Ash and Dawn each headed toward their respective destinations.
Ash made his way to the Hearthome Gym, while Dawn went to register for the Hearthome City Pokémon Contest.
Concerned for Dawn, Anabel decided to accompany her.
Ash planned to use Chimchar in the Hearthome Gym battle, allowing it to experience just how much stronger it had become.
However, when Ash arrived at the gym, disappointment washed over him.
"Oh, right… I almost forgot. At this point in time, the Hearthome Gym Leader is away on a journey. That means I'll have to postpone my Gym battle."
"Pika…"
Both Ash and Pikachu sighed as they stared at the tightly shut gym doors.
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. Let's go, Pikachu! The Hearthome Battle Hall is also hosting a Tag Battle Competition in three days. It sounds pretty interesting—let's sign up for that!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu raised its tiny paw in agreement.
Besides, Paul would also be entering this Tag Battle Competition.
Very soon, he would witness just how much Chimchar had changed.
Ash was certain that Paul would be surprised.
__
As Ash stood near the gym, a familiar voice called out.
"Ash, long time no see."
Nando approached, carrying his signature harp.
"Ah, Nando! It really has been a while. The last time we met was at the Eterna Historical Museum. Since then, it looks like you've caught some strong new Pokémon."
"Pikachu!"
Ash and Pikachu looked at the Pokémon standing beside Nando—Kricketune.
Kricketune gracefully moved its blade-like arms, producing a series of musical notes as they rubbed together.
"Thank you for the compliment. This Pokémon is indeed a wonderful partner. However, it's unfortunate… I had planned to challenge the Hearthome Gym with Kricketune, but with the Gym Leader away, it seems I'll have to wait. Instead, I'll be competing in the Hearthome Pokémon Contest."
With a slight bow of respect, Nando took his leave, heading toward the Contest Hall with Kricketune.
Ash watched him go and then turned to Pikachu.
"Nando seems to have improved a lot… Let's go register for the Tag Battle Competition first, and then we'll head to the Contest Hall to cheer Dawn on."
In the original timeline, Dawn had failed to pass the first round of this Hearthome Contest.
That loss had shaken her confidence, causing her to fall into a slump.
Would things be different this time?
Would Dawn's fate change, or would it remain the same?
__
Meanwhile, Dawn and Anabel arrived at the Hearthome Contest Hall.
After successfully registering, they ran into Zoey and Nando.
During their conversation, Zoey learned that Nando planned to compete in both the Sinnoh League and Pokémon Contests.
That immediately made her frown.
Zoey had seen far too many trainers attempt both paths, only to fail at both due to a lack of focus.
She strongly believed that a trainer's time was limited, making it nearly impossible to truly master both battling and coordinating.
She couldn't stand people who tried to do everything but excelled at nothing.
__
As time passed, the Contest Hall buzzed with excitement.
At exactly 2:00 PM, the Hearthome Pokémon Contest officially began!
As always, Marian opened the event with a lively introduction, followed by the three contest judges greeting the audience.
Then, the first contestant took the stage.
Nando!
"Come forth, Sunflora and Kricketune!"
For this Contest, Nando had chosen music as his performance theme.
As their Poké Balls opened, blue musical notes emerged, flowing like a river through the air.
Since Hearthome Contests required two Pokémon to perform together, the challenge tested not only a coordinator's creativity but also their ability to synchronize two Pokémon at once.
"Let the music play! Sunflora, use Grass Whistle! Kricketune, use Sing!"
Both moves—Grass Whistle and Sing—were typically used to put opponents to sleep.
However, when controlled skillfully, they could blend into a beautiful melody rather than an attack.
As the two Pokémon played their respective tunes, it felt as if they had transformed into musicians performing in a vast meadow.
Their performance captivated the audience, perfectly showcasing their charm.
The crowd cheered loudly, and Nando's score reflected their enthusiasm.
With that, the Contest continued as other coordinators took the stage.
Finally, it was Dawn's turn.
__
Dawn chose Piplup and Pachirisu for her performance.
The moment Ash saw her strategy, he lightly shook his head.
Dawn had Piplup use Bubble Beam, wrapping Pachirisu's Sweet Kiss inside the glowing bubbles.
A visually stunning combination, but not what the judges were truly looking for.
Ash sighed.
She still hadn't realized it.
A Pokémon Contest wasn't just about making moves look pretty.
What truly mattered was showcasing a Pokémon's individual charm—the essence of its personality and abilities.
Move combinations were only secondary.
Ash could have told Dawn this directly, but he didn't.
Some lessons could only be learned through experience.
Understanding something on your own was completely different from simply being told.
Dawn needed to discover this truth for herself.
Only through failure would she truly grow stronger.
Anabel, noticing Ash's reaction, became nervous.
She silently prayed that Dawn would make it through to the next round.
After Dawn, Zoey took the stage with her Shellos and Glameow.
Soon, all the performances were finished.
Now came the moment of truth—announcing the top eight coordinators moving on to the next round!
__
Backstage, in the waiting room, Dawn casually chatted with Zoey.
She confidently declared that she would show Zoey her best skills and even defeat her.
Zoey, however, was too focused on the screen, watching the results appear.
The names were revealed one by one.
Zoey advanced.
Nando advanced.
Even Jessie, disguised as "Jessilina," advanced.
However…
Dawn's name was missing.
She hadn't made it.
The smile vanished from Dawn's face.
For a moment, she sat there in shock, unable to process what had just happened.
Then, the tears came.
No matter how hard she tried to hold them back, they fell anyway.
Why?
Why, despite all her hard work, had she failed to even pass the first round?
Author's Note:
(I won't spend too much time on Contests, since they aren't as popular among readers. The upcoming Hearthome Tag Battle Competition will be a major highlight, focusing on Ash vs. Paul and showcasing Chimchar's transformation!)
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