Nando the Traveling Bard

As the gang traveled to Jubilife, they managed to catch some Pokémon. Ashlyn and Dawn both managed to catch a Burmy. Ashlyn also managed to catch a shiny Ariados.

At the moment, Dawn was trying once again to try and catch a Buneary with no luck. Dawn sighed in defeat at her attempt.

"Don't worry, Dawn. There's always another chance." Ashlyn assured her.

"I guess so." Dawn muttered, "I didn't think that catching a Buneary would be so hard."

Suddenly they saw the move Sunny Day with gleaning sun rays in the sky.

"What's that?" Dawn asked.

"That's Sunny Day. A Fire type move." Brock replied.

"There must be a Pokémon nearby." Ashlyn said.

"Let's check it out." Brock suggested.

But they didn't need to because the Pokémon that was using sunny day came up to them; it was a Budew.

"So cute!" Dawn gushed and looked up Budew's information.

"Good afternoon." A man appeared, greeting the gang.

The man was a minstrel was standing by it; Budew's trainer. He had a golden harp in the shape of a Mew. Ashlyn knew that this man is Nando.

The gang introduced themselves to him.

"I am the Pokémon Bard, Nando, and this is my Budew," Nando introduced himself, "we travel the world, bringing joy to all."

"Budew!" Budew chirped.

"Wow." Ashlyn beamed.

"You must have a great time." Brock guessed.

"Nando, would you mind having a battle with me?" Dawn asked him.

"If that pleases you." Nando accepted.

"Budew Budew." Budew accepted as well.

"Don't forget that this will be your first battle against a trainer." Ashlyn reminded her.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Dawn reassured.

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better." Ashlyn muttered.

"Dawn, are you by any chance on a quest to win the Sinnoh League?" Nando inquired.

"No, I'm on a quest to win the Grand Festival." Dawn answered.

"I see, then a contest battle it is," Nando decided, "there's a clearing up ahead that will be perfect for our needs."

"Great." Dawn said.

The group made their way to said clearing that Nando mentioned.

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The gang was now standing in the clearing, Dawn, and Nando across from each other and the rest standing on the sidelines.

Dawn grabbed her Pokéball and enlarged it. "Okay, first things first, my Pokémon has to make a gorgeous entrance," Dawn stated, "Alright Piplup, spotlight." She tossed the Pokéball out in the air, releasing Piplup.

"Piplup Piplup." Piplup cried out as he appeared on the field.

"You may have the first attack." Nando offered.

"Thanks." Dawn thanked.

Dawn stared at Budew, "Alright we're fighting a grass type so let's use a flying type attack," She deduced. "Piplup, use Peck let's go!" Dawn ordered.

Piplup ran at Budew, his beak glowing.

Nando remained calm, "Please dodge."

"Budew." Budew said as it jumped out of the way.

"What happened?" Dawn gasped. Piplup looked up, confused.

Budew was in the air a bit before Nando called out, "Please, Bullet Seed."

Budew opened its mouth, and a barrage of seeds was sent toward Piplup.

"Bullet Seed is a grass-type move which could give a water type like Piplup some real trouble!" Brock warned.

Dawn heeded his warning and called out, "Dodge it Piplup."

Piplup jumped out of the way right on time. Piplup landed back on his side of the field, "Pip Piplup."

"Alright my turn! Piplup, use Bubblebeam!" Dawn called out.

Piplup opened his mouth, and a stream of bubbles was directed at Budew. The Bubblebeam made contact with Budew, who was still in the air.

"Alright!" Dawn cheered.

Nando remained calm and just chuckled. The action confused Dawn.

From out of the smoke, Budew appeared, with no scratches on it. Budew twirled around before elegantly landing on the ground.

"But how? That was a direct hit!" Dawn asked, confused along with Piplup.

"It wasn't that strong; water type attack doesn't do much against grass types." Ashlyn explained.

"Budew absorbed the attack on purpose and made that big jump." Alain realized.

"The way Budew pulled that off while still looking graceful is amazing." Ashlyn gasped in awe.

"Brilliant! It even used the smoke from the explosion!" Brock inputted.

"Solar Beam if you please." Nando requested.

"Budew." Budew began gathering the sunlight for the Solar Beam.

"Piplup! Use Peck now!" Dawn called out.

Piplup's beak began glowing as it ran a Budew. Unfortunately, the Solar Beam charged up faster than Dawn anticipated.

"Uh oh." Dawn gulped.

"Please fire now." Nando requested.

"Budew." Budew released the Solar Beam and landed a direct hit on Piplup.

"No Piplup!" Dawn shouted in worry.

"Pipluuuuup!" Piplup cried out before hitting the ground, fainting at the same time.

