Jen, miffed at James' recklessness, didn't say anything to him for the rest of the evening. In the morning, she introduced her team to Kakuna, allowing them to come to terms with their teammate's new form. Pichu kept her distance as usual, with Elekid standing in front of her. Togetic and Golbat flitted above their heads, and Magmar shooed them away from Kakuna when they tried to get too close.
Jen chewed thoughtfully on a power bar as she watched the sun rise. The first two gyms hadn't been too difficult, but both her and James' inexperience with the Kanto gyms made each challenge a little tougher than most. Her team composition didn't help matters, but she didn't want to break up the side just to ease the challenge. Elekid and Pichu would evolve when they were ready, and the others could be counted on to step up and give their all when asked. Jen crumpled up her power bar wrapper and stuck it in a pocket of her bag. She just needed to keep working hard, and the results would come in time.
James, meanwhile, had kept Doduo in his ball until the morning, wanting the team rested before integrating the incorrigible newcomer. Electabuzz's condition was the most worrying, but the Electric-type had more or less just had the wind knocked out of him, and was in good spirits when he joined the others. Nidoran, for his part, just looked at his sister in awe. Blue was now much bigger than he was, and her heavy jaws looked ready to snap shut on anything—or anyone—that happened to cross her path. Her red eyes watched her teammates eagerly, and focused particularly on the Pokéball in her trainer's hand.
“Okay, guys,” James said, lightly tossing the ball in his hand. “No sudden moves. Electabuzz...”
“Don't let that thing out near the tent!” Jen shouted from his right. James blinked, then moved several yards away from their tent and supplies.
“Let's try that again. Electabuzz, be ready in case he goes berserk again. Typhlosion, you too. Nidoran and Blue, hang back. We don't need a four-on-one brawl before we've even introduced ourselves.” He took a long breath, then hurled the ball as hard as he could. The ball released the two-headed bird, who looked wildly around with both heads, trying to get his bearings.
“Hey! Over here!” Doduo's heads turned, and all four eyes narrowed a little as he recognized James. “Relax. We're not going to fight...not anymore, anyway. We did all our fighting yesterday.” He took a step closer to the bird, and tried to keep his breathing steady. “I figured you should meet the team, so we can work you into our training.” Doduo's heads turned to each of the others in turn, and he lingered on Electabuzz. “Yeah, that's Electabuzz. He's the one you ran over. This,” he swept his arm to indicate the Poison-types, “is Blue, and her brother Nidoran. Blue was the one who bit you.” Blue growled an apology to her new teammate. “Right. And this,” he pointed to Typhlosion, whose ruff was ablaze, “is Typhlosion. He's the first Pokémon I ever got.” James watched Doduo warily, but the bird seemed to have expended his manic energy in the previous day's scuffle. “So that's it. You're part of the team now. Does that sound good?” Doduo's heads both focused on James, tilted sideways, then he chirped happily. “Excellent. We're gonna be unstoppable soon enough.”
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The rest of Route 6 passed by without much incident. With Doduo, Typhlosion and Magmar at the ready, the two youngsters could ward off the various Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon that lived in the wild areas along the road. In time, a vast lake hove into view, and they carefully worked their way around it, watching the anglers and younger trainers fish along the edge. Several times, a Magikarp or Goldeen would leap out of the water, startling nearby fishers, and then plummet back into the water with a noisy splash.
Eventually, they saw the Vermilion City skyline appear in the distance, and their pace increased as they got closer. The route narrowed as they neared the city limits, with rows of bollards marking the approach to the gatehouse. As they passed through the well-traveled building, Jen noticed several posters on the wall.
“What's the...” Jen moved closer to one of the posters, “the Vermilion City Classic? Is that some kind of tournament?”
“It is, kind of,” a voice said, and Jen turned abruptly to face the speaker. A girl with auburn hair in twin braids stood looking at the posters as well. She had a light tan, with violet eyes and a small smile. Her navy cardigan sweater covered a white blouse, and her dark skirt reached a little below her knees, leaving a small gap to the tops of her stockings. The only thing that looked out of place on her were her red sneakers. Jen gave the new girl a quizzical look.
“Um, hi?” she said, raising a hand in a half wave. The girl gasped.
“Oh, goodness, I'm sorry. I haven't introduced myself, have I? I'm Kimmie, Kimmie Johnston.” She held out her hand, and Jen shook it.
