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"Ash, you pervert!"
Dawn's indignant cry echoed at the village entrance. At her fierce insistence, Ash had finally set her down, but the air between them was thick with a resentful blush. Ash had certainly taken a few "tactical advantages" during that carry, and his current attempt to look innocent was only making her blue eyes narrow further.
"Ahem... Dawn, look! Pikachu and Brock are already waiting in the village center. We should catch up!" Ash said, his thick skin finally reaching its limit under her gaze. He hurried forward, using the lively atmosphere of the village as a shield.
The hamlet was transformed for a local festival. Banners fluttered in the breeze, and the scent of roasting snacks filled the air. It was the perfect distraction.
"You're finally here," Brock said, waving a flyer as they approached. "Dawn, you're in luck. The village is hosting an informal Pokémon Contest today. It's the perfect warm-up for the Wallace Cup!"
"A Contest? No problem!" The girl's resentment vanished instantly, replaced by a spark of competitive fire. She grabbed the flyer and bolted toward the registration booth, her pink dress swirling behind her.
While Dawn went into "Coordinator Mode," Ash and Brock explored the stalls. Ash, mindful of the morning's "incidents," made sure to pack a warm snack for Dawn—specifically, some local fermented tofu that smelled pungent but tasted like heaven.
"Oh! A Pokémon Center!" Brock's eyes suddenly transformed into hearts. "Nurse Joy must be feeling lonely in such a small village. I must go to her!"
"Wait, weren't we going to find—" Ash started, but Brock was already a blur of speed, leaving a trail of dust.
Ash sighed, covering his forehead. "Well, since we're here, I might as well use the PC."
He headed into the center, checked in with the local (and very overwhelmed) Joy, and placed a call to Professor Oak. It was time for a roster adjustment. He needed a specialist for the amount of "farming" he planned to do on the way to Floaroma Town.
After a series of chaotic events—mostly involving Brock being physically removed from the counter by Croagunk—the two returned to the training grounds just as Dawn was finishing her dress rehearsal.
"Where have you been?!" she demanded, hands on hips. "The first round starts in ten minutes!"
"It's all Brock's fault," Ash said without a second thought. "He got trapped in Nurse Joy's gravitational pull."
"Pikapi!" Pikachu added, pointing a supportive paw at the teary-eyed Brock.
"Anyway, I brought you this," Ash said, handing her the snack. "Fuel for the stage."
Dawn's eyes softened as she took the fragrant treat. "Arigato, Ash. But... I'm already in my dress. I don't want to get a stain before I even go out there."
"I'll help. Just say 'ah'."
Dawn's face turned pink again, but she obeyed, opening her mouth. Ash carefully fed her the small pieces, his palm steady. Brock and Pikachu watched from a distance, the former weeping over his lost Joy, the latter wondering why his Trainer was suddenly so "smooth."
The Contest was informal, judged by the village chief and the local Nurse Joy. Dawn chose to debut her newest partner, Pachirisu.
The performance started beautifully—a shimmering display of static electricity and graceful hops. But Pachirisu, being the "Husky" of the Pokémon world, got a bit too excited. It unleashed a Discharge that didn't just look like fireworks; it actually shocked the judges and the front row of the audience, leaving them with smoking hair.
"Oh no... we're definitely disqualified," Dawn sighed in the lounge, her shoulders slumping.
"Actually, look at the board," Ash said, pointing at the screen.
To her shock, Dawn's name was in the top spot. "But I shocked the judges!"
"It's a small village, Dawn," Brock explained. "Most of the other performers couldn't even get their Pokémon to stay on the stage. Compared to them, your 'electric shock' was the most exciting thing they've seen all year."
Pachirisu immediately puffed out its chest, looking incredibly smug as if it had planned the shock all along. "Sly little fellow," Ash chuckled.
The battle round was a breeze. Pachirisu faced Jessie's Dustox, using its massive fluffy tail as a filter to block the Poison Powder before finishing the match with a surgical Discharge.
The victory was theirs, but the "Grand Prize" left Dawn in a state of pure shock.
"A year's supply of bananas?!" she wailed, looking at the literal mountain of yellow fruit piled in the village square. "How am I supposed to carry this? They'll spoil in a week!"
"Don't worry," Ash said, a confident smirk on his face as he pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. "I brought back a specialist for exactly this kind of situation. Come out, big guy! It's time for a feast!"
"Snor... lax!"
The ground shook as the massive Pokémon appeared, its eyes already fixed on the mountain of bananas with a predatory glint of hunger.
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