Hoenn Region, Petalburg City.
Leaning against a soft, small sofa, a pure and beautiful young girl was watching television with great interest.
Her thick red top was slightly stretched, and beneath her pleated skirt, a pair of slender, graceful snow-white legs rested neatly on the floor.
Her smooth, chestnut hair cascaded over her pale shoulders. Her clear, sky-blue eyes sparkled brightly, her nose was delicate and straight, and her soft, cherry-blossom lips were glossy and pink. A blush of pure satisfaction lightly tinted her porcelain-smooth cheeks.
However, it didn't take long for the smile on the girl's face to suddenly freeze.
"Dammit, why did it end so quickly today?! Now I have to wait until tomorrow again..."
Looking at the abruptly ending screen of the Pokémon drama, May's previously upturned lips immediately turned down into a pout.
This was the latest release from Piplup Studios: My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, Ms. Gardevoir. Starring the famous Bollywood actress Diantha and her Gardevoir, the plot focused on everyday high school romance. The characters were memorable, the viewing experience was excellent, and it perfectly suited her tastes. Unfortunately, it only aired two episodes a day at 10:00 AM.
Puffing her cheeks and sighing several times, the girl eventually picked up the remote and started channel surfing.
"Eh? What kind of competition is this?"
After flipping through several channels, May blinked in surprise.
The competition being broadcast on TV was something she had never seen before.
The rules and format of the event were quite novel.
And the person currently walking onto the stage was a remarkably handsome black-haired young man.
Wearing a non-custom but surprisingly well-fitting suit, the moment he gave a polite, smiling bow, it made one's cheeks flush and heart race, irresistibly drawing all focus to him.
Even though she didn't consider herself shallow, May had to admit that this contestant named Hakuya was absolutely the most handsome boy she had ever seen in her life, radiating an alluring charm like an incubus.
Right at that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the stairs on the second floor, clack-clack-clack-ing toward the living room.
A young boy wearing a green shirt and square-framed glasses casually glanced at the TV, then suddenly got an expression of utter shock, as if he had just seen a flying Groudon.
"Sis, you're actually watching a Pokémon Tournament?!"
"...It's not a Pokémon Tournament. It's called a Pokémon Contest, specifically the Wallace Cup." May shook her head gently and denied it.
Unlike her, who loved Pokémon dramas, her younger brother was far more passionate about watching Pokémon Tournaments.
Whether it was the local Ever Grande Conference in Hoenn, the Indigo Plateau Conference in Kanto, the Silver Conference in Johto, or even the Lumiose Conference in Kalos, he would follow every single one without missing an episode, enthusiastically analyzing and summarizing the data of the participating competitors.
"The Wallace Cup? I think I vaguely remember that. Wasn't it founded by Mr. Wallace, the disciple of Gym Leader Juan from Sootopolis City? I heard that Mr. Wallace not only holds the title of Contest Master, but his battle commanding skills are even better than Dad's~"
His interest piqued, Max also turned his gaze to the TV screen.
A few moments later, his gasp of shock echoed through the living room.
"W-Wait a minute! Is that Pokémon a Latias?!"
Upon seeing the young man on the screen send out a red-and-white Pokémon, Max's eyes went wide with disbelief.
He rushed over to the cabinet and pulled out a massive, heavy Pokédex encyclopedia.
"Latias, the Eon Pokémon. Dragon and Psychic type. It can communicate its emotions telepathically and refract light with its down to make itself invisible..."
"So that's a Legendary Pokémon~"
Hearing her younger brother Max read the entry from the Pokédex book, May nodded in sudden realization.
To be able to capture a Legendary Pokémon... it seems this handsome contestant is an incredibly powerful Trainer—
However, compared to the title of "Legendary Pokémon," the girl's attention was quickly drawn to the Appeals Stage performance.
"What a beautiful performance..."
Selectively ignoring the stage that was ultimately smashed beyond recognition, May's face glowed with amazement.
The [Draco Meteor] move, trailing brilliant tails of flame like a massive meteor shower, combined with the gracefully falling pink and white petals... Even though she couldn't smell the floral scent like the live audience, it still possessed a breathtaking, dreamlike beauty.
And it wasn't just the move combination; the figure commanding it all was as beautiful as a god.
May pressed her lips together, her eyes filled only with this dreamlike, gorgeous performance and the calm silhouette of the young man standing there.
For a girl in the bloom of her youth, such beauty possessed an unimaginable lethality.
After the Appeals Stage concluded, it was time for the second segment: Contest Battles.
"There is a five-minute time limit. Through exquisite performances—meaning the Pokémon's movements, cooperative techniques, the way moves are executed, and their overall visual appeal—you must deplete your opponent's Contest Points. The contestant with more points remaining at the end will be declared the winner."
As host Lilian finished her explanation, the timer for the 5-minute battle segment began counting down.
Hakuya's first-round opponent was a female Trainer with short hair.
Perhaps aware that Hakuya's Pokémon possessed immense strength, and that he was the only contestant to receive a perfect score in the Appeals Stage from all four judges, the female Trainer furrowed her brow tightly the moment she saw him step onto the battlefield, looking as though she were facing a mortal enemy.
"Mr. Hakuya, a Coordinator's battle is not a Gym Challenge. It's not just about having enough power; you must prioritize the visual beauty of your move combinations. Otherwise, it goes against the very core principles of being a Coordinator..."
Hearing this, Hakuya couldn't help but let his mouth twitch helplessly.
What the hell are you yapping about—
Beating you until you can't get back up IS my definition of 'beautiful'.
"I am, of course, very familiar with the rules of Contest Battles. You may have the first move," Hakuya nodded slightly, speaking with a gentlemanly demeanor.
"Beautifly, use Hurricane! Clefairy, use Disarming Voice! Target Latias!"
Following the opponent's command, two entirely different moves shot toward the little jet plane simultaneously.
In a Double Battle, a normal competitive Trainer would try to use high-power moves, aiming to crush all strategy with overwhelming force. But compared to pure damage, Coordinators placed far more emphasis on the visual flair of the moves.
At this moment, countless swirling wind blades condensed into a tangible vortex in mid-air. The musical notes softly sung from Clefairy's mouth drifted out gracefully like sprites. The moment the pink Fairy-type energy collided with the eye of the storm, it dyed the white hurricane a cherry-blossom pink.
It was a rather novel move combination, clearly the result of significant practice time.