Soon enough, the gang arrived in Fallarbor, just in time, there were three days left until the contest. May was excited to be here; she almost forgot that she still needed to register.
They checked into the Pokémon Center first. May registered Ralts this time. She'd been putting in a lot of effort, and as Ash had made her understand, she shouldn't rely on one Pokémon for everything.
For one, if there was ever a case where she needed two Pokémon for a contest, she'd be useless. It also made her Pokémon feel neglected. Plus, it just got boring. No, that wasn't Ash's opinion, that was literally a rule in contests. If you used the same Pokémon in every contest, the judges got bored and you received a lower score.
Anyway, May got registered with no problems and put down Ralts as her partner. As they walked out to talk about where they were going to stay and make plans, May looked at her Pokédex, thinking about what routine she should have Ralts perform.
Ash closed it and gave a lazy thumbs-up, "You have plenty of time. Don't think about it right now."
She glanced at him sideways, "You say that like you're not about to make me train until my legs fall off."
"I would never," Ash said solemnly. Then he smirked, "I'd make sure you sit down first."
Brock snorted, "How thoughtful."
Max, meanwhile, was already peering over the registration board, "Okay, contestants list updated… Drew's name isn't here yet."
May stiffened, "Max."
"What?" He crossed his arms, "Just checking. Strategically."
"…Wow, you really don't like him," Brock said, crossing his arms.
"Hey, can you blame me after what May and Ash told us?" Max crossed his arms defensively as he thought to himself, Besides, I cannot allow someone that rude to beat Ash.
"I mean… fair, but also, we did only talk to him once, and I was just being petty. I am a master of being petty."
"Uhh, don't remind me. I still remember that one time when we were younger, you learned how to play an instrument just because we said you couldn't."
"Wait… you know how to play instruments?" Max asked, slowly pulling out a notepad.
"Wait, better question, how many instruments can you play? I remember you told me you could play more than one."
"Um, well, let's see," Ash said innocently, listing them off, "Guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, violin, and vocals."
"All out of spite," May sighed, shaking her head, "I still don't know how you learned all of that so fast."
"Spite is a good motivator. Maybe you should learn to use it," Ash winked, "Oh, and before you ask, no, I will not be playing any instruments anytime soon, nor will I be singing if I can help it."
Max blinked, went back to his notepad, crossed out what he wrote, added a separate note for later, and put it away without clarifying anything at all.
Anyway, Ash and Brock would fight later over who paid for the hotel. For now, they were going to get some lunch and then practice.
As they sat down to eat, Ash raised his hand toward May, holding out three fingers, "Alright. Ground rules for the next three days," he said, "Day one: light training and ideas. Day two: polish. Day three: rest. No burning yourself out."
May blinked, "You're… not making me run laps?"
Ash shrugged, "Not yet."
She narrowed her eyes, "That 'yet' is doing a lot of work."
Ash grinned, "Weeeellllll, you're the one who asked me to train you, and at least now that I'm not starting with nothing, I can take it easy on you. But of course, you could ask me not to train you."
Ash leaned back in his chair, hands laced behind his head, watching May squint at him like she was trying to read fine print that wasn't there.
"…You're doing that on purpose," May said.
"Doing what?" Ash asked innocently.
"That thing where you make it sound optional, but somehow I still end up exhausted and better at battling."
Brock laughed, already halfway through his meal, "That's called experience, May. Or manipulation. Hard to tell with him, honestly, it could go either way."
Ash placed a hand over his heart, "Wow. Betrayal at the lunch table, by my own brother from another mother."
Max, meanwhile, was very clearly not paying attention to the food. He was staring at Ash, then May, then Ash again, his eyes narrowed slightly as gears turned in his head and he made plans.
"So," Max said casually, too casually, "Ash, you're staying close to May during the Contest, right?"
Ash raised an eyebrow, "I mean… yeah? Kinda my job, since I did promise your parents I'd take care of both of you."
"Good," Max said, nodding to himself, "Just checking."
May gave him a look, "Why are you checking?"
"No reason," Max said quickly, "Just… making sure May has proper emotional support from someone reliable. You know, just in case she loses and cries and needs someone close."
"Wa— I don't cry," May said, her cheeks heating up with embarrassment.
"I dunno, you got really close when you—ow!" Max started, until May smacked him on the head, shutting him up before he could reveal that secret.
"Shut up, Max!" May cried, her face burning.
"Okay, okay," Max said, rubbing his head.
