"Ash! So, glad you could make it." Cried Professor Sycamore. With his team, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie, Ash arrived inside of Sycamore's lab. "It's been a while, Professor." Clemont said. He was dressed differently, in a light blue button-up and white cuffed jeans. He kept his tennis shoes though. "Yeah, Professor. What did you call us here for?" Ash questioned.

Professor Sycamore smiled. "I have one more person you can take on your journey." He announced excitedly.

Ash and Serena cheered. "Really? What's he like?" Ash asked. Serena rolled her blue eyes. "Ash! It could be a girl." She pointed out.

"Serena's correct." Professor Sycamore explained. "My daughter, Cherry is a contest rookie like you Serena. She should be here any moment…"

"Bonjour, Papa!" Cherry cried. The girl seemed to be around Ash's age, maybe Shauna's age to be exact. Her hair was jet black and her eyes were gray like her dad's. Cherry wore a white blouse, a blue skirt, and a blue hat like Serena's. Her skin was a brown color and her mary-janes were the same blue as her skirt.

Ash instantly remembered her from Oak's Summer Camp. "Hey! We were battle partners!" He cried out.

Cherry was taken aback for a moment. "Just a moment…you're Ash Ketchum?" She questioned, scratching her chin. "F-from…hmm…Pallet Town!" Cherry announced. Ash smiled. "You've got it."

"Now, Ash had a Contest Partner!" Professor Sycamore pointed out.

The crew tilted their heads in confusion. "Excuse me, Professor. Who's Serena's partner?" Bonnie inquired.

"I assumed it was Clemont." He guessed with a shrug.

Serena hurriedly nodded. "He is. We hadn't started yet. All we did was watch a performance to gain some pointers." Serena explained[KP1] .

"Well then it won't be as hard for Cherry to catch up!" Sycamore explained. He rested a palm on her shoulder. "Do me proud, Cherry!" He beamed at his daughter then placed his hands on his hips. "Au revoir!" He cried, as the team went off.

They ventured to Coumarine City for the Pokémon Showcase.

"Serena?" Cried a surprised Shauna. She waved from the entrance as the crew raced up the steps of the stadium.

"You're here to perform too?" Shauna pondered with a smile.

Serena nodded. "My partner is Clemont, here." Serena announced, gesturing to her blond friend. He waved. "I'm a bit nervous but I'll be alright." He assured.

Shauna looked over at Cherry. "Who's this?" She asked. Cherry curtsied. "My name is Cherry Sycamore. I'll be competing in the Coumarine City Pokémon Showcase as well, along with my partner Ash." She explained.

Shauna extended her hand to Cherry. "May the best performer win." She said. Cherry nodded, shaking the girl's hand.

They arrived inside and approached the receptionist desk. "Hello, welcome to Coumarine Stadium. You must all be performers." The lady asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Yeah, my name's Ash and this is Cherry," Ash was given a slip and he scribbled down their names. Serena looked towards Shauna. "Hey, where's your partner?" She inquired.

Shauna giggled. "He's waiting for me. His name is Calem." Shauna said, writing her own name on a slip. "Performers must be ready in the upcoming hour. Please use our resources to your content. Good luck!" The receptionist nodded then gestured to their left. Bonnie went off to find a seat in the stadium while the others went into the dressing rooms.

Cherry, Shauna, and Serena approached the girl's room. "Wow, performers are practicing here too." Serena noted. Shauna nodded. She reached into her bag and pulled out a Pokeball. "C'mon out, Bulbasaur!" She cried. Her Pokémon escaped the little ball with a cheerful smile. "Bulba! Bulbasaur!"

Serena sent out her own Pokémon, Fennekin.

Cherry was last to show off her Pokémon. "Pachirisu, spotlight!" She shouted, allowing a blue and white electric-type to appear.

Serena and Shauna cooed. "It's so cute." Shauna cried. "I got it from my Mom who is a researcher in Sinnoh. I've had her ever since I was young." Cherry said proudly.

"Outta my way! Future Queen of Kalos coming through!" A familiar pink-haired woman cried. She sauntered into the room in a grand purple gown.

"She must be good to call herself 'Future Queen'." Serena mumbled. Cherry smiled as Shauna observed her Pachirisu with her Pokedex.

"Pachirisu, the Elesquirrel Pokémon. It makes fur balls that crackle with static electricity. It stores them with berries in tree holes. A pair may be seen rubbing their cheek pouches together in an effort to share stored electricity."

"Wow." Shauna said as she stored it back in her shoulder bag. "It's a beauty."

"We should be getting ready." Cherry announced.

In the next room, Ash, Calem, and Clemont were getting ready too. "Who will you be using, Clemont?" Ash asked, adjusting his blue bowtie.

