The moment Milotic appeared on stage, it gently fanned its tail fins, subtly manipulating the lingering moisture in the air to support its body.
Carried by invisible currents of water, it slowly rose upward.
The water vapor at the center of the stage gradually gathered under its guidance, forming a thin veil of mist that enveloped Milotic's figure.
Milotic softly activated its Confuse Ray.
A faint golden glow flowed across its creamy white body, and under the refraction of the water vapor, delicate rainbow hues shimmered through the mist. It looked as though a fairy of the waters had arrived riding the fog—illusory, ethereal, and dreamlike.
Within the mist, Milotic glided with elegant grace. The two vivid red feelers atop its head swayed gently with its movements, their crimson glow becoming even more striking within the haze.
Its blue fins unfurled like the flowing ribbons of a celestial maiden. With every subtle motion, countless tiny droplets of water were stirred into the air, scattering silvery brilliance beneath the stage lights.
At this moment, Milotic lifted its head toward the sky and slowly exhaled a blue water sphere about the size of a fist. The water orb floated upward into the air above the stage.
After ascending a short distance, the blue water sphere burst apart with a soft pop, scattering into countless fine droplets of mist.
Rather than dispersing, these droplets condensed midair, forming a patch of dark gray storm clouds.
The lighting across the stage suddenly dimmed, leaving only a few beams focused squarely on Milotic, making its figure shine even more brilliantly against the darkened backdrop.
Within the clouds, silvery-white lightning began to flicker one after another. Purple-blue arcs of electricity danced through the cloud layers, as though playing an overture for Milotic's performance.
Milotic slowly swam upward above the stage, the flashes of lightning outlining its graceful form with striking clarity.
Its creamy white body and golden tail fins alternated in radiance beneath the electric glow.
Just then, the three flute-like openings along the side of Milotic's neck began to tremble gently, and a melodious tune flowed forth from within.
The sound was like music played upon an instrument—at times resembling the murmuring of a stream, at others the soft chime of wind bells—so soothing and beautiful that the entire audience instinctively held their breath.
The golden scales on Milotic's tail fin swayed softly in time with the melody, each scale reflecting a gentle sheen under the lights.
This was an innate ability of the Milotic line. As the Tender Pokémon, their singing naturally released waves that soothed the soul, calming restless emotions and allowing turbulent hearts to slowly settle.
The noise of the venue gradually faded away within the melody, and even the scrolling comments in the livestream came to a brief standstill.
The audience tilted their heads upward, gazing at Milotic singing within the mist, feeling a profound sense of tranquility and serenity well up from deep within—like standing beside a lakeshore at dawn, where even one's breathing unconsciously slowed.
At that moment, droplets of rain began to fall from the storm clouds above. Fine strands of rain traced transparent paths through the stage lights.
The audience lifted their faces slightly, feeling the coolness carried by the gentle drizzle.
With Milotic's singing in their ears and its agile figure moving through the mist before their eyes, it felt as though they had stepped into a tender, beautiful dream.
"Milotic, let's officially begin our performance now!"
Theo's command suddenly rang out, clear, steady, and powerful—instantly pulling the audience back from their dreamlike trance.
Everyone snapped back to attention, their gazes locked firmly onto Milotic at the center of the stage.
And at that very instant, an unbelievable scene unfolded—the raindrops falling from the sky suddenly stopped!
Whether it was the rain above the stage or the droplets about to land on the audience's shoulders, every single drop seemed to have been frozen in place, suspended midair as though someone had pressed a pause button.
They hovered crystal-clear before everyone's eyes, as if time itself had solidified at that moment.
The audience couldn't help but widen their eyes, cautiously extending their hands.
Their fingertips lightly touched the suspended raindrops. The icy sensation was vividly real, yet the droplets remained perfectly still, without the slightest tremble.
The livestream comments instantly exploded, refreshing at a waterfall-like speed:
"Holy—what the hell?! The rain stopped?! Is something wrong with my eyes?!"
"The rain is frozen—like time itself stopped! This is way too magical!"
"What even is this?! Controlling water is one thing, but making raindrops float?! That's insane!"
Under the collective gaze of the audience, the suspended raindrops slowly began to expand, swelling from grain-sized beads into smooth spheres as large as fists.
Within each droplet, the astonished faces of the spectators were reflected, like countless floating crystal balls.
Milotic let out another gentle chant, and the melody suddenly quickened.
A cold breeze swept across the stage, causing the audience to instinctively shrink their necks.
Then, within the center of the water spheres, a faint white glow suddenly appeared.
It was the gleam of freezing ice!
The water droplets began to take shape at a visible pace. Smooth arcs formed along the bottom, rounded curves swelled at the top, and outlines of fins slowly extended from both sides.
In just over ten seconds, every suspended raindrop transformed into an exquisite ice sculpture.
Streamlined bodies, fin-like wings along the cheeks, elegant tail fins, and even the two feelers atop the head—all were vividly detailed, as if Milotic's form had been perfectly frozen in ice.
"Waaah—!"
Thunderous cheers erupted across the venue. The audience couldn't help but stand up, gazing at the ice sculptures floating before them. They gently touched them with their fingertips, feeling the cold, smooth surface.
Exclamations rose and fell like waves sweeping through the crowd:
"So beautiful!"
"It's an ice sculpture shaped like Milotic!"
"This is unbelievable!"
At the judges' table, Mr. Contesta gazed at the ice sculpture hovering above his desk. He reached out, picked it up, and carefully admired it in his hands.
Chairman Sukizo also extended his hand, gently stroking the surface of the Milotic ice sculpture, a broad and delighted smile spreading across his face.
Miss Joy and Host Vivian both cradled the ice sculptures before them with both hands, their eyes filled with unmistakable fondness.
"This is the gift that Milotic and I wish to give to everyone.
Although ice sculptures cannot be preserved forever and can only retain their beauty for a short time, I hope that this fleeting moment of beauty will remain in everyone's memories."
Theo's voice came from the stage, warm and sincere.
The audience members all reached out, carefully supporting the ice sculptures before them, letting the chill spread from their fingertips straight into their hearts.
Meanwhile, the viewers in the livestream were already dying of envy:
"Oh my god! Not being there in person is such a loss—there are even Milotic ice sculpture gifts?!"
"I'm so jealous I'm turning green! What kind of divine interaction is this?! I'm crying from envy!"
"Is there anyone at the venue willing to preserve and resell the ice sculpture? I'll pay a high price!"
On stage, Milotic gently swayed its tail fins and began to sing once more. This time, the melody was livelier than before, brimming with joy and delight.
The storm clouds in the sky gradually dispersed. The stage lights brightened once again as sunlight poured down, illuminating the ice sculptures held in the audience's hands and revealing faint crystalline glimmers.
Vivian's voice rang out, trembling with excitement. "I honestly don't even know how to describe this anymore—it truly feels like a dream come to life!"
(End of Chapter)