Beheware of the Kawaii Monsters

## Anticipations

Which pokèmon have the class, the cuteness, the grace, the strength and the sharp to win the Pokémon Contests? It's a talent palooza where each team will unleash its loveliness monsters!But there will be also monsters of..mischievousness? Better beware from the nicest characters..

## **Prologue**

The Victini Venturers enjoyed their first flight in Vip Class with the special company of Victini himself. Anorith, Inkay and Gorebyss were having relax and fun in the swimming pool, Dunsparce and Seviper lied at the solarium terrace implanted in the superior part of the airplane,and Aurorus, Beheeyem, and Tropius chatted together the host at the cocktail zone.

“Attention, please, I’m going to do a dive bomb that I dedicate to Gorebyss!” Anorith walked swagging on the plank, and leaped in the azure water, flipping to impress Gorebyss, but knocked into Inkay who leaped at the same time but FROM the water. Therefore the reaction of Gorebyss was just a gig. “Ouch, watch where you go, and, actually, what the hell you’re doing? You dive from the springboard into the water not from the water into the springboard!”

“No, no, no, you’re wrong, it’s the contrary u.u” was the bold answer of Inkay. Gorebyss outbursted in laughers and Anorith resigned at the end, limiting to swim with her.

“Congratulation, **Team Victini is Very Very Very Very Victorious**, you have finally honored your name with an overwhelming victory! Continue in this way, I count on it.” Victini winked. Tropius arched a brow “Thanks, I count on the same, but, did you change our team name again?” the V-host smiled “Do you like it, right? It’s a sign of reconossaince from me to rename with an even more valorous name your team than Victini Venturers. So, don’t waste it, okay?” blinked doing the signature sign of victory with the hand. The two sauropodes hesitated before to give an answer, instead Beheeyem clapped sarcastically “Excellent idea! With this name we’ll lose easier than before for sure, and I purpose a slight variant: Team Victini is Very (x4) **Vexing**.”

“Grrr. You should be just glad that I didn’t oust you yet from the show, Alienoah. So shut up! You’ve broken the heart of my stepdaughter cause of your insensitiveness.” Victini dragged Beheeyem with himself. “Can I finish my drink first, please? Woah! Ahem..Guess it's a no.”

“Anyway, Tropius, can I ask you a question a little intrusive?” Aurorus spoke sitting next to him. Tropius hid the blush between the leaves “S-Sure, go on.”

“Do you want some ice cubes in your drink?” she laughed.

“Ahahahah! Funny twist, and the answer is yes, thanks. However, not too much, you know I’m cryophobic.”

“I know. Here. Now with the true question.” Aurorus used *Lyophilization* (*Freeze-Dry* in english) on the glass of Tropius and returned serious “Do you have a family?”

“Ehm..not really.” Tropius wondered the reason of that question, for a second the hope she loved him enlightened his mind, but he thought soon after to be wrong “I’m orphan and my numerous friends at Hoenn are like my actual family. Do you, too?”

Aurorus nodded and denied at contemporary “I’m orphan… but utterly alone at home. Afterall, I’m a revived fossil like Anorith. The only difference is that I had already evolved when they found and extracted me from an iceberg because I had had too.”

“I understand. Circumstances forced you to evolve soon as possible to survive in the Ice Age. Right?”

“Right.” Aurorus sipped her drink and approached the flanks to his “Would you like to have one?” Tropius had chills of pleasure but, having already messed in the past with other girls, he decided to keep the calm and replied with a simple “Yes. I’d like. Brrr! No, don’t worry, I’m fine, it’s just nothing.” shivered, then Aurorus noticed some chillblains appeared on his leaves and backed of a little apologising. Tropius quickly reassured her “Not need to excuse, I’m just delicate with cold, my fault. Rattle. See? I’m already feeling better. Ah ah ah!”

Aurorus walked away soon after “I have a commission to do, see you later…”

**Tropius would have slapped himself if only he could. He entered in the Confessional (obviously only with the head). “Why I’m so simpleton and shy? She was clearly flirting with me, what else? And what I did? Said I had chillblains? Virtually slap myself.” He was about to get out when his neck remained stuck in the vent “Not again, what’s this…glue?!! VERY FUNNY.” Lester and Drifloon snickered from behind the air flits. “Totally from our point of view! Anyway, it’s warm here, need some air-conditioner! Click the button, Dory! Wooooosh!” A chill air propagated in the tubes cooling down the temperature and blowing away some of Tropius’s leaves “No, no, don’t be…brrrr!Rattle-rattle…bastard.”**

**“Ahahahah! By the way please, we’re quirky *Ghostbastards*.” Lester and Drifloon high fived each others and assumed a pose while the music of *Ghosbusters* tuned in the background.**

Beheeyem and Victini entered in the pilot cabin, where Jirachii was having the journal nap, and the host, visibly jumpy, locked the door. Beheeyem started to feel worried “What’s the matter? I mean to ask, uhm, if is this going to be a direct execution, my last wish is…”