“My name's Jennifer Richards, but you can call me Jen.” She looked for James, but didn't see him. “My friend's around here somewhere, but I'll let him introduce himself. What is the Vermilion City Classic, Kimmie?”
“It's the first Pokémon Contest of the season.” Jen looked confused.
“Pokémon Contest? Is that like a Gym battle?” Kimmie shook her head.
“A Pokémon Contest is different from a typical battle. A coordinator—that's what participants are called—practice with their Pokémon to emphasize their appearance, and the visual appeal of their moves. There is a battle component, but it's not the slugfest that most battles are. It's not easy to cause reliable damage and make the moves look good at the same time.”
“My mom's told me some wild stories. She was a coordinator when she was young.” James said as he walked over. “Sorry, couldn't help overhearing.” Jen rolled her eyes at her best friend's lack of decorum.
“Kimmie Johnston, meet James Enfield,” she said, and James and Kimmie shook hands. James put a hand on Typhlosion's head as the Fire-type growled at him.
“Relax, buddy, I'll introduce you. Kimmie, this is my Typhlosion. He and I have been through a lot together, along with Jen.”
“Oh, you two are traveling together?” Kimmie asked as her eyes widened, and James nodded. “Are you guys from Kanto? You look like seasoned travelers.”
“Seasoned is a stretch,” Jen said, smiling at last. “We've been traveling together for nearly three years now. We both live in Johto, but James is the native. I'm originally from Snowpoint City, in Sinnoh.”
“No way!” Kimmie grinned as she looked at the pair of them. “How'd you two end up out here?” James and Jen looked at each other, and Jen gave him a you tell it look.
“Well, we traveled through Johto together, and we both made it to the Silver Conference tournament. My friend slash rival Hunter made it through too, but he got dumped out in the early rounds.”
“So did I,” put in Jen. “James made it to the Victory Tournament, but his dad beat him.”
“Your dad's a trainer too?” Kimmie looked impressed. “That must've been fun, getting to battle him in such a big match.” James felt his mood drop for just a moment, but recovered.
“It was...interesting. He didn't make it past the next round, though.” As James said this, Jen looked away. “Dad actually won the Silver Conference when he was younger, but he didn't challenge the Elite Four like conference champions get the chance to do.” James laughed. “He said my mom distracted him.” Kimmie laughed too.
“Aw, that's cute. Your mom and dad sound like cool people.” She turned to Jen. “What about you? Were your parents trainers?”
“Um, no, actually,” Jen said, going a little red. “My mom tried it, but never really took to it. My dad...well, he never even tried. He was all-in on going into business.”
“It's not for everyone, I guess,” Kimmie said. “What'd he do?”
“He ran the business office for a shipping company in Snowpoint City. We left after my uncle died at sea, though.” Jen composed herself for a moment before continuing. “He gave me a Magby and a Togepi to keep me company when we moved, though. So I guess you could call Magby my starter.” Kimmie looked impressed, but a little solemn.
“Sorry to hear about your uncle. But it sounds like you've gotten on okay since?”
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“Yeah, you could say that.” Jen smiled sadly. “Are you from around here? You certainly know a lot about this contest, at any rate.”
“Yup!” Kimmie said with enthusiasm. “I'm from Vermilion City, actually. I've watched the Classic almost every year since I was old enough.” She looked at the time. “Why don't we head over to the convention centre and you guys can see for yourselves. I'm competing in the appeal round this afternoon, and I'll be meeting a friend of mine over there too.” Jen looked at James, who shrugged, and she smiled.
“Sure, Kimmie. I've never seen a Contest before, so it'll be interesting to see how different it really is.”
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The Vermilion City Convention Centre was a low-slung, rectangular building at the end of a long pier. Various shops, arcades and restaurants lined the pier, with flashing lights everywhere. The pier was packed with tourists, contest participants and residents out shopping, appropriate for such a bustling area.
James, Jen and Kimmie worked their way through the crowds and entered the Convention Centre through a revolving door. Inside, banners of past Classic winners hung from the rafters, and a life-sized cutout of a particularly popular coordinator stood in a well-populated corner. A long line of visitors waited to get pictures taken with the cutout, which struck James as odd. If he was going to take a picture with a member of the Electabuzz, he'd want to meet the real player.
James and Jen hung back while Kimmie joined the line for the registration desk. Kimmie gave her trainer card to the woman behind the counter, and the woman handed her back the card along with a smaller, lime green card with a blue ribbon embossed on the front, and a numbered sticky note. Kimmie waded back through the crowd and rejoined the Violet pair.
