After a while, time for an episode recap, seeing as we left off at a cliffhanger last time. After meeting Kanata and her Grumpig and learning to make PokeBlocks, May has entered the Lilycove Contest, and while doing the showcase round with Combusken, she finds herself being invaded by Combusken's Fire Spin! Ash is watching from outside on the screen while trying to teach Swellow Aerial Ace, wondering if it was a good idea to stay outside. However, all the worries of him and everyone in the hall are over, as Combusken knocks all the fire away with its Peck. It seems it was just warming up after all, even though May did command a Fire Spin. Everyone claps, and May then has Combusken do some sort of dance, scattering the stage with a beautiful array of fire droplets while holding a big fireball (not a real attack TMK). Everyone including the judges is pretty impressed at her creativity. Next, May uses the fancy technique of having Combusken create a huge fireball, then jumping way up in the air and using Sky Uppercut to pop it, creating some more beautiful fireworks. The audience applauds, and the judges give her 8, 8.5, and 7.1, scoring her a total of 23.6. While Vivian does the interviews, she starts with Contesta (the 7.1 guy), and he says that he loved the look, but it seemed to be a little more luck than it was planning. May and Combusken sigh, hoping to do better in the next round. Back out in the waiting room, Kanata and Grumpig seem to think May deserved better than what she got, and Jessie thinks this is giving her an advantage…

Ash and Swellow are still struggling very hard to get the Aerial Ace right. Ash keeps setting a rope between two branches a foot above the ground, but Swellow just can't limbo under them at the desired speed. Now he's starting to wonder if his Swellow is even material for using Aerial Ace, and thinking about giving up. However, perhaps the show on the screen is making it hard for it to concentrate, but just as that thought passes, Ash notices them announcing the next showcase contestant—Kanata! Time to take a small break and watch.

Grumpig makes its entrance on stage with a little bounce, showing off its coiled springy tail. That alone gets enough applause already. Next, Kanata does something unexpected. Taking out her PokeBlock cases, she tosses a bunch of Green ones at Grumpig, commanding a Psychic. As it does so, Grumpig has the PokeBlocks flock around it for a little while, then go up in the air above it and dance in a circle. Grumpig's Psychic tricks impress even May, as she wonders how she could possibly get past it. Slowly, the ring of PokeBlocks lowers itself, as Grumpig makes itself look like its juggling! Sure it may be fake, but it still impresses the crowd. As it does this, Kanata conducts Grumpig by clapping in a rhythm, and the then the judges and crowd begin clapping in that same rhythm too, you'd almost think they were hypnotized by Grumpig. Slowly, Grumpig Psychic-ly lifts the ring back up into the air, as Kanata has it use Bounce, and while still controlling the Psychic, it Bounces up to the ring, brings them all together, and catches the PokeBlocks in its mouth. Everyone applauds as Vivian announces the end of the act, and the judges give her 9.2, 9.5, and 9, totaling 27.7. Out in the waiting room, May congratulates Kanata and Grumpig on their creativity.

Back outside, Ash and Swellow are still practicing. Suddenly, while Swellow is flying fast, it manages to make a dive and successfully limbo under the stick! Ash claps for it, but as Swellow looks back to acknowledge him, it loses control, misses the target, and flies right into the tree. Oh well, now they have a whole new thing to work on, but at least they got the first part.

Next up are Jessie and Chimecho, and this time she's using the code name "Mussashii". Yeah, running out of ideas I can tell. Not too sure if Ash cares about paying attention to this one since he doesn't even know its her, but James certainly does. Hopefully she won't screw anything up. As she sends it out, she starts off with Heal Bell, chiming it through the whole room, soothing everyone's minds. Even May and Kanata don't realize who it is, but are impressed with her Coordinating skills. Not sure if this is illegal, but the Heal Bell is also affecting the judges, who are still paying attention, yet in their own happy land. Vivian talks about how the Heal Bell seems to work despite its weakness, but the weakness comment sets Jessie off. James is starting to get a little nervous about what she's getting at when she's arguing with Vivian about making that comment. Yeah, I'll show you "weak!" With a perfect plan up her sleeve, Jessie grabs Chimecho by the tail and has it use Astonish. That's an astonishment all right, as it causes Chimecho to let out a piercing scream which traumatizes the whole audience. Everyone covers their ears while James desperately yells for them to stop. But seeing as it's radiant, Jessie insists on continuing. The sound waves are now getting so powerful, that even Ash and Swellow are getting a taste of it from the screen alone! As the round ends, to everyone's amazement, she scores 10-10-10. Perfect 30. In the interview, Contesta clarifies that they were impressed at how radiant Chimecho was, no matter how much it killed their ears.

Later on, as the showcase rounds end, the top 8 trainers are selected. Unexpectedly for them (not for us though), Kanata, May, and Jessie are all among the 8. Then, the computer generates the battle brackets for the quarterfinals. Unfortunately, neither May, Kanata, or Jessie are gonna be battling each other for the quarter finals. Time to kick some butt in the final stage!