“Zip it, Space Yam, and look at this video.” Victini lighted on the screen of the V-cam and skipped the records until the last one that showed the speech between Beheeyem and Lampent that soon turned into an argument and the sad runaway of Lampent. Beheeyem watched the video with a bit of confusion: he didn’t remember that. “The video ends here because of the short autonomy of the machine.” Victini said dryly pushing the alien against the wall “It shows enough of your couldn’t care less shittiness to make me wish for your end, but I don’t want to hurt my daughter more and I’ll leave you in the game until they don’t eliminate you, limiting to make your life an HELL.” His eyes burned of pure hate and the flames singed the cloak of Beheeyem “Because so far it was a PARADISE… anyway, I know that my usual behaviour comes off often very cold and insensitive, ok always, but I’m not at this professional level of jerkiness. Also, I was sleeping when this happened and I’m sure the video doesn’t show the whole truth. Unless I’m a sleepwalker, that Beheeyem isn’t logically me.” Shrugged “However, if you want, I’ll talk with Lampent and explain in detail all the reasons why it couldn’t be me yesterday…”

Victini surrounded him with a twister of fire and burned out the following words “Stay away from her or you’re ash.” The host unlocked the door allowing the scorched Beheeyem to float back to the companions.

“What happened? You’re red as a Corphish and charred as a Torkoal.” Asked Anorith.

“Victini invited me to a an exclusiV-barbecue.”

**// Vent //**

**The alien fluttered in the ventilation conduct to reflect careless of Tropius. “I admit I felt back some scare when Victini threatened me, but this isn’t important. I need to solve things with Lampent, because, well, I don’t love her but she’s the first and only one I care a little little little for. Quantifying the percent of my interest for her: 1%. More than the usual 0,00 %.” Shrugged and pondered with attention “Uhm… I would better leave her alone because I can’t even approach without her stepfather inviting me to another BBQ, and solve the mystery of the second Beheeyem.** ***It’s an impostor because I don’t know any other Beheeyem who had my same misfortune to be sent study this planet of apes.”'***

**Tropius coug-coughed “Can you give me an hand to get out from here? I don’t feel the neck anymore.”**

**Beheeyem stared deadpan folding arms “Forgot I don’t use hands because my brain does everything?”**

**“Whatever, I’ll help me by myself, thank for NOTHING.”**

**“You’re NOT welcome.”**

Jigglers had spent the night on the **Tail of Losers**, fighting against the cold and the wind to not get blown away. Chimecho reminded her promise to Lucario in late and restituted the sunglasses in the morning, making Squirtle the most happy pokèmon on Earth. “Yahooo! Hot Water has come back, people. Thanks million bucks, Chimechanga! Brogon, wake up, and celebrate with me the return of the swag!” He dressed on the shades and pumped the pecs with *Pump It* playing at the stereo. Bagon, despite the tiredom, was happy to party dance with his friend, but also wanted back the goggles “I assume you don’t need ‘em anymore. Soooo, can I have them back, man?”

“Sure, bro, here.” Squirtle touched his front in the attempt to take off the pilot glasses, but failed because there was nothing “Here. Ehm..oh-oh. I was sure to have them on the head, my bad, maybe I left them in the bag when I went to sleep.” Bagon continued to smile with trust. “Or…no? Scratch-scratch..wep, man, need a break to think about, but don’t worry, eheh!” Chimecho gave him an evident glance of reproach but was careful enough to keep Bagon oblivious. “Okay, Hot Water, I’m going wash myself in the bathroom and prepare for the new day. Catch you later!” Bagon entered indoor climbing down the ladder.

“Sure, buddy, catch you lat’r! Ow no, man.. I’m doomed.”

Chimecho whispered him “You lost the goggles, as I had predicted.”

“Jeez, can you help me look around? Maybe they slippered somewhere.”

“Somewhere…out of the plane.” Added Lucario bluntly directing to the indoor bathrooms. Chimecho glared at him and started the research.

“Good zippy-zappy morning to everyooooooone!” Plusle had returned chipper and loud after a long sleep, she and Minun were completely healed from the poison and the rest had recharged completely their batteries. “GGGood M@rning, electric r-rodents live forms named after Minun and P-lusle. Krack!ATTTTTTTTIILLLT………CHOOM!” Porygon 2 sneezed and glitched, he looked terribly infected that his body had turned of a darker palette. “Are you okay?”

“My system is KO. I can’t move anymore f-l-uently and I’m under the at-at-at-attack of multiple pirating agents// Team Rocket files..vkkvkv.” Porygon 2 quilled “I’m @fraid my antivirus has been damaged when L-e-s-t-e-r e-n-t-e-r- e - d in the c- o m p u t e r y e s t e r - d a - - - y!”

“Yep, he caused a massive black-out that sent us in the stratosphere.” Minun frowned “His craziness will destroy us continuing on this way… Anyway, I’d like to help you, but I’m not expert of Porygon technology neither I’m a doctor for computer.”