“Okay, I'm registered and ready. Now, all we have to do is wait.”
“Is your friend entering too?” Jen asked, looking for a calm area in the crowded foyer.
“Uh, no, she's not,” Kimmie admitted. “She's not really the coordinator type. I think she was taking on the Vermilion Gym this morning.” Jen's eyebrows raised.
“The Vermilion Gym? That's where we're heading eventually. Maybe she can give us pointers.”
“I doubt it,” Kimmie giggled. “She's not really the coordinator type.”
Just then, an announcement sounded over the PA system.
“Attention, please. Welcome to the Vermilion Convention Centre, home of the Vermilion Classic! Staging for Appeal Round One will begin in thirty minutes. Participating coordinators, please check your registration number against the chart on the video screens around the complex to locate your staging area. Spectators, please begin to make your way to the seating area. Again, staging for Appeal Round One will begin in thirty minutes...” Kimmie turned to James and Jen and took a big breath.
“Well, I guess I'd better go get ready. Let's meet back here when the first appeal round is over.” She checked her mobile device. “My friend just messaged me, she's done at the Gym. I've told her to meet us here as well. I hope she gets here in time to see me appeal.”
“She will, don't worry.” James said, and he and Jen headed for the spectator entrance while Kimmie started looking for a video board. They flashed their trainer cards to the usher, who looked at Typhlosion as she handed Jen a small brochure.
“He's a little big, but he can stay out. Just keep an eye on him.” James put a calming hand on the annoyed Fire-type's head as they moved through and found seats in the second level of the arena. Jen consulted the brochure as James looked around.
“It says here...two appeal rounds, then the top eight competitors compete in three battle rounds. Battles last five minutes, so it won't go on all day. Should be all right, huh?” James shrugged.
“I never did see my mom compete. She'd given it up by the time I came around. I'll have to tell her I was here, she'll find it funny.” Jen rolled her eyes, then focused on the arena floor as the lights dimmed, and a spotlight focused on a woman in a blue dress. As the crowd cheered, she addressed them through her headset microphone.
“Hello, Vermilion City!” she called, and the crowd cheered again in response. “Welcome to the 48th annual Vermilion Classic! We've got a big one for you today, folks! Coordinators from far and wide have come to open this new Contest season, which will of course culminate in the Grand Festival at the Indigo Plateau, just two weeks before the Indigo Conference!” She waited for the crowd noise to subside, then continued. “Before we begin, let's meet our esteemed panel of judges! First, from the Pokémon Activities Committee, please welcome Raoul Contesta!” A grey-haired man in a red blazer and a black bow tie waved from his podium. “From the Vermilion City Pokémon Fan Club, Richard Thomas!” A man with a bushy white mustache, this time in a pinstriped suit and wide fedora acknowledge the crowd. “And last but not least, from the Vermilion City Pokémon Centre, Nurse Joy!” The pink-haired nurse waved cheerily to the crowd, receiving the loudest roar of all.
The MC waited for the crowd noise to lower again, then keyed her mic. “All right, enough housekeeping! Let's get this Contest season going! We'll start with a local competitor. She's competing in her first Contest today, so let's encourage her with a nice hometown cheer! Please welcome Vermilion's own Kimmie Johnston!” The lights came back up, and James and Jen applauded as Kimmie approached the centre of the stage.
Kimmie looked over at the MC, and she gave her an affirmative nod.
“Okay, here we go,” she whispered to herself, taking a steadying breath. “Oddish, you're up!” The blue Grass-type emerged onto the stage and waved its fronds as it faced the crowd. Kimmie steadied herself again before jumping into action. “Okay, start with Sweet Scent!” Oddish released a small cloud of pink powder that seemed to calm the crowd down. “Now, combine it with your Stun Spore!” Another cloud of powder, this time a golden yellow, mixed with the Sweet Scent, and Oddish managed to keep it contained to the area around it. “Let's finish up with Moonlight!” Oddish screwed up its eyes, and a small white orb flew into the air above it. A bluish light, resembling a spotlight, illuminated Oddish and the swirling cloud of powder, drawing gasps from parts of the crowd. The light and powder dissipated, and Kimmie and Oddish bowed in several directions. The MC gave Kimmie a thumbs-up before addressing the crowd again.
“All right! Let's hear what our panel has to say!” She indicated the three judges, and Contesta spoke first.
“A tried-and-true appeal with multiple coloured powders, but highlighted in a unique way!”