"Piplup!" Dawn ran up to Piplup and went on her knees to pick him up gently, "My Piplup."

"It seems our battle is over." Nando declared.

"Budew Budew." Budew waved its arm-like appendages.

"But how did they charge that Solar Beam so fast?" Dawn questioned.

"It's because of the bright sun Dawn," Ashlyn explained, "You see, if the sun on a sunny is shining very bright or if a Pokémon used the move Sunny Day Pokémon can use Solar Beam without having to charge up. And it can make a fire type's move very strong as well."

"I see," Dawn understood, "I'm so sorry Piplup."

"Piplup Piplup." Piplup said softly trying to reassure her that it was okay.

"Dawn," Nando voiced out, grabbing Dawn's attention, "I wouldn't have guessed that this was your first battle. You were great."

Dawn got on her feet, "Wow that's such a nice thing to say."

"You can be sure that it was a good experience. Those two do know how to battle." Brock complimented.

"It was like watching a real Contest battle. No doubt that this battle will make you a lot stronger." Ashlyn added.

"Yeah." Dawn nodded.

"Piplup." Piplup agreed.

"I'm off. Best of luck." Nando said before walking off with Budew.

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The sun began to set as the gang walking down the path.

"Aw man, I can't believe I couldn't catch a Buneary or win a battle." Dawn sighed.

"As I said before Dawn, you'll get another chance." Ashlyn assured her.

"Thanks, Ashlyn." Dawn smiled a little.

"Hey look, there's a Pokémon Center close by." Brock informed.

This made Dawn happy, "Really?! Hooray! A real bed in a real room! I can join civilization again!"

Brock grabbed one of his Pokéballs, "Alright, Bonsly I choose you!"

"Bonsly!" Bonsly appeared as Brock caught Bonsly in his arms.

"Bonsly, we're going to a Pokémon Center and you're getting checked out by Nurse Joy." Brock beamed happily.

"Bonsly." Bonsly said.

"So that's a Bonsly." Dawn said.

[Bonsly, the Bonsai Pokémon. Being a rock type, it can get weak if its body contains too much water. So, it secretes that water from both sides of its body to regulate it.]

"So did you bring your other Pokémon too?" Alain asked.

"Well I brought Ninetales, Nosepass, Lycanroc and Aggron with me. My brothers and sisters are watching the others for me back at the Pewter Gym." Brock replied.

"What? Gym?" Dawn inquired.

"Oh yeah, the Gym back in Pewter City. Brock's family lives there and he was the Gym Leader." Ashlyn clarified.

"Wow! You were? Awesome!" Dawn awed.

Brock scratched his head, feeling flattered.

=======================

The group arrived at the Pokémon Center just as the sun began to set.

"Good evening, Nurse Joy." Brock greeted.

"Raichu!" Tesla followed his example.

"Good evening. Welcome to the Pokémon Center." Nurse Joy greeted back, approaching the group.

Dawn gasped, "Wait hold on, aren't you from Sandgem Town?"

"Not me. The Nurse Joy from Sandgem Town is my sister." Nurse Joy cleared up.

"Sister?" Dawn repeated, confused.

That's when a picture was shown to her.

"See." Brock urged.

Dawn looked at the picture and sweat dropped, "You mean there are that many Nurse Joys."

"Isn't it amazing! All those Joys are related! Every gorgeous one!" Brock cheered.

"Well, you'd like that." Dawn sweat dropped again.

Brock went up to Nurse Joy and held her hand, "My dear, although all of you are beautiful, your beauty stands out!"

Nurse Joy let out a confused noise.

"Does this always happen?" Dawn asked.

"Every time." Ashlyn replied.

That's when an unfamiliar voice called out, "Nurse Joy!"

Three trainers came into the Pokémon Center.

"We're back! Can you take care of our Pokémon?" the brown-haired boy asked.

Dawn clasped her hands in front of her, "Wow, Chimchar, Turtwig and would you look at that, a Prinplup! Doesn't it evolve from Piplup?"

"Right. It just evolved yesterday." Prinplup's trainer answered.

Dawn took out her Pokédex to scan Prinplup:

[Prinplup, the Penguin Pokémon, and the evolved form of Piplup. A strike of its wings can be harmful as it searches the oceans for prey.]

"Wow." Dawn breathed out.

"Well hello, Dawn." a familiar voice rang.

Dawn looked up at the sound of her name, "Nando! What a surprise!"

"Yes, it is, a pleasant one." Nando smiled.

Nurse Joy approached the front desk, Budew in her arms, "here you go. Your Budew is feeling 100%."

"I am in your debt." Nando thanked.

The group approached Nando as Dawn asked, "Are you staying at the Center too?"