“EOEOEOEO EMERGENCY!” Lester knocked down the door with Chaos “Dr. Rotom has arrived. Who’s the patient? A-ah! The dyagnosis is bland. This is a classic case of interinal virulentis infection of Gygabite B. Nurse, pass me the mow.” Drifloon gave him a quizzical look, blushing “How is a mow? Can’t remember.. ehehem\*..in this moment.” Lester explained and she passed him an hammer “I should do a cerebral operation to you, too. By the way, I’ll do an occipital incision in the frontal polygone!” He turned into Rotom Cut and dented the surface of Porygon 2.

“No, LESTER!” Minun facepalmed “Oh my Arceus..why.”

Porygon 2 stiffened and yelled “S-T-O-P! This is not the way to solve a PC problem: I’m a cybernetic being! Cr@sh.”

“Hold on, you’ll feel better after I’ll finish, ah!” Lester was opening Porygon 2 like a kan-opener when Metang stroke in and used Meteor Punch against the plasmic poltergeist “No, he won’t heal in this illogical way from the problem YOU caused to his driver. The plasma discharged in the computer interfered with Porygon’s chips and annhilated his defenses, therefore Rotom acted like a perfect informatic virus that exposed Porygon 2 to the swarm of malwares put by Team Rocket.” Metang opened the mouth of Porygon 2 to insert a little odd CD, that looked like a MT. “Foreseeing the beginning of an infection, I worked all the night to create a repair program, that will fix you as new.”

Porygon 2 swallowed the disk “Download… system errors: 100% resolved. Clean up of the virus completed. Debugging all the malwares… I feel totally better!” he span of 360° “I move even more faster and my movements are way more fluid than before and I flex, and I start feel…e-motions, like the gratefulness. THANK YOU! Yahoo, I want to flip and leap to the space!”

“Incredible.” Minun complimented with glistening eyes for the awe “Metang, you are the most genius pokèmon I have seen in my life (actually, the only one -.-) I wish you would be our leader!”

“Eh?” Lester blink-blinked. “Keep wishing, my only **not** quirky friend.”

**// Vent //**

**Porygon 2 walked upside down the tubes and entertained to twist the polygonal arms in different shapes and directions “Ohh, I didn’t know I could move this polygon in this way. Neither that I could glide this fast. ZOOOOOOOOOM! I’m having fun and feeling it.”**

**“Everything as calculated.” Metang grimaced of satisfation “Yesterday I secretely hacked Porygon 2 on purpose with a malicious software that gave the impression that was all Lester’s fault, today I fixed the problem becoming the favorite of the teammates, *and none suspects I have installed a keylog suspicious patch in the process.***”

The loud noise of a collision announced everyone that the plane had reached the 8th destination. “Where we crashlanded this time? Also, bad morning to everyone.”

“Hi, Lampent, finally you show up!” Plusle greeted with eager “Anyway, you should say super happy gleeful good morning!!!”

“No, I meant what I said: it’s a hyper unhappy awful bad morning.” Lampent sighed deeply and drawled “Thanks for having forced me to say it. NOW LEAVE ME ALONE..” Plusle twitched but eventually gained the determination “I’ll cheer her up by the end of the day! None should be negative when I’m around. Otherwise, my name isn’t PLUSLE.” Minun glanced at her with preoccupation but he knew there wasn’t a chance to block her impulsivity “Just try to not be stifling, and first discover what’s wrong, okay?” Plusle grabbed him by a ear with seriousness “Brother, I don’t accept suggestions. I’m the ++Positive Cheerleader++” she thumbed up and cartwheeled outside. Followed by the twin brother and all the other pokèmon.

“Ooooh, this is Heartomato City!!” Drifloon’s dot eyes shimmered for the joy.

“Quite close. VVelcome to Hearthome City!”

Rotom: stay tuned, we’ll return after a short commercial break!

Victini: LESTER!

Rotom: oh, komb on! It would have been perfect now.

Victini teleported everyone inside the Super Contest Hall “The journal challenge will be a 360° test for you: we’ll value your Coolness, your Beauty, your Strength, your Cuteness and your Smartness. All things that are required for a victorious pokèmon, and that I represent in first person.”

“Forget the Modesty…” whispered Lampent. Beheeyem smirked with complicity in her direction but she turned off him.

“Shut it, ET Megaph- oh, nevermind.” After a minute of harassing silence, the V-host continued “The aim is winning the Orange Ribbon of the Master cathegory. The Contest will begin with a quick selection in which the audience will decide who they like and who they dislike to see in the contest, soon after the Contest will officially begin. However, the leaders can pick the contestants they prefer for a total of 6 but Seviper and Beheeyem are both forced to participate, careless how ugly and louse the audience will judge them.” Seviper hissed so angrily that her tounge seemed on fire while Beheeyem kept the same maud expression. “ReVenge.”

Without further ado Victini slided the red curtains and let them all face the audience on the palk. One by one. Anorith was the first and received an average applause, Aurorus received way more attention, Dunsparce was utterly ignored, Gorebyss was welcomed with thunderous applauses, Seviper and Beheeyem were booed, Tropius didn’t receive an high appreciation, and, surpisingly, Inkay was cheered by the majority of the public!

