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The Competition was being held on the top floor of the largest mall in O-Hina Town, and all participants needed to register at this location. When the group arrived at the mall, they found it bustling with activity. The competition had drawn massive crowds, far more than the usual shopping traffic.
For young women, the appeal was undeniable - whether it was the chance to win rare, out-of-print dolls or take commemorative photos with their idol, the event offered irresistible attractions that no fan could pass up.
"There are so many people here!" Brock observed, scanning the crowded mall with amazement. The sheer number of contestants and spectators was overwhelming.
"No matter how many people enter, I'm definitely going to win this competition!" Misty declared, clenching her fists tightly. Her eyes burned with fierce determination and competitive spirit.
"Ha! Little girl, there's absolutely no way you can win!" A disdainful voice suddenly interrupted their conversation.
The three friends turned around to find familiar faces - though calling them friends would be generous. It was Jessie and James from Team Rocket, with Jessie wearing a particularly smug expression as she spoke.
"Team Rocket? What are you scheming this time?" Misty asked, her voice filled with suspicion. She was momentarily stunned to see them, then gritted her teeth in frustration. These troublemakers never appeared without causing problems.
"Don't worry about it. We're not interested in Pikachu today," Jessie replied dismissively. "Our goal is to win the Princess Festival Queen Competition!"
"Win the competition? I'll never let that happen!" Misty's hostility intensified after hearing this declaration. Anyone competing against her was now clearly an enemy in her mind.
"What can a little brat like you possibly do? You might as well accept your defeat now!" Jessie wasn't backing down from the verbal confrontation.
"Hey, registration has started," Ash interjected, trying to redirect their attention to the matter at hand.
"Hmph!" Both girls turned away from each other simultaneously and rushed toward the registration area.
Within minutes, both Misty and Jessie had successfully registered for the competition and headed backstage to prepare. The competition was scheduled to begin immediately. Ash and Brock found seats in the audience section and settled in to watch.
The initial phase of the competition resembled a traditional beauty pageant. Each contestant focused on styling and presenting themselves in the most appealing way possible, while the audience voted on their favorites based on popularity and overall impression.
Despite her young age, Misty radiated youthful energy and natural charm. While Ash sometimes found her a bit too self-confident as a traveling companion, he had to admit she possessed an undeniable cute and appealing side that showed during the competition.
Soon enough, Misty advanced smoothly through the preliminary rounds. Jessie also managed to progress to the next stage. Eventually, only the most stunning and exceptionally attractive young women remained in the competition. Brock, sitting beside Ash, could barely contain his excitement and was practically drooling at the sight of so many beautiful contestants.
"After this intense competition, the women present are all outstanding individuals selected by our audience," the host announced, holding a microphone as he addressed the remaining contestants. "Next, we move to the final round - the Pokémon battle tournament!"
"Pokémon battles?" Upon hearing this unexpected announcement, the expressions of all the girls on stage changed dramatically. None of them had anticipated that this type of competition would involve Pokémon battles.
"Why do we need to battle in a beauty competition?" Misty asked, looking genuinely confused by this sudden rule change.
"Ahem..." A slight cough came from beside the host. It was a man in his twenties with light blue hair who looked quite handsome. When he began to speak, his words immediately caused many of the female spectators to scream with excitement.
This person was Fiorella Cappuccino, the idol figure who had been heavily promoted for this competition. He was undeniably popular, though Ash had never paid much attention to celebrity culture or entertainment figures.
"The ideal queen must not only be outstanding in appearance but also possess sufficient matching abilities in other areas," Fiorella explained with a charming smile. "Only then can she truly be called the most perfect woman!"
Ash found himself somewhat agreeing with this statement. After all, judging someone purely on appearance would make them no different from a decorative vase, which certainly wouldn't qualify someone as a true queen.
"Exactly right, just as Mr. Fiorella explained," the host continued. "The official battle competition will begin in one hour. All contestants may use this time for preparation and adjustments. Each participant must prepare exactly four Pokémon for the tournament."
The host's announcement made the rules crystal clear. Regardless of whether the advancing contestants were experienced trainers or whether they possessed enough Pokémon, they had to choose to participate or be automatically disqualified from the competition.
During the hour-long intermission, all spectators temporarily left the venue. The contestants also took this opportunity to change out of their formal competition outfits, since the elaborate dresses they wore were completely unsuitable for Pokémon battles.
Misty had just finished changing into more practical battle attire and hurriedly left the backstage area to find Ash and Brock. She looked anxious and desperate as she searched for them.
"Ash, please, I'm begging you - lend me your Pokémon!" she pleaded immediately after locating him. She clasped her hands together in a desperate gesture, her voice filled with genuine anxiety.
The competition required each participant to use four Pokémon, but Misty's current team consisted of Starmie, Staryu, Horsea, Psyduck, and Goldeen. While this might seem like enough Pokémon, the reality was more complicated.
Besides Starmie and Staryu, which could battle effectively on land, Goldeen and Horsea were relatively weak Pokémon that had virtually no combat effectiveness when fighting on dry land. Their aquatic nature put them at a severe disadvantage.
As for Psyduck, Misty had completely given up hope on that particular Pokémon. Even though Staryu and Starmie could technically fight on land, they would still be significantly disadvantaged without access to water for their attacks.
With no other viable options available, she had decided to ask Ash for assistance.
"Uh... should we really be doing this?" Brock questioned hesitantly. Although he was usually somewhat carefree, as a former Gym Leader, he maintained a strong respect for competition rules and fair play.
The idea of borrowing other people's Pokémon to compete in a tournament didn't sit well with his sense of sporting integrity.
"The official rules don't explicitly forbid borrowing Pokémon, and other contestants are doing it too!" Misty argued desperately. "I saw plenty of other girls borrowing Pokémon from their boyfriends during the preliminary rounds. Technically, it's not against the regulations. Besides, in the final battle, I promise I'll definitely use my own Pokémon! Ash, please, I absolutely must win this competition!"
She had already observed several other contestants borrowing Pokémon from their male companions, so theoretically, her request wasn't violating any established rules.
"Here," Ash responded without hesitation, taking out two Poké Balls from his belt. He then glanced at Pikachu, who immediately understood the situation and jumped onto Misty's shoulder with a cheerful cry.
"With Pikachu included, that should be enough, right?" Ash asked. Counting Pikachu, that made exactly three additional Pokémon, and combined with one of Misty's own, she would have the required four for the competition.
"Thank you so much, Ash!" Misty exclaimed, deeply moved by his immediate willingness to help. Her eyes began to turn slightly red with emotion and gratitude.
She had originally thought it would be difficult to convince Ash to lend his Pokémon for the competition, given his typically serious attitude toward training and battles. She hadn't expected him to agree so readily and generously. Hugging Pikachu close, she carefully took the two Poké Balls that Ash handed over and expressed her heartfelt thanks repeatedly.
After receiving the borrowed Pokémon, Misty spent the remaining preparation time building rapport with Scyther and Pidgeotto, the two Pokémon Ash had loaned her. There was absolutely no need to use Charizard for this particular type of competition - it would be complete overkill for what was essentially a local beauty contest with battle elements.