Mossdeep Contest.
It was already the final stage of the Hoenn Pokémon Contest this year. Those who had collected enough Ribbons to qualify for the Grand Festival had done so long ago, so this Mossdeep Contest was not particularly lively.
However, there were still plenty of Coordinators who were just one Ribbon short. If they wanted to participate in the Grand Festival this year, the Mossdeep Contest was one of only two remaining opportunities.
The day of the Mossdeep Contest.
"Hello! I'm Announcer Vivian."
"Gentle, gorgeous, and dazzling—this is the Mossdeep Contest!"
"Pokémon Contest is now back on time in Mossdeep City!"
"Alright! The Coordinator who wins this beautiful contest will receive this Mossdeep Ribbon, gaining a boost in their journey toward the Grand Festival!"
Vivian took a deep breath after finishing the opening lines she had said dozens of times, enthusiastically lifting the audience's spirits. Then, she gestured again and introduced the three judges.
This time, Raoul Contesta and Sukizo were absent. Two completely unfamiliar judges were seated, though most of the Coordinators didn't mind, as they seemed used to it.
Vivian skipped the excessive formalities and directly announced the start of the Pokémon Contest.
Primary Judging – The Performance Stage.
One by one, the contestants took to the stage, their performances delighting the audience. It must be said that, in each stage of the last few Pokémon Contests, while the top-level may not have been particularly high, the average level has still been quite good. At least until now, Terrance hasn't seen a low score or encountered a complete rookie.
After several contestants had performed, Vivian pulled out the list and prepared to announce the next participant. But upon seeing the name, a smile appeared on her lips.
"Alright, let's welcome the next contestant!"
In the Contestants' Lobby.
"He's up next..."
"Yeah, that's Terrance, right?"
"That's right, I've competed in two Pokémon Contests with him before. That's him."
People in the lobby had long recognized Terrance. At this point, he was somewhat of a notable figure, and anywhere he goes related to Pokémon Contests, he attracted considerable attention.
"Terrance?!"
"What? It's Terrance!"
In the audience, some people who had heard rumors about Terrance online cast curious glances at the young man below. His white shirt and trousers, combined with his strikingly light golden-brown hair, gave him a clean and neat impression.
The two new judges also sized up Terrance. Although Raoul Contesta and Sukizo were unable to leave due to work when Terrance's information was registered, they were also extremely interested and were paying close attention to what was happening here.
"Will it be Altaria, Castform, Mismagius, or Beautifly?"
"A new Pokémon again, huh..."
As Terrance threw the Poké Ball, a mighty howl rang out, accompanied by sparks flying through the air. A majestic Arcanine appeared on the stage, lifting its head to display its wild majesty.
As Arcanine howled upon its entrance, every audience member who heard the sound felt their hearts pound, their bodies warming up. Their minds turned numb and they became unusually excited.
Ability...
The three judges immediately realized that this was a creative use of Arcanine's "Intimidate" Ability. Instantly, it became the focus of the entire venue. The judges were so impressed that they wanted to applaud.
While the entire audience stared at the domineering Arcanine on stage without blinking—
Arcanine moved.
Whoosh~~
Its brown eyes had, at some point, acquired a faint, barely perceptible red glow.
Numerous sparks appeared and as Arcanine stepped forward, the first flame appeared beneath its paws. With every step, tiny sparks scattered from where its feet touched the ground.
The sparks were almost invisible, but Arcanine's slow movements made it clear that something was off about it.
These gentle sparks surprisingly gave people the illusion that Arcanine was calm and elegant.
However, that illusion didn't last long...
Whoosh!!!!
Suddenly, flames erupted all over Arcanine's body. The raging flames seemed to engulf its body, and with a loud bang, the flames erupted out. The sudden change caused many in the audience to gasp in surprise.
"It looks like... it's lowering its head?"
Some spectators noticed the change. Arcanine slowly lowered its head, its mouth glowing even brighter. A massive fireball shot out, forming a large human-shape in an instant, skimming close to the ground before crashing on the ground with a bang. It was like an explosion, and from beneath Arcanine, a towering blaze surged upward, resembling a fiery mushroom cloud that captured everyone's attention.
Arcanine, still wreathed in flames, smashed through the mushroom cloud with a thunderous crack, scattering sparks everywhere. But that wasn't the end...
What happened next was the most astonishing sight of all. Arcanine's sizable frame began running, stepping on the fiery serpents swirling through the air. It sprinted upward, leaping and running through the flames. Circling the broken flame mushroom cloud, its body twirled like a whirlwind, spinning rapidly.
At this point, Arcanine was moving at an incredible speed. Even from a distance, the audience could hear the sharp sounds of friction between the flames and its body, producing rhythmic explosion sounds. One of the judges inhaled sharply and remarked, "To run on flames—just how fast does it need to be?"
"Speed alone isn't enough; Arcanine isn't exactly light... it also requires extraordinary coordination."
"No… it also needs perfect control over the flames. A single misstep, and Arcanine would fall."
Running on flames—was that even possible?
No one doubted it as it was happening right in front of their eyes. As Arcanine ran, the flames around it gradually faded, but its body remained a blur, hard to distinguish. Soon, the audience noticed an astonishing change. While Arcanine was running, the flames exhibited an exaggerated degree of cohesion. Instead of dispersing, they formed a Fire Spin—a swirling curtain of flames rotating at a steady rhythm. Arcanine's figure seemed to merge with this flame tornado, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
Seeing the flame tornado form, Terrance said, "It's time to wrap this up. Finish it, Arcanine."
"Awoooo!!!!"
The majestic howl brought the audience back to their senses. Arcanine leaped out from the tornado, its figure suspended in mid-air. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Atop a massive flame tornado, Arcanine hovered, its mouth gathering another Fire Blast. Relying solely on gravity, it plummeted downward, the Fire Blast accompanying its descent.
Boom!!
The surrounding flames were pushed outward as Arcanine's body fell. With a loud "bang," the strong, wild, majestic, and domineering figure landed on the ground, standing in the midst of countless surging flames. The dazzling firelight illuminated Arcanine's body, instantly making it the center of attention and igniting the crowd's excitement once again.
Some audience members had taken out their cameras, rubbing their eyes as they stared at the footage they'd captured. Even the recording staff noticed something odd…
Finally, just when everyone thought the performance was over, a stunning scene was revealed. The flame tornado, propelled by the Fire Blast, continued to spiral upward, and with Arcanine at its center, the rising flames formed a mesmerizing pattern.
It looked like a beautiful flower, with countless forms and shapes. The flames flickered—some appeared as red buds, shy and about to bloom; others were half-open, with some fiery petals falling while others clustered around the red core, resembling a Gardevoir with its clothes slightly disheveled. The fully bloomed ones danced like Lopunny dressed in fiery red, gracefully twirling.
In Arcanine's deep brown eyes, the reflection of the surrounding raging flames lingered for a long time. Standing amidst the fire lotus, Arcanine looked like a sacred being of flames, making countless people feel the urge to worship it.
"A fire lotus?! The flames shape..…"
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