Ash chuckled, and Brock found himself reminiscing about his siblings, "I should call my family today," Brock mused.
"Good idea. I'll call Molly too. It's been a while since I saw her, I hope she's doing well," Ash nodded.
"Yeah… I guess I could call Mom and Dad too," May muttered.
"Okay, lunch, check up on family, then off to training," Ash announced, earning no complaints.
—
{Meanwhile}
Jessie, James, and Meowth were contemplating what to do with their newly earned free time. They'd gotten their paycheck and were out of the base, sitting at a diner in Rustboro, all in discussion, obviously.
Jessie stared at the envelope like it might disappear if she blinked, "…So we're really off," she muttered as she let her Cubone out to sit on her lap and fed the little Pokémon.
James slowly stirred his drink, with Mime Jr. copying him, sitting on his shoulder and sipping from a cup of nothing, "No missions, no alarms, and no emergency calls."
Meowth poked the envelope, "And no one yellin' at us."
They all went quiet.
Jessie narrowed her eyes, "I don't trust this."
James nodded immediately, Mime Jr. crossing his arms, "Neither do I. This feels like the calm before we get launched into the stratosphere."
Meowth sighed, "Yeah, but until that happens… what do we do?"
James leaned back in his seat, "Do we know where the twerp is?"
"Nope. We've been kinda busy, so chasing after Pikachu is out…" Meowth muttered, scratching his cheek.
Jessie leaned back, arms crossed, thinking, "We could relax."
James frowned, "That sounds illegal."
Meowth tapped his chin, "We could… go sightseeing?"
Jessie, James, Cubone, and Mime Jr. all stared at him.
"…What?" Meowth shrugged, "We're in Hoenn, y'know, beaches, volcanoes, hot springs, dem fancy contests."
Jessie's eyes lit up, "Contests."
"Oh yeah, you said you still wanted to do those." James pulled out a booklet and flipped through it, "Well, there is a contest in Verdanturf Town. We just need to get through Rusturf Tunnel, but it's pretty close. We should be able to get there in time."
"Well then, let's do it! There is nothing that's gonna stop me!" Jessie raised her arm and announced victoriously.
{30 minutes later}
"What do you mean?!" Jessie nearly screeched as a construction crew tried to clear a cave-in blocking the path to Verdanturf.
"Sorry. I don't like this any more than you do. Because of this, I can't see my lovely girlfriend…" the head of the construction crew said apologetically as he sighed. Although he looked like he was in his thirties and towered over them, he was actually the same age as them. His name was Riley.
Don't remember who he is? I don't blame you. This is Wanda's boyfriend, and Wanda is Wally's cousin.
Of course, the trio didn't know or care about that. All they knew was that Jessie was about ready to burst with anger.
Jessie took one long look at the blocked tunnel. Then she cracked her knuckles, "…Out of the way," she said calmly.
Riley blinked, "Uh, excuse me?"
Jessie stepped past him like he didn't exist, heels crunching over loose stone as she surveyed the cave-in. Her eyes flicked left, right, upward, measuring angles, debris density, support beams. James and Meowth exchanged a look.
"Oh no," James murmured, "That's the face."
Jessie spun on the construction crew, "Okay! Who's in charge of logistics?"
Riley raised a hand hesitantly, "I—"
"Great. You." Jessie pointed at him, "You, tall guy, what equipment do you have on-site?"
Riley blinked again, "…Uh. Pickaxes, a small excavator, reinforcement beams, blasting gel—"
"Blasting gel?" Jessie's eyes lit up, "Why didn't you start with that?"
"Because we're not allowed to—"
"Next!" Jessie cut him off, "How long have you been trying to clear this?"
"About… three days," another worker admitted.
Jessie sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth, "Three. Days."
James stepped in, already rolling up his sleeves, "Alright, everyone, let's not panic. Jessie, maybe we—"
"James," she snapped without looking at him, "Blueprint."
"…You want a blueprint?"
"Now."
James sighed, reached into his coat, and pulled out a folded notebook, "You know, most people use these for poetry."
"Less talking," Jessie said, snatching it.
She sketched fast, dangerously fast, lines snapping into place as she mapped the tunnel, the collapse point, alternate pressure routes.
Meowth hopped onto a crate, wearing his manager's disguise, "Okay, listen up, construction dudes! We're gonna do this clean, fast, and without buryin' ourselves alive!"