“Creatively done, too.” Richard Thomas added.
“The use of Moonlight as a finale to this short performance was a nice touch.” Nurse Joy finished.
“Well, there you have it! Thank you, Kimmie! Let's give her a big hand!” Kimmie curtsied to the judges, then left the stage.
It seemed to Jen that it was easy to tell how experienced a coordinator was based on how elaborate their appeals were. One in particular pulled off a stunning light show with his Magneton, combining the red, blue and yellow beams of Tri Attack with Mirror Shot and Gyro Ball until it resembled a multicoloured disco ball. Of course, the next performer tried a complicated routine involving a Slowpoke using Psychic to manipulate multiple Water Pulse orbs at once, only to have the orbs fall on it and explode when Slowpoke lost its concentration. James was glad they weren't sitting too close, since the result was a flooded main stage and many drenched spectators. Eventually, though, the appeal round ended, and they headed back to meet Kimmie during the intermission.
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“That was awesome!” Jen said as she and James met Kimmie in the foyer. “The way you combined those powders was so cool!”
“Thanks, Jen,” Kimmie answered, looking a little embarrassed. “We've been practicing that for weeks, and I'm glad it came off. I don't know if it's going to be enough to move on, but I've got the first-time jitters out of the way, at least.”
“You'll be okay,” Jen reassured her. “My Pichu had her first battle back in Cerulean City, and I know she's eager for more now.”
“I know I'm ready for more,” Kimmie agreed. She looked up, and her face brightened as she spotted someone in the crowd. “Oh, hey, she made it. Chelsea! Over here!” Kimmie waved her arms to catch someone's attention, and a girl in a purple vest came over. Curly blonde hair poked out from under a black stocking cap, and her white shirt was tucked into dark jeans. Her ochre eyes were intense, but her soft features offset them.
“Hey, Kim,” the girl said, smiling a little. “Your appeal looked great.”
“You think so?” Kimmie replied, smiling more broadly. “You softie. I'll make a Contest lover out of you yet, girl. Just you wait.” She looked at James and Jen. “Oh, I met these two at the gatehouse. Chelsea Bridgeman, this is Jen Richards and James Enfield. They're both from Violet City, out in Johto.” Chelsea nodded at both of them, and she gave James a lingering, appraising look.
“Kim's been trying to get you to become coordinators too?” she asked with a light laugh. “She'll never convince me. I'm too focused on battling to do anything else.” James nodded, then noticed a pin on the left side of her vest.
“Tell me that's not a Starmie pin,” he said, squinting to get a better look, and Chelsea raised an eyebrow.
“Not even close. It's actually a Staraptor pin. I've been a fan since I was little. Why, what team do you like?”
“Electabuzz all the way,” James said, relaxing a little. “Wait, if you're a Staraptor fan, are you not from Kanto either?”
“Nope,” Chelsea replied. “I'm originally from Hoenn. Rustboro City, to be exact. I grew up a short way from the stadium.”
“No kidding,” James grinned. “Kimmie told us you were taking on the Vermilion Gym. How'd you do?”
“I got beat, but it was close.” Chelsea shrugged nonchalantly. “Nothing I didn't expect. I left my team at the Pokémon Centre, so I'll have to head back quick once this is over.” She looked at one of the video boards, and nudged Kimmie's arm. “Hey, looks like they're posting the results. You'd better check it out before you get crowded out.” Kimmie moved towards the nearest board, and the crowd swallowed her up.
“We'd better stay here,” Jen said, watching the waves of people surging towards the screens. “We don't want to lose each other in this crowd.” James and Chelsea agreed, and they waited for Kimmie to emerge. A few minutes later, she did, looking downcast.
“I, uh, didn't advance,” she said, her eyes a little moist. Jen patted her on the arm, and Typhlosion gave her a sympathetic growl.
“I'm sorry. You were so excited to compete, too.”
“Thanks Jen,” Kimmie replied. She brushed the developing tears out of her eyes with her hand. “It's okay, I didn't expect to advance in my very first Contest, anyway. And I learned a lot watching the other appeals, so I know how to improve.”
“I'll help if you want,” Chelsea said, also patting her friend on the shoulder. “Once we're back at the Centre, we can start up some training.”
“That'll be nice. But let's stay for the rest of the Contest. The best way to learn right now is to see how the successful coordinators compete.” Kimmie started towards the spectator doors, and James, Jen, Typhlosion and Chelsea followed her to watch the rest of the Vermilion Classic.