The next morning, Jubilife City was humming with a different kind of energy. The usual metallic clanging of the ore trade was drowned out by the upbeat theme music blasting from the speakers around the Jubilife Contest Hall.
I arrived early, but the plaza was already a sea of color and motion. Dozens of Coordinators were in "last-minute panic mode." I saw a young boy frantically brushing a very annoyed-looking Shinx; further down, a girl was trying to teach her Budew how to spin without falling over.
I scanned the crowd. Turtwig, Starly, Bidoof, Buneary... it was a textbook lineup of Sinnoh starters. Aside from my Flabébé, there wasn't a single Pokémon from another region in sight.
Is it because this is a beginner-level Contest? I wondered, adjusting my cap. Maybe the seasoned pros are off in Hearthome City or competing in the higher-ranked circuits.
In this world, being a "Trainer" and being a "Coordinator" were two very different paths. To make it to the Sinnoh League, you had to survive the grueling gym circuit—defeating eight specialized leaders who didn't go easy on you once you had a few badges under your belt. Most people washed out by the fourth gym.
Contests, however, had a lower barrier to entry but a much higher "style" ceiling. It wasn't about who could punch the hardest; it was about who could make a move like Tackle look like a work of art. Looking around at the people practicing frisbee tosses and simple acrobatics, I realized the general skill level here was... well, "beginner" was the right word for it.
"Excuse me—hi!"
I turned around to see a girl with short, sporty hair and a very confident-looking Piplup standing at her heels.
"Is something wrong?" I asked.
"Oh, no! I just had to ask—that Pokémon on your head is absolutely adorable!" she said, her eyes wide with curiosity. "I tried to scan her with my Pokédex, but it just gave me a 'Data Unknown' error. Is she a new discovery? My name is Aoko, by the way, and this is my partner, Piplup."
"Piplup-pip!" The penguin puffed out its chest, looking remarkably smug.
"Nice to meet you, Aoko. I'm Julian," I replied, giving Flabébé a little nudge. "This is Flabébé. It's not a glitch—she's a native of the Kalos region. Most Sinnoh-model Pokédexes don't have her data pre-loaded. She's a bit of a rare sight around here."
"Kalos? Wow!" Aoko leaned in, nearly bumping noses with Flabébé. "Are you a world traveler? Did you fly all the way here for the Jubilife Ribbon?"
"Not exactly. I'm actually a local, but meeting her was a bit of a... unique accident. I hope to visit Kalos someday, though."
"That's so cool! So, are you a Coordinator too?"
I nodded. "First time. This is our debut performance. I'm a little nervous, to be honest."
"I totally get it!" Aoko laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "When Piplup and I started two months ago, I was so stiff I looked like a Sudowoodo on stage. We lost our first one, but we learned a lot. We actually just won our first Ribbon last week!"
"A Ribbon holder already? I guess I should call you 'Senior' then," I joked.
"Oh, stop! I'm still learning," she blushed. "But you better bring your A-game, Julian! I'm not planning on losing today."
The Curtain Rises
An hour later, the interior of the Contest Hall was packed to the rafters. The air smelled of popcorn and hairspray.
"Coordinators from every corner of the globe have gathered here today to witness the intersection of beauty and power!" a vibrant voice boomed over the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! The Jubilife City Pokémon Contest is officially open!"
A woman with high-energy blonde hair and a glittering microphone stepped onto the stage. "I am your host, Vivian, and I'll be your guide through this festival of light!"
She gestured toward a raised platform where three people sat. "And now, please welcome our esteemed panel of judges! First, the Director of the Pokémon Contest Committee, Mr. Contesta!"
A stern man in a red suit nodded. "I look forward to seeing the bond between human and Pokémon."
"Next, the President of the Pokémon Fan Club, Mr. Sukizo!"
A small, squinty-eyed man waved. "I like it!"
"And finally, our very own Nurse Joy from the Jubilife Pokémon Center!"
The Nurse Joy on stage looked identical to the one I'd seen at the center yesterday—and the one in Sandgem. Seriously, I thought, how does Brock tell them apart? Is it the hair loops? The slight variation in pink hue? It's a supernatural talent.
"The first round is the Performance Stage!" Vivian announced. "Show us your Pokémon's moves, their charm, and their soul! Contestant number one, please take the stage!"
I watched the first few performances on the monitor in the waiting room. A girl with a Budew used a combo of Stun Spore and Water Sport to create golden, sparkling droplets. It was... okay. The crowd cheered, but it felt a bit basic. In my head, I was already analyzing the frame rates and particle effects.
Beauty, Coolness, Cuteness, Toughness, and Cleverness, I recited. Most of these performers were hitting "Cuteness," but they lacked "Impact."
Then, it was Aoko's turn.
"Next up, a rising star from Eterna Town—Aoko and her Piplup!"
Aoko sprinted onto the stage with a grin. "Piplup, let's go! Seal, activate!"
She tossed the Poké Ball, and as it opened, a burst of blue bubbles erupted (thanks to a Bubble Sticker). Piplup emerged spinning in the center of the froth.
"Piplup, use Peck, then follow up with Fury Attack!"
Piplup leaped into the air. His beak glowed with white energy, and he began a rapid-fire series of strikes. But he wasn't hitting a target; he was hitting the bubbles from his own entrance.
Pop! Pop-pop-pop!
Each bubble burst into a fine mist of glittering water. Under the stage lights, the mist turned into a shimmering, rainbow-colored aura that surrounded Piplup as he landed in a perfect hero pose.
"Incredible!" Vivian shouted. "He used his own entrance as a prop for his finale! What a dazzling display of coordination!"
"I like it!" Mr. Sukizo chirped.
Nurse Joy beamed. "The way he utilized the stage lighting to turn simple water into a diamond-dust effect shows a very deep bond."
I felt a genuine surge of respect. Aoko wasn't kidding; her Piplup had incredible control. To hit every bubble with a multi-strike move like Fury Attack took serious timing.
As Aoko walked back into the lounge, her face was flushed with success. She spotted me heading toward the stage wings.
"Top that, Doctor!" she teased, giving me a high-five as we passed.
"I'll certainly try," I laughed. I reached up and adjusted Flabébé's position on my shoulder. She was shivering slightly—not from fear, but from the same excitement I was feeling.
"The next contestant," Vivian's voice echoed through the tunnel, "is a newcomer with a Pokémon we've never seen on the Sinnoh stage. Please welcome Julian and Flabébé!"
I took a deep breath. My heart was pounding against my ribs like a Loudred's bass. I stepped out from the shadows and into the blinding white light of the arena. Thousands of faces stared down at me.
"This is it, Flabébé," I whispered. "One year of research. One year of training. Let's show them the magic of the Fairy-type."