"I see. I know a little about Gardevoir. I know less about Gallade; I thought it was the same as Gardevoir."
Lionel expressed his curiosity about Gallade to Grace.
"Compared to Gardevoir, Gallade is indeed less common."
Grace smiled gently:
"Actually, let me tell you, many Gardevoirs evolve from males. They look beautiful and pretty, but they're actually boys!"
"The evolution of Pokémon always hides many unexpected secrets.
Like your Milotic, evolving from Feebas, isn't that a very magical evolution?"
Mentioning Milotic, Lionel and Grace's gaze fell on the figure leisurely swimming by the lake.
Indeed, Feebas evolving into Milotic is a very wondrous transformation.
Milotic seemed to sense their gaze, turning its head and wagging its tail at them, splashing a string of sparkling water droplets, as if playfully responding.
There are still two days until the Fallarbor Town Pokémon Contest begins...
Lionel spent almost every day with Grace.
The two engaged in in-depth discussions about the combination and pairing of Pokémon moves.
Sometimes they argued heatedly, sometimes they applauded each other's ingenious ideas.
Grace enthusiastically shared her "Ice and Fire Psychic Blade Dance" combination move, tailor-made for Medicham and Gallade:
"Look, let Medicham use psychic powers to control the energy of Ice Punch and Fire Punch first, then let Gallade use its move to attack.
Besides adding ice and fire effects to Gallade's blades, it also makes the ice and fire colors the background for Gallade's move demonstration..."
Grace spoke eloquently while having the two Pokémon demonstrate.
The icy blue and fiery red light from Medicham's fists intertwined, gradually overlapping with Gallade's nimble figure, a beauty that was captivating.
Lionel, along with his Larvesta and Tyrantrum, showcased his design…
Grace's eyes lit up, exclaiming repeatedly:
"My goodness, I never imagined their teamwork was so creative! Besides Milotic, these two Pokémon of yours hold so many surprises!"
Larvesta, pleased with the praise, excitedly circled Tyrantrum, the flames on its antennae glowing even brighter.
Tyrantrum proudly raised its head, its gaze towards Milotic and Metang occasionally tinged with smugness.
Milotic and Metang could only exchange a helpless smile, their eyes filled with Tyrantrum's "childish" mockery.
Meanwhile, Medicham, seeing Metang use Ice Punch and Thunder Punch, suddenly became interested.
It approached the Metang, its hands glowing faintly white, and demonstrated its masterpiece, "Ice Lotus." Using its psychic powers, it adjusted the release of its Ice Punch attack, causing the cold air to condense into lotus flower shapes around it.
The Metang watched intently, mimicking Medicham's actions and manipulating its energy.
Initially, the condensed ice flowers were crooked and uneven, but after Medicham gently guided them with its psychic powers, they gradually took on the rudiments of lotus flowers.
Gallade also joined in, sharing its experience of using psychic powers to assist in melee combat, offering it to the Metang for reference.
All three Pokémon excelled in melee combat. They were fighting, and all of them possessed the Psychic attribute, using Psychic-type telekinesis to enhance their skills.
The three seemed to have found kindred spirits, occasionally exchanging a few words using Psychic energy fluctuations, filling the air with a harmonious atmosphere.
Time passed quietly in this fulfilling exchange, and the population of Fallarbor Town grew.
Trainers were everywhere on the streets, and shop entrances were plastered with posters for the Grand Festival, featuring silhouettes of past winners' Pokémon.
The faint smell of volcanic ash mingled with the laughter of the people, creating a vibrant atmosphere everywhere. Filled with anticipation and excitement, finally, the day of the Pokémon Contest arrived.
The lakeside was still slightly chilly in the early morning, with a thin mist gently floating on the water.
Lionel and Grace's spirits were making final adjustments:
"Mind appearing on camera together?"
Lionel asked Grace with a smile.
After receiving Grace's nod of agreement, Lionel started the live stream.
As soon as the screen lit up, viewers flooded in like a tidal wave, and the chat was instantly flooded with comments:
[Finally, the streamer is live! The previous clips weren't enough!]
[Yeah, The live stream of the Steel canyon was too short! I miss the epic clash between Steelix and Tyrantrum!]
[Is that Grace next to the streamer?]
[Wow, she's still so beautiful!]
[Is this the Contest rule for two Pokémon to team up? Who will the streamer send? Milotic will definitely be in the lineup!]
[Gold-type, Tyrntrum, and Larvesta, let's guess who they'll send! I'm betting, Metang will be on the field!]
Lionel waved at the camera, his smile relaxed:
"Hello everyone, today is the Contest day in Fallarbor Town. Let me introduce you, this is Grace, a senior Coordinator with four Ribbons."
Grace bowed slightly to the camera, her smile elegant:
"Hello everyone, I'm Grace, and today I'll be participating with Medicham and Gallade."
The Medicham beside Grace immediately clasped its hands together and bowed, while Gallade performed a perfect knight's salute, drawing another round of praise from the viewers.
[Gallade is so cool! I give that knight's salute full marks!]
[Where's Gardevoir? Gallade is performing with Medicham, won't Gardevoir be jealous? I remember Grace used to compete with Gallade and Gardevoir in Pokémon doubles tournaments!]
As the sun gradually rose higher, the mist by the lake dissipated, and it was time to enter.
Lionel and Grace recalled their Pokémon and joined the crowd heading to the venue.
The Pokémon Contest venue was located in the center of town. Its white dome shimmered softly in the sunlight, and the exterior walls were decorated with meteorite-shaped reliefs, showcasing the unique character of Fallarbor Town.
A long queue had already formed outside the venue. The contestant entrance and the spectator entrance were separated by barriers, and staff in uniforms guided the flow of people in an orderly fashion.
Lionel and Grace queued in the contestant entrance.
When it was their turn, the staff checked their identification and handed them two cards with numbers printed on them.
Lionel took his card and saw that his number was 66, while Grace's was 28.
"28, pretty good," Grace said with a smile, waving the card and lightly running her fingertips over the numbers.
"66 is also good. I hope it goes smoothly for me to advance." Lionel pinned his competition badge to his chest and followed Grace into the contestant lounge.
The lounge was already quite full, spacious and bright, with screens on the walls broadcasting the proceedings from the main venue.
Players gathered in small groups.
Some were grooming their Pokémon, others were meticulously rehearsing skill sequences on their strategy boards, and still others were taking deep breaths to calm their nerves.
A subtle tension, mingled with anticipation for the competition, permeated the air, creating a unique atmosphere.