Meeting Zoey

Today it was time for the gang to start getting ready for the Jubilife Contest, which was taking place tomorrow. Dawn was trying on her contest outfit which her mother had given her. She wore a pink dress with a white collar, a red ribbon around the waist with three small red ribbons on the collar and red shoes. Dawn also had her hair tied up.

"How do I look?" She asked Brock and Tomo.

The boys thought Dawn looked good in her dress. Johanna, who was on the video phone, told Dawn there was also a choker in the box the dress came in, but Dawn replied saying there wasn't a choker in the box.

Just then a Glameow appeared holding a black choker with a red ribbon on it's tail.

Tomo looked it up on the Pokedex.

"Glameow, the Catty Pokemon. It claws if displeased and purrs when affectionate. It's fickleness is very popular among some."

Just then a girl with spiky red hair approached them; she was Glameow's trainer.

"I saw your choker on the floor in the dressing room and I realized it was yours by your dress." The girl said.

Dawn thanked her and told her mom that she felt ready for the contest.

"Now Dawn." Her mom said sternly. "The last thing you need is to be absent-minded. If you let yourself get distracted so easily, you will not win any Pokemon contests."

"No need to worry mom." Dawn said. "I've practiced a lot with my Piplup and Ariados so we will be fine."

"It's when you say not to worry that gets me more worried." Johanna reminded her.

Dawn wanted to thank the girl again for finding her choker, but she was gone.

"Hang on, where's Ash?" Dawn asked.

"Right here." Ash replied.

Ash had come out of the dressing room wearing a different outfit. It made him look like a hunter, but without a bow and arrow. He wore a blue tunic, white trousers, brown boots, a brown belt, a green hat with a white feather sticking out of it and green gloves.

"Wow Ash, you look great in that." Dawn said.

"I called my mom and told her that I needed to dress up for the Pokemon contests here and she made this outfit for me then sent it over." Ash said.

Johanna turned to Ash.

"Ash I saw your contest appearances on TV with Dawn, so I look forward to seeing what contest moves you'll perform here in Sinnoh." She said.

Then the phone call ended.

"Come on Ash, let's do some more last minute training." Dawn said.

"Wait a minute Dawn." Ash said. "You and I need to register for the contest first."

"Oh no, I forgot about that." Dawn said in a panic.

Ash face palmed; he had a feeling that Dawn hadn't registered yet.

"It's a good thing that Brock, Tomo and I are traveling with you." He said.

The gang went up to the desk, where they had to register and Ash and Dawn got themselves sorted out. Once they received their Sinnoh contest passes, they were also presented with ribbon cases, a ball capsule, the rule book and an envelope. Ash got a blue-green ribbon case and Dawn got a pink one. Ash opened the envelope and saw some seals in it.

"Hey Dawn, what are these seals for?" He asked. "We didn't get anything like this in Hoenn and Kanto."

"These seals are to make a super appearance when you release your Pokemon from the Poke Ball." Dawn said.

She demonstrated it by placing her Piplup's Poke Ball in the capsule. Next she placed a heart seal on the capsule and then she threw the ball and lots of hearts appeared when Piplup came out of it.

"Wow, that's pretty cool." Ash said.

"You're right and there are all sorts of seals that do different things and you only place one on each capsule." Dawn said.

"I get it." Ash said, excitedly.

After sorting out the registering and getting out of the outfits, Ash and Dawn could now do one more practice session for the Pokemon contest. Dawn showed how much practice Piplup had done with his Peck attack; with storing so much energy it could make his beak get bigger while it glowed. Ash's Aipom put on a performance by using Double Team and then Swift. The multiple Aipom's created a giant star in the sky thanks to Swift.

"Wow Ash, your Aipom is certainly built for Pokemon contests." Dawn said.

"I agree, she really loves them." Ash said. "The funny thing is even though my other Aipom likes them a bit, this Aipom here is really into them."

"Well Pokemon do like different things Ash." Brock reminded him.

*That afternoon...*

Ash and Tomo were alone on the training grounds. Tomo wanted to get some quick training done before it was time for the first Sinnoh gym. Tomo had his Bidoof out and Ash had his Starly. Bidoof was male and knew Tackle, Growl, Rollout, Defense Curl, Headbutt and the egg move Quick Attack. Starly was also male and he knew Tackle, Growl, Quick Attack, Wing Attack, Double Team and the egg moves Sand Attack and Feather Dance. Tomo sent his Snubbull out.

"Snubbull, I need you to teach Bidoof the moves Protect, Double Team, Secret Power and Hidden Power." Tomo said.

Snubbull knew those four moves and she was happy to teach Bidoof. Ash had his Swellow race with Starly to work on it's speed.

Just then, the girl with the Glameow showed up.

"You're Ash Ketchum, right?" She asked him.

"Yes and you are?" Ash asked back.

"I'm Zoey. I've seen you participate in contests on TV." Zoey said. "But I must ask you. I've heard you participated in contests and gym battles, right?"

"That's right, I do." Ash answered.

Zoey frowned.

"You should make up your mind on what you really should be doing." She said.

Apparently Zoey was one of those people who was against those who competed in both gym battles and Pokemon contests. Ash sighed.

"There's nothing wrong with people competing in both contests and gym battles." He said. "I learned that there have been many people who take part in both gyms and contests, and there's no rule against it. In any case, I alone decide what I should do."

Zoey didn't take in any of that and left.

"I can't believe it." Tomo said. "No one has ever complained about you entering both Pokemon contests and gym battles and now somebody is."

"Don't worry about it." Ash told him. "I'll show her exactly what I'm capable of."

He was going to Pikachu in the battle round of the contest.

When the brothers got back to Dawn and Brock they told them about Zoey. Dawn couldn't believe she was against those who competed in both gym battles and contests.

"What are you going to do Ash?" She asked, worried.

"I'll show her exactly what someone who competes in gym battles can do in a Pokemon contest." Ash replied.

"Be careful Ash and don't let what Zoey said get to you." Brock said.

"I won't." Ash replied.

*That night...*

Dawn couldn't sleep. She was extremely nervous about her first contest. She got out of bed and went out onto the balcony. She called out her Piplup and Ariados.

"Sorry to disturb you two, but I can't sleep." She said. "The thought of tomorrow's contest keeps going around in my head."

She took out Johanna's old ribbons and showed it to Piplup and Ariados. The Sinnoh ribbons were just a big pin with two ribbons dangling from them.

"This was the first ribbon my mom ever won. Piplup, Ariados I know you two will be great tomorrow."

Piplup and Ariados were happy to hear those words.