**// Vent //**

**“I hate them.” Inkay said with a frown upon the face.**

**“Inkay should be happy: she has got the opposite of a success.” commented sarcastically Beheeyem.**

Then was the turn of the Jirachi Jigglers to expose themselves to the judgement of the crowd, only Chimecho was appreciated, despite she looked less tidy and well-groomed than usual… worn out.

The last were the Laser, ops, sorry, Lester Latias Leviathans, who received a fair amount of clappings, with the exception of Lampent, Metang and Porygon 2. On the contrary Drifloon scored another unexpected result, being applauded by the whole audience and naturally thanked with a bow.

“Ok, leaders, have you decided which pokèmon subscribe for the Contest?”

“Yesssss. There will be Me, Anorith, Aurorus, Beheeyem, Inkay and Gorebysssss.” The leader of the Venturers drooled poison while saying the latter name. Piplup spoke next “From the height of my chief authority, I decided to subscribe first of all myself and my Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness and Smartness, then I needed also some Strength and Ninjask and Oshawott happen to have it, Squirtle and Bagon fit too because contests are entertainment, and Chimecho is apparently the favorite of the audience.”

**// Vent //**

**“Piplup is such a snooty show off: I HATE when she acts in this way belittiling the rest of us.” Oshawott bit her scallop for the anger, but then changed mood “Anyway, I’m sure she’s envious of Chimecho that has pulverized her self-claimed popularity in front of the audience. Ih ih ih!”**

**Squirtle looked around the ventilation conductures with despair “Darn, they’re not even here. Oh, ship, this is a no-hope reasearch, but I can’t give up! Chimechanga, you have to back me up with this more, this plane is too big, I kneel for your help.” He took off the shades exhibiting two puppy eyes in beg.**

**Chimecho zipped his mouth “You don’t have to ask, I’m here to help you and I won’t stop until you won’t find back your interior peace. It’s a duty for me.”**

**“Thanks. Then I need an excuse to skip this challenge: idea! I’ll simulate an injure.”**

“Owch!” Squirtle tripped on purpose into the skirt of Chimecho “What a crack, I feel sure that my sprinkle is broken now, oh, no, this won’t let me take part to the Contest. I’m sorry, gang, you’ll have to do the day without the Hot Water factor. I know this is a big loss for ya..” Bagon stayed with a quizzical grimace and Piplup tap-tapped the foot “How tragic, pity thay sprinkle isn’t a body part.”

Squirtle hesitated “Sure?”

“What are you aiming for, joker turtle?” Piplup pierced him with the glance “Explaining in a way you can’t misunderstand, what are you trying to do?” Bagon pondered and eventually said “Maybe he means that he sprained his ankle.”

“Yeah, that!” Squirtle simulated the pain rolling on the floor “Sprain ankle, in slang I say sprinkle, that’s what I meant. Got it? And..auch, ow, the sprained ankle aka sprinkle hurts me sooo much!” Chimecho offered to heal him and both returned on the plane in the general astonishment. However, Piplup kept her snooty attitude “Looks like I have to do a correction: I subscribe Lucario.”

“Whaaaaat?” Lucario shouted and frowned “No way. NO WAY. Sgrunt, I hate contests, I hate to show myself in front of people, and I hate loud, cloy and crowded places like this. SGRUNT.”

Piplup shrugged “There’s nothing you don’t hate at this world… I confirm the 5 I subscribed, Victini. Even if I’ll have to do a miracle with them.” She turned back giving a pitiful look to the temmates.

“Hey!” yelled Oshawott.

Victini waited for Lester, the candidates chosen by the leader of the superior team left everyone fazed: “Drifloon, Minun, Plusle, Porygon 2, Metang aaaaaaaaaaaaaand –suspense break- Lampent!” the ghost lamp was caught in a rare moment of amaze and interest, she felt uneasy and drawled a single word “What?” repeated by the even more amazed Minun “What? This doesn’t seem (no offense) a great idea. I sincerely expected you would have picked yourself cause you’re a showpokèmon that loves to be in the spotlight!”

“I decided to take a deserved rest, for once, and leave the scene to you and the others. By the way I think it will be very quirky to see Lampent in the spotlight, and every event that is the most bizzarre and unpredictable, needs to be tried in order to spice this life.” Lester flaunted the utmost professionality and subscribed the five names to the Contest. Minun and Lampent couldn’t believe he was serious, Plusle hugged both and squealed in excitement “Yahoo! We’ll have ton of fun together today. Aren’t you hyped like me?”

In reply Lampent turned to Drifloon “When and if you remember where the escape exit is, just call me. Since you have narrated to have won a Super Contest here when you were level 5 old.” Drifloon twitched “I don’t remember to have talked about with you…”

“In fact, a night during a pijama party organized by me you remembered suddenly your whole life and narrated to have been trained by a young talented coordinator in an undefined period of the past, but only to me, Castform and Minun.”

Minun dumfounded “Really? I don’t recall that, probably because I fell asleep very soon.”

