Chapter 147: Dawn’s First Pokémon Contest!

Words : 934 Updated : Oct 8th, 2025

"Mi! Mi!" Buneary nodded enthusiastically, agreeing without hesitation! Dawn was overjoyed—absolutely ecstatic! She had only been testing the waters, hoping but not truly expecting success. Yet, to her surprise, Buneary actually agreed! However, as a Trainer, Dawn knew she couldn't just take in a Pokémon without a proper battle. Since Buneary was to be her first captured Pokémon alongside Piplup, she had to do things the right way. Buneary also seemed to understand what Dawn meant. Its adorable ears twitched before it gave a small nod. Then, without warning, it leaped high into the air. At the same time, it glanced over at Pikachu. "Pika..." Ash struggled to keep himself from laughing—this Buneary was totally smitten with Pikachu! "Alright, let's do this, Piplup!" "Pipluuup!" "Piplup, use Bubble Beam!" "Piplup!" Dawn may have been a rookie Trainer, but the way she commanded Piplup in battle hardly made her seem like one. Piplup unleashed a stream of sparkling bubbles, all soaring toward Buneary. However, instead of dodging, Buneary countered with an unexpected move— An Ice Beam! "This Buneary seems to have impressive potential. It's already learned Ice Beam," Anabel remarked from the sidelines. Ash checked Buneary's stats using his system. It had a Red-tier potential—not bad at all. That was the standard qualification level for Pokémon trained by Gym Leaders. Buneary's Ice Beam froze all of Piplup's bubbles mid-air, turning them into floating ice spheres. The frozen bubbles hovered for just a moment before shattering into tiny ice crystals that rained down beautifully. "Whoa, that was incredible! This kind of move is perfect for a Pokémon Contest. No doubt about it! Piplup, use Peck!" Dawn was falling harder and harder for this adorable Buneary. "Pipluup!" Buneary jumped to dodge Piplup's attack, landing gracefully before preparing a counter. Its small ears glowed as it aimed an attack at Piplup— It was Dizzy Punch! If Dizzy Punch connected, Piplup would fall into confusion! "Piplup, quick! Dodge it and then use Peck again!" Dawn knew she couldn't afford to let Piplup get hit. "Pipluuup!" "Mi!" Just in time, Piplup successfully dodged Dizzy Punch and landed a clean hit with Peck! "Great! Now, follow up with Bubble Beam! Go!" "Pipluuup!" Buneary took the full brunt of Bubble Beam! Dawn quickly pulled out a Poké Ball and was just about to throw it— "Wait, Dawn! Your Poké Ball is still in its small form! You need to expand it first!" Ash quickly reminded her. Dawn panicked for a second but swiftly pressed the button on the Poké Ball, making it expand to full size. "Alright, this time for sure—Poké Ball, go!" The Poké Ball flew forward and successfully absorbed Buneary! The ball rocked back and forth on the ground... once... twice... thrice... Ding! The capture was a success! "Yes! We did it, Piplup! We've got our first new teammate! Now we're ready for the Pokémon Contest!" "Piplup! Piplup!" Piplup happily celebrated alongside Dawn. — With her new teammate secured, Dawn wasted no time rushing to Jubilife City to sign up for the Pokémon Contest. Since this was her very first Contest, she also had to register for an official Sinnoh Contest Pass. The Contest itself was scheduled for the next day, so that afternoon, Ash helped Dawn train for the Performance Stage while Anabel took care of the baby Stantler. The little Stantler's condition had improved significantly, and thanks to the healing properties of the Heal Ball, it was almost fully recovered. "Dawn, look over there." After finishing a training session, Ash pointed toward his Aipom. "This little guy was the Pokémon I caught back at Indigo Plateau while watching a Contest with my friends. Back then, Aipom loved watching Pokémon performances. Even just now, it was watching your practice session intently. Dawn, why don't you try teaming up with Aipom for the Contest? I think it would really enjoy performing with you." "Huh? But Aipom is your Pokémon, Ash." Dawn was surprised. "Well, yeah, but a Pokémon's happiness matters too. My other teammates are more into Gym Battles or big tournaments. But if Aipom's real dream is to compete in Pokémon Contests, then it might be better for it to be with you." "...Let's see what Aipom decides, then," Ash continued. "For now, that's enough training. You and your Pokémon should get some rest—tomorrow's the big day." As Ash walked off, Dawn remained deep in thought. Considering a Pokémon's feelings... — The next morning marked a big milestone for Dawn— The Jubilife City Pokémon Contest was officially starting! Dawn had planned to wear a new Contest outfit but was running late getting dressed. When Anabel went to check on her, she found out why—Dawn's hairpin had gotten tangled in her hair! Another girl, who looked quite cool and confident, was helping Dawn fix it. That's when Dawn met Zoey. Zoey was also competing in the Contest. Meanwhile, inside the Contest Hall, the stage was set. The host for Sinnoh's Pokémon Contests was Marian, while the judges included the Pokémon Fan Club President, a Pokémon Center Nurse Joy, and a Contest official. "Good morning, everyone!" Marian announced. "Today, Coordinators and their Pokémon partners will dazzle us with stunning performances! Who will steal the show with their breathtaking appeal? Let's find out! Now, let's welcome our first contestant—Zoey!" The crowd erupted in cheers as the Jubilife Pokémon Contest—Dawn's very first Contest—officially began! -------------- T/N: Access 40 Chapters in Advance on my P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals

Chapter 147: Dawn’s First Pokémon Contest!

Comments (0)