Clemont tapped his chin. "I'm thinking of using Chespin since we only have to go on once. The girls go through the first round alone, remember?" He reminded. Ash nodded.

"I just hope Pikachu and I get acquainted well with Cherry's Pokémon, whatever it might be! I know we'll be great friends." He cried with determination.

Clemont turned to the black-haired boy who was grooming his Espurr. "Will you be ready in time, Calem?" He asked.

"Of course, Clemont. No need to worry about me."

"The Coumarine Pokémon Showcase will begin in about sixty seconds!" a monotonous announcer shouted.

Serena sighed. Cherry appeared beside her in a beautiful white outfit. Her hair was done up in a fancy bun decorated with a white bow. Her mary-janes were replaced with a pair of white tights and gold slippers.

"Don't worry, Serena. You'll do fine." Cherry assured her.

"Welcome to the Coumarine Stadium where we are holding the Coumarine Pokémon Showcase!" the blond announcer with a blue top-hat held a cane with a key ring on top. A Klefki, escaped the key ring and emitted a happy noise as the crowd cheered.

"Today our performers will be competing for their first Princess Key in the Rookie Class! The first round will consist of rigorous challenge then our second will be the Freestyle Round which consist of male partners. No, without further ado, let's see what the challenge is today!"

Ash watched from the dressing room's teleprompter as big sparkly words scrolled across it. The girls watched as well, fearing the worst as the screen finally stopped.

"First round is…Pokémon Styling! In this round, performers, must dress up one of their Pokémon in a unique style using the materials given within the time limit and present their partner to the audience. Contestants are judged by the audience." The announcer explained.

The teleprompter began to scroll again but this time, with pictures. "The three performers who will be facing off first…"

The screen stopped on three photos. One being Shauna, another being a girl named Lucille, and another being Jessilee.

"Performers, come on out!"

"You've got this Shauna." Calem whispered as he watched from backstage. Bonnie waved from the crowd. "I'm rooting for you, Shauna!" She cried.

"Now, you'll have ten minutes. BEGIN…si vous plait!"

The competition began with a clock running on the teleprompter. Shauna began strategically painting a perfect design on her Bulbasaur's head then proceeded to dress it up as a bouquet. The crowd began to count down the time as ten seconds were left.

"That's time! May we please see what you've made of your beautiful Pokémon?"

Shauna excelled the first round as did numerous others. The last round commenced with the last three.

"Serena, Leanna, and Cherry!"

A gasp ran between them all as their names were called. There could only be one winner. As the ten minutes began, Cherry calmly began to design a cute outfit for her Pachirisu. She dressed its tail up with a large white bow. The time came to an end with Cherry shouting, "There! All finished."

"First, may we see Cherry and her Pachirisu!"

Cherry's dressing door opened and she and Pachirisu sashayed down the catwalk. They twirled together showing off their beauty. The crowd roared.

"Alright, Cherry!" Ash shouted.

"She does seem to have a knack for this." Clemont added.

Bonnie swooned. "Look at that Pachirisu! It's such a cutie."

Cherry waved to the crowd as they finished up and sauntered back towards the dressing door. She stood with a proud smile.

"Great job, Pachirisu! They loved you." She praised.

"Next, may we see Leanna and her Marill!"

An orange-haired girl arrived with a Marill by her side. They rocked the crowd a bit, not a good as the other performers though.

"Lastly, let us see Serena and Fennekin! Wee, si vous plait!"

Serena's door opened up and she posed for the crowd. "C'mon Fennekin. Let's do it." Serena strutted slowly down the catwalk, they giggled happily and waved to the crowd. But as she looked towards Fennekin and it looked back, it accidently tripped on its pink ribbon.

The crowd gasped.

"Oh no, Serena." Bonnie whispered sadly.

"Serena's strong. She'll overcome it." Ash assured himself.

Cherry looked away, stunned. No, I can't lose my rival like this. It's so pitiful.

Serena cradled her Fennekin, telling her it'd be okay.

"Please light your Glow Caster used to vote during Pokémon Showcases- Simply light up the color that corresponds with the contestant of your choice!" The announcer reminded everyone.

Clemont looked away from the screen. "Looks like we won't be performing this time, Chespin." He stroked the green hairs on his Pokémon's head. It sighed.

Small luminous balls of light that connect to the keys of the participants according to the color of their key escaped the Casters and filled the girls' keyholes.

"Our last winner in the First Round is…Cherry and her striking Pachirisu!" the announcer stabbed his cane into the ground while spreading his arms wide.

Serena smiled at her friend. "Congrats." She mouthed. Cherry strolled over to Serena. "You did so well. You'll get 'em next time, alright?"