Jessie borrowed Cubone's bone and used it as a pointing stick, "You! Excavator, angle it fifteen degrees left. We don't want a secondary collapse. You two, reinforce here and here." She stabbed the paper, "Meowth, blasting gel. Controlled micro-bursts only."
"U-um, right," Riley said, and his team saluted before getting to work, more out of shock than anything else. Turns out, if you yell hard enough, people really do start believing what you say.
James clapped his hands, "Alright, people! Think of this as… teamwork!"
"Why do you sound surprised?" Meowth muttered.
"Are you really asking me that question…?" James deadpanned as Mime Jr. copied his expression.
"Meh, fair enough," Meowth shrugged.
—
In only a few hours, the team managed to break through and clear the tunnel. Riley watched in stunned silence as the cave-in shrank faster than it had in days.
"There, was that so hard? Geez, maybe learn something sometime," Jessie said, hands on her hips after giving Cubone's bone back, "Come on, you two. We've got a contest to get to."
Meowth followed along, already changed out of the manager clothes and back into his usual outfit. Jessie stormed ahead while James bowed apologetically to the construction workers.
"Um, have a nice day, sorry about this," he apologized before running after Jessie.
Riley and the other construction workers watched in stunned silence, then looked at each other.
"So… I guess we get an early break?" one of the workers asked.
Riley cleared his throat, "Uh, yep. But I think I'm going to go visit my girlfriend. I haven't seen her in a whole week."
The workers gave him knowing smirks and cheered him on, "Go get her, Romeo!" they called as he headed toward Verdanturf after the trio.
—
{Meanwhile, back in Fallarbor}
The three days had passed since they arrived, and it was finally time for the contest. May put on her contest outfit and stepped forward to face the judges.
It was the second half of the performance. She'd started strong with Ralts, and now she had to bring it home.
"[Confusion], light form!"
The ribbons fractured into dozens of glowing prisms, each reflecting a different color as Ralts twisted midair. The prisms didn't scatter randomly, they danced, orbiting May and Ralts like a disco ball.
Ralts brought her hands together.
The prisms collapsed inward, converging above May in a radiant bloom, then burst outward in a silent explosion of color, showering the stage in psychic light that faded into soft sparkles before touching the floor.
May smiled, lifted her hand, and snapped, "Finish!"
Ralts landed lightly beside her, eyes flashing as a final pulse of psychic energy rippled across the stage. The sparkles lifted like fireflies, forming a brief, shimmering arc above them before fading completely into soft fireworks.
The hall erupted. Applause thundered from every direction. As May caught her breath, she looked out over the crowd and saw Ash, Brock, and Max clapping and cheering for her, which made her smile even wider.
As the three judges gave her their scores, she walked offstage holding Ralts. She got a 29/30, but the numbers didn't matter to her as much as they had last time.
Since this was a Super Rank Contest, the battle section was now an addendum. While the points still mattered a little, they were mostly used to determine who advanced to the next round, and in rare cases, to break a tie.
May sat down on a bench in the back, breathing heavily but feeling proud as she held her phone, waiting for the inevitable text from Ash and Brock telling her she did a great job.
But then a white bottle appeared in her line of vision. When she looked up, she saw a beautiful red-haired girl, Grace, another Coordinator in this contest. She'd gone earlier and scored 29.5 points, securing her a spot in the final 4, just like May.
Right now, she was offering May a bottle of water, "You look like you could use it. You did great out there."
Grace's smile widened when May accepted the bottle.
"Thanks," May said, twisting the cap and taking a long drink, "You were amazing too."
Grace's face instantly flushed red, "Ah—! I-I mean—thank you! I just—!" She laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck, the sound bubbling out a little too loudly as she pulled her signature silly face before shaking her head and calming down, "You were incredible! That finish, Ralts' timing was perfect!"
May relaxed a little, smiling, "As-oh, well, a friend of mine, helped me clean it up. Well… 'helped' is a strong word. He mainly came up with the idea based on something his Ralts did, and I kinda made it my own."
Grace giggled again, her shoulders shaking, "Well, there's nothing wrong with taking inspiration from others."
They sat there for a moment, the noise of the contest hall humming around them as Coordinators came and went. Ralts leaned lightly against May's arm, clearly tired but content.
"So," Grace said after a beat, glancing at Ralts, "you're planning to use her again in the battle round?"
May nodded, "Yeah. She's still new to contests, but she's been working really hard. I don't want to bench her now."
She was about to continue when a voice spoke up behind her.
"Well, look what the Meowth dragged in."
