Theo followed the flow of people toward the check-in area, his gaze sweeping over the contestants around him. He quickly noticed that most of the participants in this Pokémon Contest were local Trainers from Mauville City.
After all, this was Mauville's home turf, and quite a few people were holding Electric-type Pokémon in their arms.
Some Trainers cradled round, chubby little Pichu, their pink cheeks still crackling faintly with static electricity.
Others were quietly directing Elekid to loosen up its joints, the little Pokémon's fists crackling with sharp pa-pa sounds, clearly showing that it had come fully prepared.
Soft discussions drifted through the crowd from time to time, and among all the names mentioned, one appeared most frequently—a girl named Laura.
"I heard Laura is bringing Blitzle today. Her 'Thunder Dance' performance is insanely good!" a boy in a cap said excitedly.
"Yeah! Every weekend she performs in Mauville Park. I've seen it once—Blitzle's electric sparks flash in perfect rhythm. It's like living lightning that can dance!" the girl beside him nodded vigorously.
"This rion is basically guaranteed to be hers. She might even get first place—after all, this is her home ground—"
Listening to these conversations, Theo understood immediately. This was very likely one of the strongest competitors in this contest.
Without drawing attention, he subtly adjusted the livestream camera, aiming it toward a girl not far away who was carefully grooming a Blitzle's mane, and said softly, "Looks like we've run into a formidable opponent. Everyone, take a look over there, that's Laura and her Blitzle."
On the screen, Laura was wearing a bright yellow short skirt, its hem embroidered with silver-thread lightning patterns. Her hair was tied into a neat ponytail that swayed lightly with her movements.
She gently stroked Blitzle's black-and-white mane, and wherever her fingers passed, the mane rose slightly, as though electric currents were flowing through it.
That Blitzle had a sleek, powerful build, with long, well-proportioned limbs. Between the black stripes on its forehead, faint arcs of electricity flickered.
Hearing the surrounding chatter, it proudly lifted its head, snorting out a small cluster of blue electric sparks from its nostrils. A sharp sizzle rang out, immediately drawing cheers from nearby fans.
"That Blitzle looks so energetic!"
"Laura? That name sounds familiar—I think I've seen her perform in another Contest before!"
"Streamer, be careful! Anyone getting this much attention must be really strong!"
"Blitzle, huh? I wonder what kind of moves it'll perform—kinda hyped!"
Theo smiled and turned the camera back toward himself. "It's more fun when there are strong opponents, right? That's how we push each other to our limits."
At the backstage check-in area, after the staff verified Theo's identity, they handed him a numbered tag: No. 127.
"The first round will proceed in numerical order. Your waiting area is over there—please wait until your number is called," the staff member said, pointing toward a seating area nearby.
Theo thanked them and went over to sit down. Quite a few contestants were already there.
Some repeatedly checked their Poké Balls, others practiced command gestures in front of mirrors. The air was thick with a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
Just then, a crisp voice sounded from behind him. "You're Theo, right?"
Theo turned around—it was Laura.
She had walked over at some point, with Blitzle quietly following at her side, curiously sizing Theo up.
"I watched your Contest performance in Rustboro City. Your Feebas was amazing," Laura said with a confident smile. After a brief pause, her tone carried a hint of pride that came with fighting on home ground. "But this is Mauville City, my territory. You'd better be careful in the upcoming rounds."
"Likewise," Theo replied politely. "I'm really looking forward to your 'Thunder Dance' performance as well."
Laura raised an eyebrow, said nothing more, and turned back to her seat.
Before leaving, Blitzle flicked its head toward Theo—half greeting, half provocation.
Not long after, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from inside the venue, followed by lively guitar music.
Theo walked over to the backstage entrance and looked out, only to see more than a dozen Plusle and Minun hopping energetically onto the stage.
They were wearing tiny lightning-shaped vests, their round bodies swaying left and right to the rhythm of the music.
Paired up, the Plusle and Minun spun and jumped joyfully at the center of the stage, pink and blue figures weaving together.
From time to time, they bumped into each other, and with every contact, tiny blue sparks crackled outward.
Those electric currents interwove into a flowing web of light, then scattered with their dance steps, bursting into countless glowing points across the stage like fireworks at a festival.
"Wow! So pretty!"
