Ash's Story (Part 5: Modern Sinnoh)

Chapter 8: First Ribbon

The Jubilife Pokémon Center felt busier than it had the night before, and most of that energy seemed to gather around Dawn.

She stood near the video phone in her new Contest dress, turning just enough for Johanna to see the skirt, sleeves, and colors properly. Buneary watched from beside her feet, looking almost as proud as Piplup.

"Thank you, Mom," Dawn said, her hands resting carefully against the fabric. "I really like this dress."

Johanna smiled from the screen. "No problem, Dawn. I wanted your first Contest outfit to feel like yours."

"It does," Dawn said, and her voice softened in a way that made the whole room quiet for a second.

Johanna tilted her head slightly. "Though there should have been a choker in that box."

Dawn blinked. "I did not see a choker."

Piplup immediately looked at the box like it had personally failed Dawn. Buneary lifted one ear, then turned as a Glameow walked toward us with a ribboned choker curled neatly around its tail.

A girl with red hair followed behind Glameow. She looked calm, confident, and sharp enough to notice details before anyone else finished searching for them.

"There you are," the girl said to Glameow.

Dawn knelt quickly. "Are you the one who found this?"

The girl nodded toward the choker. "It was on the floor in the dressing room. Matching it with the owner was easy. You were the only girl wearing something that clearly went with it."

Dawn flushed a little. "Thank you. I was really worried for a second."

The girl gave her a small smile. "You are entering the Contest, right?"

"Yes," Dawn said, standing straighter. "This will be my debut."

"Then keep track of your accessories before the stage does it for you," the girl said, not unkindly.

Glameow's meaning came smoothly and amused as it brushed past Pikachu. "New girl shines if she stops dropping shine."

I tried not to laugh.

Johanna smiled through the screen. "Dawn, make sure you thank her properly."

"I will," Dawn said, turning toward the girl again. "I'm Dawn Berlitz. This is Piplup and Buneary."

"Zoey," the girl answered. "And this is Glameow."

Pikachu gave Glameow a friendly greeting. Glameow lifted its tail with graceful politeness, though it looked like it already knew exactly how much space it deserved in the room.

Zoey looked at me next. "And you are Ash Ketchum."

I nodded. "That is me."

"I heard you entered Contests in other regions," Zoey said. "Three Ribbon Cups, right?"

"That is right," I said. "But this is still my first Sinnoh Contest."

Zoey looked toward Dawn for one second, then back at me. "Then the debut stage will have both a first-timer and a veteran. Interesting."

Dawn's eyes widened at the word veteran, and I could almost hear her worry waking up again.

"Everyone starts with one first appeal," I said. "Even someone with three Cups had to step onto the stage for the first time once."

Dawn looked at me, then touched the choker gently. "Right. No need to worry."

Piplup's meaning came fierce beside her. "We worry later. Shine first."