May heard a very familiar voice, and her mood instantly dipped. Annoyed, she turned slowly to see Drew, holding another rose.
"Strange running into you here," May said flatly, "Are you following me?"
Drew paused, clearly needing a moment to register that, but then he shook his head and slipped back into character, "Don't flatter yourself. My time is far too valuable for you. Still, I'm surprised, you're still around? I would've thought you gave up back in Slateport."
May deadpanned at him, "Didn't I beat you last contest?"
The rose twitched. Drew clicked his tongue, "A technicality. The judges were feeling generous."
"Funny," May shot back, "Because the scoreboard didn't look generous when my points were higher than yours. Which contest was that for you again? Because it was my first."
A couple of nearby Coordinators glanced over. Drew noticed and coughed into his hand, "Well, must've been pity points. Speaking of which, I'm surprised you're not using Beautifly, or that [Counter Shield] of yours. I thought that was supposed to be your bread and butter."
"Well, I'm sorry," May replied, smirking, "but unlike some people who are one-trick ponies, I can train more than one Pokémon. I wouldn't want to bore the judges with the same performance."
She was almost quoting Ash word for word, what he'd told her when he suggested using a different Pokémon this time.
Drew's eye twitched. After all, he was well-known for relying solely on Roselia.
Drew scoffed, twirling the rose between his fingers, "Boring the judges, huh? Big words for someone who's only just starting. Not like me, I have much more experience."
Grace shifted uncomfortably beside May, "Uh—"
May stood up, meeting Drew's gaze head-on. Somehow, that only made it worse for him.
"You know," May said evenly, "it's funny. You keep acting like tearing people down makes you better."
Drew smirked, "Confidence comes from knowing you're better."
"Sure," she said, rolling her eyes, "If that's what you need to tell yourself."
Drew's brow creased, "Excuse me?"
May took a step forward, closing the distance just enough to make her point clear, "You know what the difference is between you and the people I actually respect?"
He tilted his head, "Enlighten me."
"Ash," May said plainly.
The name alone made Drew's expression tighten as he remembered how Ash had literally roasted him the last time they met.
"The guy who stood up for me back in Slateport?" she continued, "You know, after you tried to tear me down because you thought making me feel small would make you feel bigger?"
She met his eyes, steady and unflinching, "He's better than me, in battling, in strategy, in experience, in just about every way you care about." She shrugged, "And not once, not once, has he ever rubbed that in my face."
Drew scoffed, "That's not—"
"He never told me I wasn't good enough," May cut in, "Never belittled my Pokémon. Never tried to shake my confidence just so he could feel superior."
She tapped a finger lightly against Drew's chest, not hard, but firm enough to make him take a step back.
"He helped me, supported me, pushed me to improve without ever making me feel worthless." Her voice sharpened, "That's what an actually good person does."
Grace stared, wide-eyed.
"And you know what?" May added, her tone calm but final, "He's a thousand times better than you'll ever be."
The rose in Drew's hand stopped spinning.
For a split second, he looked genuinely caught off guard, like he hadn't expected this to be the reaction he'd get, but before he could say anything
"Drew Rosefield!" the announcer called, signaling it was Drew's turn to go onstage.
Drew clicked his tongue, forcing a smirk back onto his face, "Hmph. Enjoy it while you can."
May didn't look rattled at all, "Good luck," she said flatly, "You'll need it."
He turned and walked off, shoulders tense.
Grace exhaled like she'd been holding her breath the entire time, "Wow…"
May sat back down, suddenly very aware of her heartbeat. Ralts nudged her arm gently, and May smiled, rubbing her head.
"…Was that too much?" May asked quietly.
Grace shook her head immediately, "No. That was—" She smiled, "Honestly? That was really cool."
"Haa… guess Ash really is rubbing off on me," May said, scratching her cheek with a smile.
—
After all the contests were shown, the top four Coordinators were chosen. Obviously, May and Grace were among them. Drew, unsurprisingly, made it in as well. The last spot went to a blonde girl named Haruka.
Ash, watching from the crowd, vaguely recognized her. Her name was Haruka, from the CCP manga. He knew her mostly because of her… well, let's say hopelessly romantic Torchic, and also the fact that she loved making Pokéblocks… even though she wasn't very good at it.
Other than that, Ash didn't remember much about her at all, probably because he never read that manga past chapter seven. He didn't even remember if it was fully translated when he died. Meh. He might pirate it later just to read the last chapter and see if anything happened.
