Backstage, in the final seconds before walking out, March 7th pressed her hands against her chest, squeezing her eyes shut as she took deep, steady breaths.
"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous... You can do this, March! You've practiced this a thousand times!"
Yet no matter how much she tried to steady her pulse, the nervous flutter in her stomach refused to settle.
Chirp~Kreee~Hummm~
Noticing her tension, Beautifly, Articuno, and Regice drifted to her side, leaning in gently to offer their quiet support.
Even if her family from the Astral Express wasn't back here in the tunnel with her, her Pokémon partners were right by her side.
Feeling their steady presence, March let out a soft breath, reaching out to gently stroke the feathers of Articuno and the cool crystalline frame of Regice.
Every time she interacted with them, she was struck by how alive and responsive their behaviors felt. At the same time, a tiny part of her couldn't help wishing these wondrous creatures were living companions in the real world rather than digital entities.
Before her thoughts could wander any further, the lights dropped into total darkness.
The cue was unmistakable.
March drew a sharp breath, took a firm step forward, and stepped into the center of the arena.
Thump, thump, thump...
A melancholy, somber piano melody drifted through the speakers.
The projection materialized into the grand, imposing hall of a royal castle. March appeared in ornate, heavy queen's robes, quietly sharing a moment of warmth with her three Pokémon.
Suddenly, palace guards burst through the double doors, bearing grave news: her royal parents had been lost at sea during a violent storm, their vessel shattered upon the reefs with zero hope of survivors.
Overcome by grief and shock, March lost control of her inner magic. A wave of frost surged from her feet, instantly flash-freezing the stone hall in jagged sheets of rime.
The guards scrambled back in terror. Though unhurt, the stark fear in their eyes cut deep into the young queen's heart.
Thrust onto the throne by duty, March struggled to rule, yet her sorrow subtly altered the climate of the entire realm. Endless chills settled over the valleys, harvests withered, and winter dragged on without end.
Driven by desperation, the townsfolk gathered at the palace gates. Fear gave way to bitter resentment as angry cries echoed through the courtyards.
Hearing their grievances, March's composure shattered entirely. In a moment of panic, a massive blizzard erupted from her hands, burying the royal capital under thick snow.
Realizing her presence brought only suffering to the people, she abdicated the throne to her younger sister and fled into the harsh northern wastes alongside Beautifly, Regice, and Articuno.
As her boots crunch onto the snowy ridges of the towering mountain, a familiar melody began to swell.
Sitting at the judges' desk, Julian gave a slight start.
The short musical motif he had hummed to March during their earlier discussions had been fleshed out into a full, soaring arrangement.
While certain transitions were subtly altered from the original earth track, the adaptations were brilliant, flowing with rich emotion. It was clear she had found talented collaborators to bring the composition to life.
Amidst the swirling storm, March began to sing, her clear voice carrying over the wind. Articuno and Regice soared close behind, their movements altering the snowy landscape to match every emotional shift in her lyrics.
As the track reached its soaring pre-chorus, the sorrow melted from March's face, replaced by a radiant, liberated smile.
She stripped off the heavy, suffocating royal mantle, casting it into the wind.
The rhythm shifted into a bright, empowering anthem. She had cast off the weight of her past, striding forward with head held high.
Reaching a sheer precipice, Articuno and Regice combined their powers to conjure a sweeping staircase of pure, luminous ice across the canyon.
Beautifly swept ahead, its wings stirring the blizzard away to reveal crystal-clear ice glowing beneath the snow.
March bounded up the frozen steps to the driving rhythm of the song, while Beautifly scattered shimmering, fluorescent dust that illuminated the path like floating stars.
Reaching the high summit, she brought her heel down upon the snow. Regice and Articuno circled her in a dazzling spiral, channeling glacial energy until a breathtaking, multi-tiered palace of pure crystal ice rose from the frozen peak.
Beautifly danced through the spires, dusting the crystal architecture with glittering pollen that made the entire palace glow like a diamond under the moonlight.
The visual impact of building a magnificent sanctuary from nothing held the audience spellbound.
During the musical interlude, March and Beautifly danced upon the highest crystal terrace as the structure continued to expand.
With the final chorus echoing across the heavens, the song delivered its message of leaving sorrow behind to embrace one's true, radiant self.
As the palace settled, Articuno and Regice descended, weaving frost into an elegant, ice-blue gown paired with a translucent crystal cape that trailed behind her like silk.
Beautifly gently unpinned her formal royal updo. Her hair cascaded freely over her shoulders, transforming her look instantly.
Gone was the anxious, burdened queen; standing in her place was a vibrant, joyful princess of ice.
She strode to the open balcony, looking toward the distant horizon where the first rays of dawn broke through the clouds, offering the rising sun a radiant, breathless smile.
Regice, Articuno, and Beautifly flanked her on the overlook, their bodies catching the golden sunlight as the camera pulled back to reveal the full, sparkling expanse of the frozen palace.
Whoosh!
The visual faded into gentle morning light.
The entire arena sat in stunned silence for several seconds, completely absorbed in the music and imagery, before a solitary gasp broke the spell, instantly followed by a massive roar of applause.
Standing center stage, March's chest heaved as she clutched her hands together, a little flustered by the overwhelming response.
Up on the judging panel, Himeko watched her with a gentle, affectionate chuckle, while Welt smiled warmly from the VIP stands.
Even Dan Heng's usually guarded expression softened into a rare, proud smile.
Down in the audience, Stelle was on her feet, waving her arms and cheering at the top of her lungs, though her voice was drowned out by the roar of a million spectators.
"Thank you, Miss March, for that unforgettable audiovisual masterpiece!" Owlbert proclaimed, adjusting his bowtie. "The melody still echoes in our hearts! Let us turn to our esteemed judges for their thoughts!"
Topaz was the first to speak, a warm smile on her face.
"That was an exceptional routine, March. You captured the transition between the hesitant ruler and the liberated princess with absolute authenticity."
"While Miss Robin is far more qualified to judge musical technique, I must say your vocal control and stage movement were delightful."
"The emotional progression was remarkably clear, and combining live vocals, dance, and large-scale environmental creation resulted in a truly explosive stage presence."
Topaz raised her scoring paddle: 98 points, matching Guinaifen's initial benchmark.
Himeko looked down at March with fond, glowing eyes.
"As a fellow member of the Astral Express, I see the very heart of the Trailblaze shining through Little March's performance. The courage to step into the unknown and discover who you truly are is everything our journey stands for."
"If I were scoring solely on personal sentiment," Himeko smiled, "I wouldn't hesitate for a second to award a perfect score."
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