Plusle continued pondering “Then you probably forgot it again. I had also invited Lampent to join but she had obviously declined, then this means that…wait… you were there, Lampent. You remained in the room all the time in secret and you listened our chitchats because you were interested!” Lampent denied and rushed to withdraw into herself “I was forced to listen having no other place where to stay.” Plusle insisted smiling wildly “You can’t hide the evidence: if you remind these details of the story of Drifloon, you have not only heard but also followed with, say together me the magic word, C-U-R-I-O-S-I-T-Y: CURIOSITY!!! And interest.”

“N-No! You’re misunderstanding. Whatever, keep with your pointless deduction, I don’t care as I never do.” Lampent blushed in akward when the Positive Twin went next to her. “Come on, Lampy, don’t be shy to show your emotions and impressions! Life is also marvelous for this reason: in the good and in the bad experiences always gives us a reason to have a feeling.\*”

“But I’m no more alive! *By a very long time. Plusle ,I don’t now if you’re too dumb or pose to understand that I’m depressed today and since the cursed day of my birth.*”

“Try to be a little positive and trust me, you will find back the smile upon your face if you start enjoy the liiiiife!” Plusle span round around Lampent spreading sparkles of eagerness “I don’t want to know what makes you feel bad, just forget it. In the Contest you will experience lot of new activities that eventually you’ll find funny thanks to my support and a different approach, do you want to give me a chance?” Lampent stayed in silence but Minun encouraged her with a self-ironic quote “If the methods of my sister work with a negative born like me, they have 100% chance of success with you. No?”

“Pfff- Alright. Just to stop all this spinning around that’s making me feel a dummy, my answer is yes. I will try out.” Plusle jolted at the answer “Yuppiiii!” the other sighed in resignment “Hope I won’t have to regret...”

“Ahem, Lampent? Be positive.”

**// Vent //**

**“If we begin in this way…” Minun couldn’t finish that he was knocked away by Plusle “…she’ll become happy by the end of day! That’s it.” She murmured soon after “Hopefully.”**

**Drifloon squeaked “Oh, I remember, now! The name is Hearthome City and I have already lived here when I was little. So many \*memories\*…..that I don’t absolutely remember. At least now I finally know why I have this daunty ribbon on the cloud. Or almost.”**

Victini began to speak again getting on the palk dressed in a shining flamboyant costume “The Contest is traditionally organized in 2 parts: **Visual Competition** and **Acting Performance**! In the Visual Competition you are valued for your coolness, cuteness and beauty in dressing and fashion. Each team will be assigned a specific theme to follow in order to succeed: The Kawaii for the team 5V, The Party for the Jigglers, and the Elegance for the Leviathans. Then there is the Acting Performance! The remaining pokèmon will organize a spectacular performance split in pairs and the three best pairs will face the opponents in a triple tag team match. The team who has gained at the end of the complexive contest the best scores wins the Orange Ribbon and therefore accesses to the **Vip Class!**”

“Question: how the system of scores works exactly?”

“In the first part the audience votes directly for each pokèmon and the number of applauses fill the hearts.” Victini pointed to a giant screen with 5 big empty hearts “Then the power is given to a selected jury composed by me, Jirachii and Azelf, journal special guest. Each judge can give a vote from 1 to 10 hearts to the Acting Performance of each pair. The summa will seal the winners, the middle classers, and the losers. You have 2 hours to organize everything since this moment!”

### **Preparation of poffins and items**

“Good luck, my quirky followers, my holidays from the leadership are officially started, ah! Vrrrrom!” Lester put on a pair of triangular sunglasses and sauntered away in the blue of the sky.

“Wait, Lester! If this is for what I said yesterday and today about your leadership, I didn’t want to hurt your pride as leader or put in doubt your mad skills, I apologize….too late.” Minun didn’t have the time to speak that the flying Wash Rotom disappeared at the horizon.

“I know everything of the pokèmon contests: I remember to be an ex-winner like it was yesterday, more or less.” Drifloon assumed the leadership “In fact, I recall many tricks and hints, and I’m the second in command, follow me! Mumble..the Poffin House was on left or right? Don’t worry, I have the map in my mind, but it’s a maze. ^^Flo flo flo^^”

Minun facepalmed “Groaaan.. what I did. We jumped off the frying pan into the fire.”

Meanwhile Drifloon led her team to the opposite part of the town, about the *Backlot Mansion*, Team Victini is Very Victorious was already at the Poffin House.

“Since I’ve won all the Master Contests of Hoenn and the Lylycove Museum even dedicated to my victories an universal exposition of portrays and statues representing…\*aaaw\*..*ME*, I have absolutely no problems with this challenge, winning pageants is an habit..” Gorebyss fanned herself with a fin in a superior attitude and opened the chest on the bottom of her aquarium disclosing an assortment of medals and ribbons “But, for the rest of you, this will be a tough deed.”

