pokemon the animation : scarlet and violet

Chapter 21: Nymble Rider 0

Cover Story 18: Dawn's rise to the top! 1: The Battle Frontier

Dawn was many things, a coordinator, a trainer, a friend and a companion of Ash's but the one thing she isn't known for is being a regular battle trainer. Dawn is a coordinator similar to May who practices combinations of moves with her Pokemon for contests. This time, things change for Dawn as after her last contest in the Galar region, she's invited to participate in a competition along with several coordinators such as Kenny, Zoey and Nando in collaboration with a man named Scott (yes that Scott) and the Contest headquarters to the Battle Frontier in Sinnoh as a race to earn the top ribbon known as 'Coordinator X Trainer'.

This sounded intriguing to Dawn because she's heard of the Battle Frontier in Hoenn because of Ash but never a Sinnoh one until she remembered Barry mentioning his father Palmer is a member of the Battle Frontier during her journey with Ash. She decides to go there, feeling like it's a good change of pace until her next contest.

After her journey with Ash ended, she's been all over the world preforming contest battles and even reuniting with Ash at certain points including when he was participating at the Masters 8 tournament and won. Dawn has also caught some Pokemon throughout her journey such as Nidoqueen, Frosmoth (evolved from her Snom from an extra in chapter 14), Gothitelle and Polteageist and her Quilava evolved into Typholosion during her journey (her mons goes to Professor Rowan for spacing purposes whenever she needs to switch).

Upon arriving to the location, she sees that she's the first person to arrive and the only Coordinator or so it seems as we see Barry trying to make it through the gate that leads to the Battle Frontier but is blocked by Sinnoh Gym Leader Volkner and Sinnoh Elite Four member Flint who wants to test the strength of two people even if Barry is the son of a Battle Frontier. Barry picks out Dawn to be his battle partner despite her reluctance and the battle begins with Dawn and Barry sending out their Typholosion and Flygon respectively while Flint and Volkner send out their Infernape and Electivire.

Dawn's Piplup, Buneary and Gothitelle cheer them on alongside Barry's Empoleon.

Flint and Volkner do not hold back with Flint's Infernape going at Typholosion with Close Combat while Volkner's Electivire (despite the type disadvantage) using Thunder Punch on the ground to create a large pile of dust distracting Flygon as Electivire uses Iron Tail to slam Flygon to the ground. Typholosion tries using Shadow Ball strategically while Flygon uses Boomburst with no thought distracting Typholosion enough to only graze Infernape and the Boomburst was cancelled out by Electivire's Protect covering both Pokemon.

Dawn chastises Barry over his stubbornness and his 'act before you think' logic while Barry does the same 'criticizing her strategy over action' logic to which both Flint and Volkner see an opportunity to use a combination of Electivire's Thunderbolt and Infernape's Flamethrower causing both Typholosion and Flygon to act quickly both taking the hit with Typhosion absorbing the fire thanks to their Flash Fire but hurt by the Electricity while Flygon was immune to the Electricity because of its Ground type but damaged by the Fire.

This caused both trainers to realize how they should've been focusing on working together and a determined Dawn asks Barry if he has a move that can affect the field with Barry mentioning Bulldoze and she asks him to use it and follow her lead. Dawn tells her Typholosion to jump really high while Flygon uses Bulldoze causing the two opposing Pokemon to trip and Dawn tells her Typhlosion to use Fire Blast in combination with another move that Barry had that being Draco Meteor and once the two moves combined, the Draco Blast splits apart to attack both opposing Pokemon KO'ing them.

Both Dawn and Barry celebrate their success and Flint and Volkner allow them to pass and that they should be ready for the things they're about to face. Barry apologizes for his attitude earlier and that although he's still stubborn, he has mellowed out a bit by focusing on the growth of his Pokemon first rather than trying to instantly catch the first strong Pokemon he sees and to focus on his style a bit. Barry runs off before Dawn can ask any more questions and Dawn, although confused decided to head into the new frontier.