"They're so cute—I love them!"
Cheers rose one after another from the audience. Even from the judges' table came a rare, soft chuckle from Mr. Contesta.
"This opening performance is way too cute! Plusle and Minun are adorable!"
"The way Plusle and Minun bump heads—my heart can't take it!"
"Mauville City really is an Electric-type paradise—even the warm-up performance is this unique!"
The livestream audience watched with relish, the chat scrolling at lightning speed.
After the warm-up performance ended, Plusle and Minun bowed slightly in thanks, earning another round of delighted screams.
Then, the lights around the arena suddenly went out, leaving only a single spotlight shining on one side of the stage.
A clear, energetic voice rang out: "Thank you to Plusle and Minun for that wonderful performance! Next, let's welcome today's host with the warmest applause—me, Vivian!"
As the words fell, a girl with short, neatly styled hair walked onto the stage. Her fair skin and the small tear-shaped beauty mark near her eye gave her smile a playful charm.
She wore a bright yellow tank top printed with a wide-eyed Pikachu sticking out its tongue.
The cute Pikachu design, with its exaggerated expression, formed a fun contrast with her tall, graceful figure, making her look brimming with vitality.
"Wow! The atmosphere here is absolutely electric!" Vivian raised the microphone, smiling as she looked around. As she waved her arm, the Pikachu on her shirt almost seemed to move along with her. "Now, before the competition officially begins, let's once again welcome our three distinguished judges!"
Spotlights lit up one by one, illuminating the judges' panel.
"First, Mr. Contesta from the Pokémon League! He pursues the visual appeal and technical perfection of Pokémon moves to the highest degree—please give him a warm round of applause!"
"Second, Chairman Sukizo of the Pokémon Fan Club! As a regular judge of Pokémon Contests, he has witnessed the growth of countless Pokémon. Let's welcome Chairman Sukizo!"
"And third, our very own Nurse Joy from Mauville City! Though all Nurse Joys may look alike, their styles are quite distinct!"
The camera turned to the final judge. This Nurse Joy wore a white nurse uniform adorned with lightning patterns, the hem of her skirt swaying gently in the breeze as if currents of electricity were flowing through it.
A small Voltorb hairpin decorated her hair, and even the edges of the red cross badge on her chest were rimmed with a faint blue glow, carrying subtle electric effects.
Compared to the gentle, serene Nurse Joy who served as a judge in Rustboro City, this one exuded a sharper, more energetic presence. Her outfit was filled with the vitality unique to Electric-type Pokémon, perfectly matching Mauville City's style.
"Whoa! Nurse Joy has different outfits?! This lightning-themed one fits Mauville so well!"
"Director Contesta and Chairman Sukizo again, truly the pillars of Pokémon Contests!"
"The host is so cute! I want that Pikachu tank top—drop the link!"
"Mauville's Nurse Joy looks so lively, full of Pikachu-level energy!"
"Mr. Contesta, Chairman Sukizo, Nurse Joy—welcome to all three of you!" Vivian bowed deeply once more. "Friends who are familiar with Pokémon Contests know that Mr. Contesta and Chairman Sukizo are old friends of ours—you can see them at nearly every major event.
"Of course, when multiple contests are held simultaneously, other senior members of the Pokémon Fan Club may serve as judges. But most of the time, these two are the judges we trust the most!"
She paused, then her tone turned playful. "As for Nurse Joy—though they all look the same, you can always tell which city they're from just by their outfits and aura.
"Just like our Mauville City Nurse Joy—doesn't she just radiate electric charm from head to toe?"
Laughter rippled through the audience. Mauville's Nurse Joy smiled and waved, the Voltorb hairpin atop her head glowing faintly as she did, both playful and adorable.
Vivian raised the microphone, her voice suddenly rising with infectious enthusiasm. "All right! Ladies and gentlemen, Trainers who've traveled from afar, and our local friends!
"Now, in Mauville City, a place filled with electricity and vitality, the Pokémon Contest belonging to Trainers and Pokémon alike is about to officially begin!"
"First up is the First Round — the Appeal Stage!
"All contestants, please get ready. The competition starts now!"
As her words fell, thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the stands, the very air seeming to boil with excitement.
"Let's welcome our first contestant—Toby from Mauville City, and his partner, Elekid!"