**// Vent //**

**Anorith swayed “Gorebyss is proud that a museum exposed her statues, but I was exposed in the Oceanographic Museum until a week ago. An archeologist had discovered me in the 2007 and my claw fossil was the main attraction of the visitors, until a dumb Tirtouga stole me the scene. But for many years I was on the focus of the tourists! Actually, all those flashes of the photocameras…right in my poor eye globes…could be the reason why my sight has gone more and more down in the years. And the kids, oooh, the kids, they were so loud and annoying, everytime they saw something, SHRILLED and SQUEALED like a bunch of Rattatas out of steroids! Maybe they’re the reason my hearing has gone down, too…” rattled rattled “Brr. For the rest of the centuries of my life, I don’t want to enter in a museum anymore.”**

“You need to increase your beauty a lot, Seviper would probably need from 100 to 200 Blue Poffins, if we are optimistic uhuhuh.” she enjoyed the hiss of rage made by the slithering serpent “That’s why first of all I called my personal chef that will prepare the poffins: Mr. Mime.”

“Bonjour, bonjour, to everyone, especiallì to her, Madame Gorebìss!” the clown pokèmon kissed one of Gorebyss’s fins and did a bow “I’m just arrived soon after I received her call from my restaurant at Luminopolì, hope to have not forced her gorgeousness to do a long wait.”

“Wait a minute, did you come from Kalos?” Anorith questioned a bit shocked “It’s so far, and you just used teleportation here as you received the call of Gorebyss?!”

“Mais oui.”

“Don’t be shocked, it’s regular to happen when you’re rich, and, you know, none can’t deny me anything. I say I want something, I obtain it immediately.” the pink eel winked. The anomalocaris twitched “H-How much your family is rich, exactly?”

“Ssssstop the sssstupid questions and hurry up with thissss thing!” Seviper snapped impatiently.

“Alright, therefore, which delicacies Her Gorgeousness pleads to taste, today?” Mr. Mime heated on the oven and put on the instruments of the cook. “An èxquisit pokèbignè of Pecan Berries with a shimmer of gold skales? Non? Then maybe a cake of supreme pokèblocks with chantilly cream and a jentle sweep of platin? Or… the inspiration!” he flipped Dunsparce with telekinesis on a whole and picked a fruit from Tropius “A crèpe of Excavaliers covered in a bed of Dunsparce’s shed shell and acquainted with a cream of Bananna Berries? Smuack! A dish for a gorgeous gourmet like her.”

“Ahi! Hey!”

“E-Ehm, G-G-Gorebyss?”

Gorebyss blocked the chef with a simple move of the fin “No, no, no. This time I just need a whole of poffins of your haute cuisine, Chef Mime.”

“As mush my poffìns are encroyable, they cannot improve the perfectiòn, miss.”

Gorebyss pointed at Anorith, Aurorus, Beheeyem and Seviper “I know. In fact, my friends here need them. Especially the gruesome scarface black snake.”

“I EAT YOU BYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.”

“Bon. I’ll do my best to make them the most delicious and, most of all, powerful enough to do such a miracle.” Mr. Mime started to prepare the pans. “How much?” asked Gorebyss, refering to the time “They will be ready for an hour.” “Merci beaucoup, Chef, meanwhile we will work on the rest. Anorith, dear, bring me outside…” “Oh, wait, madame! I’d like to have some assistants in the kitchen as my habit, if this is not a disturb for Her Gorgeousness.” The mime did another bow and snooty Gorebyss smiled “Absolutely no. Take Dunspy, Inkay and..hihi… my favorite *Tropical Hunk*.” Blinked at the last one, who remained confused. “T..Tropical Hunk?”

“Don’t like the nickname I gave you? Nevermind. I want to call you in this way, you’ll habit soon.” Before Tropius (or Aurorus) could reply anything, the loud voice of the executive chef ordered: “Bien sur, then, allez vous, you three, go get me the fresh berries!” Mr Mime gave Dunsparce the list of the ingredients, whose length would have made envious a papyrus. “A-All of this, i-if I dare to ask, Mr. Chef Mime?” “MOVE IT, S’ILL VOUZ PLAIT!” “S-S-S-Sure, sergeant chef mr!!!”

Outside the kitchen, Gorebyss continued to lead “Second step is the Visual Competition: the theme is the Kawaii, therefore we’ll dress in a way to communicate you can’t resist my cuteness.” She assumed a smoochy expression, with her gorgeous eyes spreading the colors of the rainbows and the pupils shaped as hearts, Anorith became all red and almost drooled, Seviper had the opposite reaction, almost feeling sick. “Like this. I don’t need items to communicate my cuteness, actually, but for the respect of the rules, I’ll dress on one or two. On the contrary, each of you will have to dress at least 16 or 17 ribbons to look cute.”

“RIBBONSSSSSS? I hate them with passion. No way.” Seviper hissed. “I hate everything is dainty, dinky, cloy, pink and disssssgustingly cute.”

“You should consider the idea of a date with Lucario.” Beheeyem said with sarcasm..and the viper flicked her tail right reach his face “Sssay it again if you wish to die.” He gulped. “Then I’ll simply walk away, to not disturb.” She stopped him “You sssssssssstay here, X-Filosssser.” “Original. I had still to hear this label.”

