie would enter the room. So far everything was quiet and Brodie hadn't showed up. People had come in to see the fake golden Poke Ball, but none of them was Brodie. When the room was empty again, a woman in a green dress and a green hat entered the room alone. Ash then emerged from his hiding spot.

"Haven't seen you since the Weather Institute Brodie." Ash stated.

He was right; the woman revealed herself to be Brodie.

"I see that you remember me kid?" Brodie asked, remembering Ash.

"Like I would forget a Team Magma member." Ash remarked.

Brodie released a Golbat and told it to use Haze, which created a thick black smoke that helped Brodie escape while everyone else was distracted.

"Come on, after him quick." Officer Jenny said. "I left a tracking device on the fake Poke Ball, so we should be able to follow him."

Thanks to Officer Jenny's tracking device, they were able to follow Brodie up to the deck of the ship. Brodie had the Ribbon Cup with him and he was about to make a getaway, when Officer Jenny and the gang stopped him in his tracks.

"You aren't taking the Ribbon Cup anywhere." Officer Jenny said.

"We'll see about that." Brodie replied before releasing his Ditto.

"I'll handle Ditto Officer Jenny." Ash said. "I knocked it once before and I'll do it again."

Officer Jenny agreed to let Ash battle Ditto and he sent his Marshtomp out to battle. Of course Ditto transformed into Marshtomp, but this didn't faze Ash one bit.

"Ditto use Hydro Pump." Brodie said.

"Use Protect and then move in with Mud Bomb Marshtomp." Ash said.

Marshtomp created a barrier to protect himself and then fired a large ball of mud at Ditto.

"Marshtomp and I won't lose to your Ditto, Brodie." Ash said.

Marshtomp pumped up, ready to fight some more.

Suddenly Marshtomp glowed and evolved into a Swampert.

Ash looked it up on the Pokedex.

"Swampert, the Mud Fish Pokemon and the evolved form of Marshtomp. Swampert is very strong. It has enough power to easily drag a boulder weighing more than a ton. This Pokemon also has powerful vision that lets it see even in murky water."

"Okay then Swampert, use your new move Hammer Arm." Ash said.

Before Brodie could do anything, Swampert punched Ditto hard with Hammer Arm and Ditto reverted back to it's real form then fainted. Brodie wasn't happy with that and was about to grab another Poke Ball, but Manectric's Thunder Wave paralyzed him. Officer Jenny then arrested Brodie.

"You will be cured of paralysis once you're in prison." She told him.

Raoul Contesta was pleased that the Ribbon Cup was back safe and sound and he thanked Officer Jenny and the gang.

"Now the Hoenn Grand Festival can proceed as planned." Everyone was happy to hear that, especially Ash and May.

So with the Ribbon Cup returned and Brodie arrested, Ash and the others could finally look forward to the Hoenn Grand Festival.