Anyway, the battles were decided: Drew vs. Grace, and May vs. Haruka. The winners would go on to face each other.
The first match began as the announcer's voice echoed through the hall.
"Up next, our first semifinal battle! May versus Haruka!"
Applause rolled through the stands as May stood, steadying herself. She glanced down at Ralts, who gave a small nod despite clearly being tired. May smiled.
"Alright," she whispered, "One more."
She stepped onto the battlefield as Haruka jogged in from the opposite side, waving enthusiastically to the crowd. The blonde girl nearly tripped over her own feet before catching herself, laughing awkwardly and giving a thumbs-up.
"Hehe, sorry! I'm really nervous!"
May blinked. That was kind of adorable.
The announcer continued, "This will be a one-on-one battle! Coordinators, release your Pokémon!"
Haruka inhaled deeply, her hands shaking as she tossed her Poké Ball, "Okay! Go, Milotic!"
The ball burst open in a splash of light, and a very round Milotic appeared.
The crowd went quiet.
The Pokémon shimmered like polished marble… but her body was noticeably thicker than usual. Her coils were plush, her movements slower, and when she landed, the floor actually shook a little.
Milotic blinked placidly and let out a soft, cheerful cry.
"Miilo!"
A ripple of murmurs spread through the stadium.
"…Is it supposed to look like that?"
"That's… kinda cute?"
"Is it… chubby?"
Ash leaned forward slightly from the stands, squinting, "…Huh." He made a mental note to look into this later.
Haruka laughed nervously, rubbing the back of her head, "Ha… sorry. She really likes eating all my Pokéblocks, even if it's not good for her… but she's really sweet!"
May took a breath and tossed her Poké Ball, "Let's go, Ralts!"
Light flashed, and Ralts appeared, landing lightly on her feet. She looked at Milotic, then up at May, waiting.
Vivian raised her hand to announce the start of the battle, "Battle, begin!"
Haruka panicked immediately, "Milotic! Uh, [Water Pulse]!"
Milotic opened her mouth and fired, but the attack came out slow, wobbling through the air like a drifting bubble.
"Ralts, [Teleport]!" May called.
Ralts vanished in a blink, reappearing above Milotic's head.
May pointed upward, "Now, [Confusion]!"
Psychic light snapped downward, striking Milotic's side. The force sent ripples through her body, but she barely staggered, only wobbling slightly.
"O-oh!" Haruka gasped, "Milotic, you're okay, right?"
Milotic nodded happily.
May didn't know whether she should feel good about this or not. She briefly wondered if she used to be like that, then silently thanked Ash's training from hell, not that she would ever admit it.
"Ralts, [Calm Mind]."
Ralts closed her eyes midair. Psychic energy spiraled around her as she prepared herself.
Haruka bit her lip, "Milotic, uh, [Aqua Tail]!"
Milotic tried to swing, but the motion was sluggish. Ralts dodged effortlessly, twisting past the arc.
"Finish it," May said calmly, "[Psychic]."
Ralts thrust her hands forward.
The psychic wave hit point-blank.
Milotic was lifted clean off the ground, spun once, and landed on her back with a gentle thump, stars circling her head as she giggled faintly. She wasn't knocked out, but she couldn't get back up because she was too round.
Vivian looked at the judges, then covered her face with one hand, "I suppose Milotic is unable to battle! The winner is, May!"
May ran over and picked up Ralts happily, "We did it! We're off to the finals!" Ralts chirped in response.
Haruka stared for half a second, then laughed, jogging over to Milotic and hugging her face, "You did great! You tried really hard!"
Milotic giggled softly and nuzzled into her, clearly unbothered.
Haruka looked up at May and grinned, bright and sincere, "You're really strong. Like, really strong. I'm kinda glad I didn't have to fight you longer, honestly."
May laughed, a little embarrassed, "Thanks. Your Milotic's really cute."
"Right?!" Haruka beamed, "Everyone says she's… uh… 'unique.'"
"Oh, we should go, but I'd love to hear more about her," May said cheerfully.
"Really? I'd like that too, honestly. I just moved here to Hoenn, hehe…" Haruka scratched the back of her head.
As May and Haruka walked off the stage together, Vivian returned to center stage to announce the next battle: Grace versus Drew.
And up in the stands, Ash already knew this was about to be a slaughter, Drew was at a direct disadvantage. But did he care?
No. Not at all.
He just grabbed some popcorn and enjoyed the show.