“My butler is the expert of fashion, he will provide for the items and the dresses.” Gorebyss clap-clapped her fins, waiting. “………where is Vanillite?”

“Splatched on the dome of the Pokèathlon, luckily.” Answered Anorith lampshading some satisfaction but didn’t expect her overreaction “What? Oh, right… He kept the whole collection of the items I used in my contests, and now? It’s all your fault that you eliminated him!”

“HEY! Slow down, princess, you caused his elimination as much as me. Remember you ASKED ME to vote in your place?”

“Yes, but I never told you the name of Vanillite.” Gorebyss used her appeal on him “Right?”

“Ehhh\*…right..my fault.”

“Nevermind, you’re forgiven, but the problem still remains…”

“Victini mentioned a certain Amity Square where we could collect the items for the contest. I’ll inform about it.” Aurorus purposed and left the plaza. But didn’t return after a quarter of an hour. “Where did sssshe go?”

“Clever question, and the answer is: not there.” Beheeyem pointed at the entrance of the park of Amity Square, next to them. “I ssswear that she will regret for this action, but what matters now is to get those items. Everyone, inside!”

“Stop, you can’t enter here if you aren’t cute! Read the rules.” A female guardian said.

“Please, Seviper, move a little bit away, so they can see me.”

“Neither Gorebyss is cute enough for our park.”

“Are you serious?!!!!!!!!!” Gorebyss opened eyes wide in shock and bounced off the bowl “Then which pokèmon are allowed? Give me the list! I’m really curious!! Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Clefairy, Psyduck, Torchic, Turtwig, Shroomish , Skitty, Chimchar, Piplup, Pachirisu, Drifloon and **Dunsparce** are considered cutest than me?! Grrrr. This is, this is…gnn..ridiculous, shocking, unfair.”

“And none cares.” Seviper gained back the leadership “Quick, let’sss get Dunsparce!”

“No, Anorith, I’m not moving from here. I DEMAND to enter, because I AM the cutest.” Gorebyss was stubborn to stay and Anorith gave up on convince her to go with them.

Piplup coordinated the kitchen after the other Jigglers had picked the necessary berries “I have a long experience of bakery. The recipe of the poffin is easy even for a wotter: a cup of berries of the favorite kind, a cup of milk, flour, and mix well a little bit on left, and a little bit on right until the ingredients are meshed in a soft disk. Watch out to not mix too fast or the dough spatters and to not mix too slow or the poffin gets burnt.”

“In this way? Splaff!” Oshawott’s clamp fell in the dough and splatched on the floor the poffin she was preparing. “Argh! Gnn…”

“Do another one, come on, don’t give up so soon!” Bagon encouraged her showing the charred poffins he had done so far “We’re all here to learn, afterall.”

“Alright, I try.” Oshawott poured a new crate of berries and mixed, this time being careful that her scallop didn’t fall in the dough… she fell in its place, skidding on the stain, by the way managed to grab the pan in time. “Swish! OSHAWHAAA—AHAHAH! I managed to take the control, take this, cousin of Swalot!” Bagon told her she had forgot to use the gloves, tough, and she felt the burn raising up to the brain “**It burns like the HELL!** Oshawhaiahiahiii! My poor paws are flaming, quick, need something fresh! \*Ah..\*” Oshawott dipped her arms in a bowl full of a red juice, in the attempt to get some relief.

“Get your hands out of my Spice Juice. I have just finished to prepare it! It’s an harmony of spicy flavors of Tamato, Razz, Pomeg and Spelon Berry. What an incompetent, this is why I always cook alone.” Lucario scolded her.

“**SPICE JUICE?** Ggggggg…” the scream that followed reached the hears of Deoxys in the outer space. The ott ran in circle until she slipped again and flipped into the poffin Bagon was going to bake. The dragon sighed and helped her to get out, but slicky as a syrup Oshawott was so goof that rolled in the oven, and her shriek this time was so loud that Rayquaza thought at a new war between Groudon and Kyogre. “I’M ON FIIIIIIIIIIIIIRE!!!!!!!! WATER, WATER, WATEEEEEEER!!!!!!”

“Now she’s really a Water Hot. And definitely hilarious. PIPLAHAHAHAHAH!” Piplup couldn’t restrain the laughers anymore watching Oshawott ,charcoaled and striped, covered in the cream mixture, therefore resembling a walking poffin, running like a mad in search of a fountain.

“An information: WHERE IS THE FOUNTAIN PLAZA IN THIS DAMN CITY?! **HURRY UP WITH THE ANSWER OR I SCALLOP BLADE YOU ALL! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!! SO BURN, I FEEL THE HELL IN A SHELL, NEED WATEEEEEEEER!!!!!!!!!** Splash!”

