Dawn and Zoey locked eyes.
Each saw the fiery determination burning in the other's gaze.
They were friends—but at this moment, they were also fierce rivals.
"Dawn… So it's you and me who made it to the final stage after all," Zoey took a deep breath as she looked at the girl about her own age standing across the stage.
Both girls had their own style—Zoey's strength lay in chaining together beautiful, coordinated combinations using her Pokémon's moves.
Dawn, on the other hand, had a more balanced approach, placing great emphasis on the bond and harmony she shared with her Pokémon.
"It seems Miss Zoey and Miss Dawn are familiar with each other and have also both made it to the final round of this Grand Festival! What an incredible fate!" Marian, the host, raised her voice, heightening the already electrified atmosphere.
Though truth be told, there wasn't even a need for her to stir the crowd.
The spectators were already on the edge of their seats.
They knew they were about to witness a truly dazzling Pokémon Contest Battle.
"Hey Ash, who do you think will win this one?"
In the stands, Johanna turned to Ash with curiosity.
Ash's face was calm, full of quiet confidence. He had handed Dawn a special trump card before the match began. With that, he was certain.
"Dawn will win."
Just three words—simple and direct.
Johanna gave a nod. Deep down, she was hoping the same thing.
"Glameow! Gallade! It's showtime!"
"Togekiss, Shaymin—let's shine!"
"Shaayy~min!"
"Tokeee~!"
Wait, what? Shaymin?
Zoey froze.
When did Dawn catch a Shaymin?
Fortunately, Shaymin was currently in Land Forme. If both of Dawn's Pokémon could fly, the matchup would have been overwhelmingly tilted.
"Oh my goodness! Miss Dawn's Shaymin—it's making its debut on the Contest stage! We've never seen it before in any prior performances. Shaymin is such a rare and adorable seasonal migratory Pokémon—what a treat!" Marian's voice bubbled over with excitement.
Shaymin's cuteness was overwhelming—even Marian couldn't help but gush.
While Shaymin could speak through telepathy, it refrained here. With such a massive audience, its cheerful "Shaay~min!" was more than enough.
This was no ordinary Shaymin either. This was the Shaymin whose Seed Flare could once open the gate to the Reverse World.
But under Ash's guidance, after being caught by Dawn, Shaymin had learned to control its Seed Flare perfectly.
Now, unless it willed it, the move wouldn't open any portals.
Shaymin jumped onto Togekiss's back with a sparkle in its eyes.
"Let's go! Togekiss, Air Slash! Shaymin, use Synthesis!"
Though it was Shaymin's first Contest, it had practiced endlessly with Dawn in private.
Riding on Togekiss's back, Shaymin began to glow softly as it used Synthesis, bathing both itself and Togekiss in radiant healing light.
Togekiss, meanwhile, launched a glowing crescent-shaped Air Slash at Zoey's team.
Immediately, the judges deducted points from Zoey.
But Zoey quickly refocused. No matter the opponent, she had her own style and strategies.
Togekiss and Shaymin were fighting as a unit. Her priority: split them up. Only then could she pick them off one by one.
"Gallade! Use Psycho Cut to intercept that Air Slash! Glameow, spring off your tail and launch a Quick Attack!"
Without hesitation, Zoey executed her counterplan.
Glameow bounced off its springy tail and soared toward Togekiss with a sharp gleam in its eyes.
Just as Togekiss fired its Air Slash, Glameow's Quick Attack landed a split-second sooner—shattering the attack mid-air with a sudden explosion.
A cloud of smoke blanketed the top of the Contest Hall.
Tossed by the shockwave, Glameow was caught mid-air by Gallade's Psychic, gently returned to the ground.
Meanwhile, with Air Slash neutralized, Gallade's Psycho Cut flew clean through and struck Togekiss!
Shaymin was thrown from Togekiss's back!
"Got it!" Zoey clenched her fist in triumph. "Now we've got the upper hand!"
But…
Dawn had wanted Zoey to separate her Pokémon.
She'd been waiting for this.
By allowing Zoey to take the bait, she could use her own moves to highlight her team's elegance—and make her opponent lose even more points!
"Shaymin…"
As Shaymin fell, there was not a hint of panic in its eyes.
Even as the scoreboard dipped slightly in Zoey's favor, Dawn remained calm.
Because now—it was time to unveil Ash's secret weapon.
Before the battle, Ash had given Dawn a preserved Gracidea flower.
"Shaymin! Let's dazzle them—transform!"
Dawn hurled the flower toward Shaymin. As soon as it touched the petals, Shaymin's body erupted in radiant light.
Its form shifted—Land Forme to Sky Forme!
It soared upward on delicate paws, running through the air itself!
The judges deducted more points from Zoey for the sudden display of style and tactical brilliance.
And that wasn't the end.
"Shaymin! Seed Flare—let's light it up!"
"Shaayy~min!"
Shaymin's flowers glowed.
It inhaled the smoke still lingering from the earlier explosion, absorbing it with a twirl.
Its body turned jet black—only to suddenly ignite in a blinding burst of radiant light!
Its fur shimmered—glistening, renewed, utterly breathtaking.
Another wave of gasps echoed through the crowd.
More points deducted from Zoey!
This may have been the first Contest in history where one side's Pokémon hadn't even lost the battle, yet still got their score wiped clean!
The Seed Flare overwhelmed even Zoey's vision.
She felt her heart drop.
She'd walked right into it.
A meticulously crafted glamorous trap. And she'd fallen for it—just like Dawn and Ash had planned.
From the moment Seed Flare exploded, she knew she'd lost.
Even Gallade and Glameow had been momentarily blinded by the light!
"Now! Togekiss, Aura Sphere!"
Dawn's voice rang out clearly.
Togekiss fired the glowing orb—super effective on Glameow!
"Shaymin! Aerial Ace!"
Shaymin streaked through the air like a blade—super effective on Gallade!
But Dawn had the attacks staggered—one hit, then the other.
That meant Zoey lost points twice in succession.
Bzzzzzt!
The buzzer blared.
Zoey's score was depleted.
Her Pokémon were still standing—but she'd lost on points.
Dawn had won!
Author's Note:
Some might say this is unrealistic—how could Zoey get completely overwhelmed like this?
But just imagine the scene. Replay the Contest in your mind, and you'll see it was all carefully thought through. I spent a lot of time crafting this.
And let's not forget—Dawn is one of the heroines. She trained hard. She had Shaymin on her side.
So in my opinion, she deserved the win.
Agree or not, I hope you enjoyed it—and if not, go easy on me in the comments…
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T/N:
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