"No, there are several things I must ponder elsewhere," Nando denied. Nando picked up Budew in his arms, "and so, good evening."

Nando then walked out of the Pokémon Center, the automatic doors closing behind him.

"What is he pondering about?" Dawn wondered.

"Nando divides his time between both Gym battles and Contests. I think he's trying to decide which one he should dedicate himself to." Nurse Joy explained.

"Well the answer to that is simple, Nando can just do both," Ashlyn stated, "I'm doing both Gyms and Contests and I'm happy doing that."

"That's a great idea Ashlyn," Dawn agreed, "let's tell Nando that."

The gang went outside to look for Nando. Luckily, he hadn't gone far yet.

Dawn ran up to Nando and told him of Ashlyn's idea to do both Gym battles and Contests.

"Hmm I think that is a wonderful idea, I think I will do that." Nando declared.

"Now Dawn and I have another rival." Ashlyn commented.

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Nando built up a fire and had a talk with the gang.

"So Ashlyn, it is okay for anyone to do both contests and gyms, yes?" Nando asked.

"Of course it is," Ashlyn replied, "Besides, if it wasn't allowed, I wouldn't have entered the contests back in Hoenn and Kanto. You see if it wasn't allowed, I would have just stuck doing gyms because I like to do Pokémon battles. But it isn't against the law to do both gyms and contests."

"I see." Nando understood.

"Hey Ashlyn, do you think we'll ever find out what that Pokémon was at Lake Verity?" Dawn asked.

"I have a feeling we will." Ashlyn replied, "By the way, can we have a battle tomorrow, Nando? Since we are rivals for both the Sinnoh League and Grand Festival, I want to test myself against you."

"I will gladly accept." Nando accepted.

==========================

Next day Ashlyn and Nando got ready to battle. Nando was using his Budew and Ashlyn decided to use Hana (Budew).

"Budew, Bullet Sead please." Budew spat seeds from its mouth.

"Hana, dodge and Razor Leaf!" Hana dodged the Bullet Seed attack and Nando's Budew got hit by the Razor Leaf.

"I say, is that by any chance an egg move of Hana's?" Nando asked.

"Yes and that not all it has, Hana show your Leaf storm!" Hana glowed light green and fired a flurry of leaves from her body and Nando's Budew was hit by the leaves.

"Hana is amazing." Dawn awed.

Brock explained to Dawn about Pokémon inheriting its parents moves when they've been bred, which is why they were called egg moves; it was one of nature's mysterious things.

"Budew, Mega Drain please." Nando ordered.

Nando's Budew used Mega Drain and it tackled Hana, stealing some of her health to heal.

"Use Extrasensory, Hana." Ashlyn ordered.

Budew fired an Extrasensory from her eyes and Nando's Budew got hit by it. As Budew was a grass and poison type it was weakened by that psychic type move. Suddenly Nando's Budew started to glow, and it evolved into a Roselia.

"Wow, what a beautiful Pokémon." Dawn awed, looking at it through her Pokédex.

"Roselia, please use Sunny Day." White orbs appear in front of the flowers on Roselia's arms. It then raises its hands to the sky, and it releases two white beams from the orbs on its hands at the sun, making the sunlight brighter, "Now if you please, Solar Beam." Roselia obliged and began warming up its Solar Beam.

"Use Extrasensory again, Hana." Hana fired another Extrasensory at Roselia. This time Roselia couldn't take anymore after that psychic type move and fainted.

Ashlyn was the winner of this battle.

"No Roselia!" Nando gasped, knelt down next to Roselia.

"Great job, Hana." Ashlyn knelt down and petted Hana who cooed at her trainer's touch.

"Well that's the end, it seems we lost." Nando picked up Roselia, "You did well, Roselia. You deserve a nice long rest." He returned it to its Pokéball.

"Thanks for the battle, Nando." Ashlyn thanked him.

"You're welcome, Ashlyn. I hope you do well in your first gym battle and your contest. Dawn, I wish you luck as well. I also hope I get to challenge you three in a contest soon." Nando said, smiling.

"I hope so too." Dawn smiled.

"Until then, I bid you farewell until we meet again." Nando smiled.

"Right! Until we meet again." Ashlyn and Dawn promised.

Nando bowed at the gang before he turned around and walked away.

"Looks like we have a rival in contests, huh Dawn?" Ashlyn asked.

Dawn nodded, "Yup."

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After meeting Nando, the gang continues on their way to Jubilife City where the girls' first Sinnoh Pokémon Contest is taking place.

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Pokémon Caught:

Shiny Piplup (Triton)(M)

Budew (Hana)(F)

Shinx (Raji)(M)

Shiny Buneary (Usagi)(F)

Starly (Sora)(F)