Cottonton Contest

Today the gang arrived in Cottonton Town. It was a town famous for it's cotton and wool. Apparently their wool and cotton was the softest in all of Hoenn. But the gang wasn't interested in that; they were interested in the contest that was being held today and May and Ash had just signed up.

"I'm going to use Pikachu for this contest." Ash swapped Latias out for Pikachu at the Pokemon Center earlier.

"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

Pikachu was eager to participate in a contest.

May decided to use an electric type Pokemon as well and she chose Minun.

"If I win this I will have three ribbons." Ash said.

"Same with me." May added.

Suddenly there was a smirk behind them.

"You two are entering with electric types?" A voice asked.

It belonged to a young woman with long blonde hair.

"Yes we are using electric types." Ash said. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No." The woman said. "I will be using a electric type too. But seriously your puny Pikachu and Minun won't stand a chance against my electric type Pokemon."

"I'm guessing you're using an Electabuzz." Ash guessed.

"You're a clever boy." The woman said.

He was right; the woman was going to use Electabuzz.

"I'll see you kids in the contest." The woman said before walking off.

"Who in the world was that woman?" Tomo asked.

"I've heard of her." Max said. "Her name's Angelica and she considers herself to be the princess of electric type Pokemon."

"So she's an electric type Pokemon trainer." Brock said.

"Yeah but get this." Max said. "They say that she only owns the toughest Pokemon like Ampharos, Jolteon, Raichu, Magneton, Manectric and Electabuzz. As for the others she condemns them to be weak, especially Pichu and Elekid."

"Oh yeah, well then Pikachu and I are going to teach her a lesson." Ash said. "Pikachu had taken on an Electabuzz before so we know what to do."

"I don't know though; I've never battled an Electabuzz before." May said, worried.

"Don't worry May, just do what you can in this contest." Brock encouraged.

"What I'm surprised about is that she hasn't evolved her Magneton into a Magnezone." Max said.

"What's a Magnezone?" May asked.

Max looked Magnezone up on the computer to answer May's question. Magnezone looked like a flying saucer and it had a red eye as well as a normal eye on each side of it's body as well as three big magnets.

Ash stated that Angelica didn't know about Magnezone. He also said that she probably didn't know about Electabuzz could evolve into a Electivire. Electivire closely resembled Electabuzz, only it was bigger and had two long black tails as well as black fingers.

"If she doesn't know about Magnezone and Electivire, she has a lot to learn about electric type Pokemon." Max said.

Later that day it was time for the Cottonton Contest to begin. Vivian showed off the Cottonton ribbon after doing the usual announcement; this ribbon was white with a light blue outline. May was up first and she called out her Minun. The judges and audience were surprised that May's Minun was shiny.

"Okay Minun use Swift." She said.

Minun fired some stars out of it's body.

"Now use Shock Wave Minun." Minun gathered up some blue electricity and then released it to hit the stars.

"Wow that was a good way to use Minun." Max said.

"Yeah May has learned how to work with electric type Pokemon." Brock noted.

May received a score of 26.5.

A few contestants after May it was now Ash's turn.

"Let's do this Pikachu." Ash said.

Pikachu stood in front of Ash and ran onto the stage. Ash had eight small china plates in his hands.

"Iron Tail Pikachu." He said, tossing the plates into the air.

Pikachu smashed the plates as fast as he could with Iron Tail.

"The way Pikachu strikes those plates is like a sword against a enemy attack." Tomo noted.

"Yeah, Ash put Pikachu's tail to good use in this contest." Max noted.

"Now Pikachu show them your electricity." Ash said.

Pikachu charged up electricity in it's cheeks and then fired it off as a finish. Ash received 27.5. After Ash was done it was Angelica's turn. She did use an Electabuzz and she showed off her Electabuzz's Thunder Punch and Thunderbolt attacks by having her Electabuzz fire Thunderbolt first and then attacking it with Thunder Punch.

"Goodness me, she really likes showing off her skill as an electric type trainer." Max said.

"Yeah, this will be hard for Ash and May." Brock pointed out.

Ash and May saw Angelica's performance.

"That Electabuzz may be hard to beat Ash." May said, worriedly.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we should give up though." Ash said.

