The Pokémon Contest in Slateport City entered its second phase: the battle stage.
From the eight Coordinators who passed the Appeal Round, matchups were drawn at random. Unfortunately for May, she was paired against Drew in the very first match. Ash, on the other hand, was up against an unfamiliar Trainer—a clear advantage.
Though May had grown rapidly thanks to Ash's guidance, she was still inexperienced in battle coordination compared to the seasoned and polished Drew.
"Guess I'll see you in the finals," Drew said casually to Ash, ignoring May's fiery gaze.
"Don't get too full of yourself!" May snapped, clenching her fists. "I'll be the one facing Ash in the finals, not you!"
Ash, looking at the bracket, sighed internally. Honestly, I doubt either of you are making it to the finals... Robert's in May's bracket. He's the real obstacle.
Round 1: May vs Drew
The five-minute timer started. May sent out Beautifly, while Drew released his ever-confident Roselia.
Type-wise, Beautifly had the edge. But experience? That was Drew's domain.
Almost immediately, May fell behind. A surprise Magical Leaf caught her off guard, causing her score to drop. Drew's elegant use of Stun Spore added shimmering effects that both dazzled the audience and cut into May's points.
Panicking, May went for a desperate Silver Wind, but Roselia's Petal Dance scattered it effortlessly.
And then came the finale—Drew's Roselia unleashed a brilliant Solar Beam, multicolored and radiant. It blasted through the stage and finished Beautifly in a single hit.
May's score hit zero.Drew was the winner.
Back in the lounge, May sat quietly, her eyes red and filled with tears. Her shoulders were trembling.
"May…" Brock and Max stood nearby, unsure how to comfort her. Despite their constant sibling squabbles, Max was clearly worried.
"I just… I'm not okay with this," May sobbed. "Beautifly worked so hard... and I still lost…"
Ash walked over and gently patted her head.
"It's okay to be upset," he said. "Losing means you care. But contests, battles… life—it's never just smooth sailing. Rivals are meant to challenge us, push us further. Turn that frustration into motivation. Win next time."
May wiped her eyes and looked up at him. "Ash…"
She nodded, tears still clinging to her lashes. "I will. I'll beat him next time. No matter what!"
With each battle limited to five minutes, the rest of the rounds moved quickly.
As expected, Drew was eliminated in the next round by Robert, the skilled and composed Coordinator with a powerhouse partner—Milotic.
That left only one final matchup: Ash vs Robert.
Finals: Ash vs Robert
Ash stepped onto the stage. "Let's go, Noctowl!"
A flash of golden light signaled the entrance of his shiny Noctowl, gliding elegantly through the air.
Opposite him, Robert released his star performer: Milotic. Its scales shimmered with iridescent beauty, its every movement graceful and fluid. The audience gasped in admiration.
Milotic – Early Gym-Level StrengthNoctowl – Early Gym-Level Strength
"So we're even…" Ash muttered to himself. "Let's go!"
"Milotic, Twister!" Robert called smoothly.
Milotic twirled its long tail, summoning a powerful spiral of wind that surged toward Noctowl.
"Noctowl, break it with Moonblast!"
Noctowl fired a glowing pink orb. It crashed into the Twister, dispelling the swirling winds in a radiant burst—and then continued, slamming into Milotic's side.
A chunk of Robert's points dropped immediately.
"Follow it up—Hypnosis!"
Noctowl's eyes glowed blue, locking onto Milotic.
"Look away!" Robert warned, his tone for once slightly anxious.
But it was too late.
"Now—Dream Eater!"
Milotic cried out as Noctowl siphoned its energy in a shimmering vortex. Robert's score plummeted.
"Milotic, use Aqua Ring!" Robert commanded.
Water surrounded Milotic, healing it slightly—and causing Ash's score to drop due to the appealing effect.
Ash didn't hesitate. "Noctowl, Hurricane—go!"
Noctowl flapped its wings furiously, generating a massive storm of wind. The gusts tore through the arena, lifting Milotic off the ground and slamming it into the wall.
All three judges displayed red Xs.Robert's score hit zero.
"The winner and Champion of the Slateport City Pokémon Contest is—Ash Ketchum!" Vivian's voice rang through the hall.
APPLAUSE!
The audience erupted with cheers. Pikachu ran out onto the stage, leaping onto Ash's shoulder.
"Congratulations, Ash! That was incredible!" Robert recalled Milotic, walked over, and offered a handshake.
"Thanks!" Ash grinned and shook his hand.
"You did it, Ash!" May, Max, and Brock rushed over from the stands.
"Pika-pi~!""You're amazing, Ash!"
Vivian returned to the stage, holding a ribbon box. "Now, as Champion, Ash and Noctowl will receive the official Slateport Ribbon Badge!"
A staff member presented the gleaming ribbon.
"Thank you!" Ash accepted it with pride.
✨ Ding! Slateport City Ribbon Obtained. Reward: 1000 Points. ✨
"And that concludes the Slateport City Pokémon Contest!" Vivian announced. "Until next time—thank you all!"
Backstage, Ash and his friends gathered again.
"Ash, that was amazing!" May said, admiration in her eyes. "You've only entered two Contests and you already have a ribbon!"
Ash smiled. "You'll get there too, May. Just keep working hard."
May clenched her fists with renewed fire. "Yeah! Next time, I'm beating Drew for sure! Then I'll become a Top Coordinator—beautiful and battle-hardened!"
Later That Day…
After the Contest, the group decided to stay in Slateport one more day to enjoy the city.
Ash sent Noctowl back to Professor Oak and brought Phanpy onto the team. With the upcoming Mauville Gym being Electric-type, Ash planned to rely on Phanpy, Lairon, and of course, Pikachu.
Current Team: Pikachu, Phanpy, Corphish, Lairon, Mudkip, Ralts, Torchic
While Brock went off to shop and May hunted for snacks, Ash wandered the city with Max.
"Ralts~" Ash's Ralts suddenly popped out of its Poké Ball for some fresh air.
"Pika pika…" Pikachu gave the baby Psychic-type a resigned look.
Ash smiled, shaking his head. "Guess everyone needs a break."
They made their way to their next destination: the Oceanic Museum, a major tourist spot in Slateport.
But when they arrived, a sign on the door read:
CLOSED.
"What?! Why is it closed?" Max exclaimed in disappointment.
Ash rubbed his neck. "Maybe there's some maintenance? The brochure didn't mention any closures today."
Max frowned. They were leaving tomorrow. If they didn't get in now, who knew when they'd be back?
Max was already considering climbing over the wall when Ash stopped him. "Whoa—let's not get arrested for trespassing."
Just then, a boy wearing a straw hat ran up and shouted, "Hey! What are you doing here?!"
"Uh… we just…" Max stammered nervously.
The boy pointed a finger at them. "You're here to steal from the Sea Museum, aren't you?!"
"No, no! We just wanted to visit!" Max waved his arms frantically. Of course, thinking about scaling the wall hadn't helped his case.
Ash stepped in calmly. "We came to tour the place. Didn't expect it to be closed.""Pika-pi~"
"Hmph. I don't trust you…"
To be continued…