Swellow has mastered the low-flying limbo, but is still having trouble hitting the target, as it flies under there as well. Jinbii, the tutor, has witnessed the training, and congratulates them on the limbo. Having spied on him, he gives them the obvious advice to work on timing.

Quarterfinals. Combusken easily knocks a Wingull out with Sky Uppercut, Chimecho somehow chokes a Loudred (don't ask), Grumpig throws a Raichu around with Psychic, and Volbeat (who we don't really care about but I'm telling you anyway) beats Sableye with Tail Glow. Semifinals, May is placed against Jessie, and Kanata against that Volbeat trainer.

Unlike the brief quarters, May Vs. Jessie is worth a paragraph. Vivian announces to start, as the timer begins. Now the fun part… Combusken starts off with a Quick Attack, which knocks Chimecho back (James is furious), dealing it 10% damage. It's payback time. Chimecho now chokes Combusken's thin neck with Wrap, slowly decreasing its energy, as it pretty much takes away 40% of it. Kanata, who is rooting for her in the waiting room, is getting a bit worried. But May has an idea. Thinking fast, she has Combusken Peck at it, startling Chimecho enough to slip off. Following that, Combusken uses Fire Spin, roasting Chimecho down to 10%! Now it's James' turn to be frustrated, as he cries in the audience. Suddenly, Jessie remembers a bit of advice James gave her when lending her Chimecho for the Contest: Double-Edge is Chimecho's best attack for battle, but it would be more dramatic to use it at the end. Remembering that, she has Chimecho use Double Edge! However, James sighs, as he and Meowth realize how little health she had and that it was a bad idea, because she has no clue that Double Edge always gives recoil. But anyway, recoil or not, Combusken ducks and dodges it, sending Chimecho (and Jessie) into faintland with Sky Uppercut. This round goes to May.

Ash and Swellow are still struggling and having trouble getting that target. Jinbii insists on not giving up, as he and his Pidgeotto had the same amount of struggling to ace Aerial Ace. Suddenly from up high, Ash's Swellow, looking very determined plummets down toward the rope. Concentrating like a plane on the runway, Swellow slowly lifts itself off the ground, and SMACK! Flies right through the target. Swellow has now officially mastered Aerial Ace, as they both congratulate it.

While Team Rocket disappointedly exit the stage, suddenly Pikachu points up to the screen, and Ash notices the final stage being announced, and it's May Vs. Kanata! (Hah, too bad they belittled Grumpig Vs. Volbeat, I'd wonder how the heck Grumpig could win). Ash decides to have Swellow have fun with Aerial Ace just one more time, so be it. However, as it's about to hit the target, it would appear Swellow is purposely ducking under the target—as it flies right into Team Rocket, blasting them off. Hah, good thing Ash didn't notice, he'd have definitely thrown a fit.

This is it, the final stage. Seeing as Ash finished training with Swellow, this would be perfect timing to go inside and watch the final live with Max and Brock. Back on the field, announcements and stuff are made, and the battle starts. Grumpig bounces and makes the first move this time with Iron Tail, but before it lands on Combusken, Combusken catching it by the tail easily counters it. It's talons hurt Grumpig enough to take away 10% of its energy. Combusken then uses its Fire Spin, but Grumpig easily counters with a Psychic, and with a good enough strategy to get the crowd cheering. As the Psychic gains mind control of the Fire from the spin, it transforms it into the figure of a Charizard, which is then hurled as if charging at Combusken! However, Combusken pops this with Sky Uppercut. Next, Grumpig uses the old fashioned Psychic trick of gaining control of the opponent's body. As it lifts Combusken into the air, it starts to make it tap-dance in midair, and its health is decreased down to about 30%! The clock is ticking, and they only have about a minute and a half left! Combusken is still trapped in the force field of Grumpig's manipulation and can't move, and May tries to think of a way out of being moved around like a puppet. Suddenly, she has an idea. While still manipulating, Grumpig goes for a Bounce attack. May, aware of it's physical systems out of its control, has Combusken hang in there and use a special attack instead, that being Flamethrower! As Grumpig's Bounce is about to connect with Combusken, the Flamethrower is thrown throughout the whole stage, and rains on Grumpig, distracting it and bringing it down to 20% as well. Brock then explains to Ash and Max, who didn't understand why the attack worked. Suddenly, the Coordinators realize their Pokemon are both in midair, and it's a long way down! Kanata tells Grumpig to use its Psychic again, but May isn't up for another one of her fancy Psychic tricks. Quickly, while falling, she has Combusken grab Grumpig before it could do that, and use its Flamethrower as a rocket, as a way to help them both fall down slowly. However, as they both reach the ground safely, the clock has run out! Seeing as Kanata has less health, this match, as well as the Lilycove Contest Ribbon goes to May.

As the judges praise her, and the whole crowd including Kanata congratulate her, May is happy that she made a new friend for once who she learned a lot from, and hopes to see her again. Seeing as there isn't much more business in Lilycove City, time to head to Mossdeep City pronto!

Thanks To Zak For Writing this for us