"You're right." May said.

The results came in; six contestants made it to the second round and May, Ash and Angelica were three of them.

Ash, May and Angelica were up against the other three contestants in the first battle round, but it showed that May might end up fighting Angelica in the second battle round.

"Oh dear, then I will be battling Electabuzz." May said, seeing the results.

"Oh don't worry May, just do what you can." Ash said. "But do not use electric type attacks because Electabuzz possess the ability to absorb them."

"Okay." May replied.

Ash, May and Angelica easily defeated their opponents in the first round and then it was time for May to battle Angelica. May's Minun and Angelica's Electabuzz were out on the stage.

*'Okay, so I must remember not to use electric type attacks like Ash said.'* May thought.

"Okay Minun use Swift." May said.

Minun fired a lot of stars at Electabuzz and it hit them.

"You call that an attack. Well watch this." Angelica said.

She ordered Electabuzz to use Thunder Wave and Minun was struck by the attack becoming paralyzed.

"Oh no." May said. She knew that being paralyzed would make it hard for a Pokemon to move.

"Now my darling Electabuzz, use Focus Punch on that rodent." Angelica said.

May told her Minun to try and dodge, but Minun was unable to move. Then Electabuzz threw a strong punch at Minun.

"I get it." Brock said. "Angelica's battling technique is paralyzing the opponent and then using strong moves."

"This isn't good for May." Max noted.

He was right; Angelica ordered her Electabuzz to use Thunder Punch next and then Minun fainted. So May lost.

Ash saw everything in the battle.

"Pikachu, we better watch out for that Thunder Wave." He said. Pikachu agreed.

Now it was Ash and Pikachu's turn to battle Angelica. Ash ordered Pikachu to start off with Iron Tail. Angelica ordered Electabuzz to counter that with Brick Break. Electabuzz and Pikachu were striking each other as if they were having a sword fight.

"Okay then use Thunder Wave Electabuzz." Angelica said.

"Counter that with your own Thunder Wave Pikachu." Ash said.

Pikachu fired his Thunder Wave against Electabuzz's Thunder Wave and the two attacks collided.

"Ash understands what Angelica's tactics are, so he's trying to prevent the same thing from happening to Pikachu." Brock said.

"I hope Ash can do this." Max said, worried.

May, watching in the waiting room, was worried about too.

"Okay then Electabuzz use Thunder." Angelica said.

"Use Protect Pikachu." Ash said.

Pikachu quickly created a bluish-green shield that protected him from Thunder. Angelica was starting to lose her patience.

"All right then, Electabuzz use Focus Punch." She said.

Electabuzz used Focus Punch on Pikachu and it hit Pikachu who endured the attack. Just then sparks surrounded Electabuzz and it was paralyzed.

"What happened?!" Angelica demanded.

"You of all people should know that Pikachu has the Static ability just like it's evolved form Raichu." Ash pointed out.

Angelica was not pleased and she ordered her Electabuzz to use Thunder Punch, but it was unable to move.

"Ash certainly knows how to use Pikachu against another electric type Pokemon." Max said.

"That's because Ash and Pikachu have battled together for a long time." Brock said. "Those two are tough."

Just then the results for the battle rounds were up. Ash and Pikachu were the winners as they had a few more points than Angelica. Angelica was not happy with this. She returned her Electabuzz and left the contest hall in a huff.

"That woman has still got a lot to learn about electric type Pokemon Pikachu." Ash said.

Pikachu agreed.

Ash was presented the Cottonton Ribbon, making this Ash's third ribbon.

After the contest was over the gang rested in the Pokemon Center.

"Angelica was no match for you and Pikachu Ash." Max said.

"Well truthfully that woman underestimated Pikachu so her loss was her own fault." Ash said.

"I agree." Brock added. "Besides all Pokemon are strong in their own way, whether they're fully evolved or not."

"Yeah, Pikachu is just as strong as Raichu." Ash said.

Pikachu blushed after Ash's comment.

"Maybe now Angelica will stop underestimating small electric type Pokemon like my Minun." May said.

"Maybe, but we will never know until we meet up with her again." Brock said.

Ash was happy to have three contest ribbons and now he just needed two more for the Grand Festival.