Vivian's voice echoed across the arena through the speakers.
A boy in a gray tracksuit hurried onto the stage, palms sweating with nerves. Still, he forced a smile and spoke into the microphone. "Hello everyone, I'm Toby. Next, please enjoy Elekid's Electric Flash Dance!"
He tossed his Poké Ball, and with a flash of white light, Elekid landed steadily on the stage.
The little Pokémon looked even more lively than when Theo had seen it backstage earlier. The electric organs on its head flickered excitedly, as though it had been storing up energy just for this moment.
"Elekid, use Quick Attack and follow it up with Thunderbolt!" Toby shouted.
Elekid's figure blurred, transforming into a white afterimage as it dashed rapidly across the stage. Faint trails of electricity lingered in its wake, like blue light sketching flowing lines across the ground.
Then it came to a sudden stop, crossed its arms, and dense blue sparks burst forth around its body, as though it were clad in a shining suit of armor. Even the surrounding air tingled faintly with static.
As it ran, the electric currents whipped outward, drawing irregular arcs of light in the air—sometimes like leaping musical notes, sometimes like blooming sparks.
The movements weren't perfectly smooth. At one point, it nearly slipped during a turn due to its excessive speed, stumbling before regaining balance.
Fortunately, there were no serious mistakes, and it completed the performance smoothly.
At the judges' table, Chairman Sukizo nodded first, his tone gentle. "Mm, not bad. I quite like it. The skill control is still a bit raw, but it has spirit—you can tell the Trainer put thought into designing the movements."
Director Contesta stroked his chin as he wrote something on his clipboard. "Quick Attack's proficiency isn't quite there yet, and the transitions are a little stiff. Still, the idea is good—very nice."
Mauville's Nurse Joy smiled and added encouragingly, "Elekid is full of energy, and its coordination with Toby is excellent. There were a few small slips, but that passion is the most important thing. Keep it up!"
In the end, all three judges unanimously awarded a score of 7.5.
Toby excitedly took Elekid's hand, bowed deeply, and left the stage.
The following contestants took the stage one after another, each with their own distinct style.
Contestant No. 2 brought a Magnemite, performing an acrobatic routine using magnetic force to manipulate metal rings.
Magnemite floated at the center of the stage, its two magnet arms spinning flexibly, precisely guiding rings of different sizes to rotate and interlock around it.
From a single ring to double loops, then layer upon layer locking together, they finally formed a shining metallic flower—brimming with creativity.
Contestant No. 5's Voltorb showcased high-speed rotation while releasing electricity, forming an ever-expanding electric ring.
It spun like a relentless top, the electricity around its body spreading outward as its rotation accelerated. The ring expanded from fist-sized to nearly half a person's height, blue arcs of electricity leaping across it in dazzling patterns.
Midway through, the Voltorb nearly lost control due to excessive speed and almost rolled off the edge of the stage. Fortunately, it quickly adjusted its spin direction and veered back along the boundary line.
That thrilling recovery drew cheers from the audience, and even Vivian laughed as she joked, "This performance almost turned into an adventure—but it was exciting!"
Contestant No. 21, a little girl with a Pichu, performed a routine using static electricity from Pichu's cheeks to ignite specially prepared fluorescent paper.
She first had Pichu rub the glowing paper with its fluffy cheeks. Once enough static had built up, Pichu held pieces of the paper in both paws.
The girl gently blew on them.
With a soft puff, tiny flames sprang to life, dancing atop Pichu's paws.
Pichu waved its hands around like it was playing with fireworks, even shaking its head cutely at the audience.
The sheer adorableness drew a chorus of "So cute!" from the stands.
Theo watched each performance carefully, occasionally lowering his head to jot down notes in his phone.
Magnemite's magnetic control could be a reference—perhaps Beldum could perform something similar using magnetism in the future.
Voltorb's rotating electric currents had strong visual impact—could Feebas's aqua rings borrow from that idea?
Theo never underestimated anyone. Some contestants might lack the strength to fully realize certain ideas, but that didn't mean the ideas themselves lacked value.
He carefully recorded these creative sparks, seeing whether they could be adapted for his own Pokémon. After all, it was precisely these scattered inspirations that, when gathered together, could give birth to new ideas for Pokémon Contest performances.
(End of Chapter)