**// Vent //**

**“I highly recommend Oshawott to consider the idea to become a comedian.” Piplup dried the tears “She’s born to be laughed at. Zero malice, only sincerity.”**

**Bagon shrugged “The saddest thing of all is that she forgot to be a WATER pokèmon. Now I see why she and Squirtle get along this well. Speaking of Squirtle…hmm… he seems weird today. Viz, weird not as the Squirtle I know.”**

Piplup returned serious soon after and complimented “Thanks Oshawott for the entertaining pause she provided for, then everyone back to cooking. Lucario, I couldn’t avoid to notice your skill in the preparation of that juice, quite surprised that an hillibilly like you is an expert of kitchen. You must be a perfect housewife. Congratulations.” Giggled. “Eh? No way, you’re blabbing, I know nothing of cakes that are in the **top ten of my hating rank**, anyway even if I called it Spicy Juice, it’s more a cream, that adds the right accent of flavor to the sweet base of the poffin, and now leave me alone, I have to grate a Cheri Berry for the final sprinkles. Sgrunt! WAIT, I JUST..” Lucario blushed viciously and muttered against himself.

“Slice, mix, mesh, bake. Done. Zoom! Zoom!” Ninjask flashed from an angle to another of the kitchen room taking poffins out of the oven at the max fast pace: first he sliced the fruits with the utmost precision, secondary put them in the pan and mixed the dough with an impressive speed, then once a disk was ready baked it in the oven and took care of a new poffin. In the meanwhile he also managed to assist the teammates slicing the berries for them or adding condiments on their request. “Wow, what a show, Ninjask does singularly what we do in 5!” Commented Bagon in amaze “So fast that seems there are two of him.”

Later, the time Oshawott implied to return dripping all the water she had immerged herself into, they were already eating the poffins prepared under the guide of Piplup, the talent of Lucario and the massive contribute of Ninjask and his Booster. “I feel better now… oshawhat? You have already finished to cook the poffins?”

“Not only, crunk, we’ve almost finished to eat them, too. Sorry. There’s a poffin left for you on the table. Ops, no more.”

“I repeat: OSHAWHAT?” her belly growled.

“Tsk-tsk , blame your slow self.” Piplup cleaned her beak with a napkin and tossed the crumbles to Oshawott, before to walk outdoor. “The schedule is long, now **I** have to think about the dress-code. Wait me at the exit of Amity Square, I have the exclusive access.” She unawarely dodged a dish thrown by Oshawott in “return”.

“Et voilà, trèz magnifique!” Mr Mime had almost cooked everything, but he still thought the poffins missed a special ingredient… and looked at Dunsparce, who was drilling the last dough. “W-W-Why you look at me i-i-in this w-w.way, a-a-again, c- chef?” “I think my masterpieces lacks a background flavour of dry and paraflinch at the same time, the skales of a land snake would be the perfect condiment.” “M-Maybe no, I have a dull horrible taste, I s-swear.”

Seviper entered in the Poffin House and picked Dunsparce in hurry.

“Sarcableu, my special ingrediènt! Ohe, nevermind, a great chef knows always an alternatìve.” Mr Mime glanced at Inkay, who was carrying proudly a whole of burned poffins. “Ailòv et! Another series is ready to be eaten, and it’s, mang, chunm, delicious… up what’s?”

“Hmmmm…...an acid note of ink….could fill.”

“Wait a minute, where is Aurorus?”

“Who knows? She left the city and didn’t make return, maybe you should look for her, she would appreciate.” Anorith answered exchanging a smirk with Seviper. *Ssstrategy*. Tropius followed the suggestion without a second thought.

Seviper and her team reached back the Amity Square, where Gorebyss was still whining to enter. “Get off, queen byss, I have here a true cute pokèmon, Dunsparce, sssso let me enter now!”

“Awww, I see. Welcome to Amity Square! Enjoy the visit.”

Amity Square was a park built in the outskirt of Hearthome City, full of flowers, lakes, fountains and joy, where the most chic habitants brought their cute pokèpets at the gap. Kids populated happily the area, liking to stroke and cuddle the pokèmon they met, and they didn’t do an exception with Dunsparce.

“Wait, they find me \*\*\*cute\*\*\*? Even more than Gorebyss, if I dare to ask?” Dunsparce said twitching, Gorebyss nodded visibly annoyed. “Yes, in this strange place they consider YOU that and not **ME**.”

“S-Sorry for it.”

Seviper scared the childrens sweeping her tail around them “Ssshut up all! This cloy place makes me sick with all this harmony, balloons and, ptù, love. Let’s focus on the research of these itemsss!” Beheeyem scoffled and looked around for a bit “I see nothing, can I go, now? …Kidding.” Anorith confirmed “I see nothing, too, Seviper.”

“You would never find anything, my dears, only an exemplary of cuteness can find and collect the items.” Piplup picked up a curly feather “Uh-uuh, this one is an amoùr. Forgive me, now, I have to find a clown wig for Oshawott, a pom pom for Lucario, a carvanhival mask for Ninjask…eh, this is the routine of a leader.”

Seviper shook the land snake by the gap “What are you doing? Haven’t you found anything ssso far?”

“S-Sorry, we have just arrived and this is the first time I..I..I come h-here, I’d like to do a pleasure walk that surely or maybe would help me habit.”

“Do you prefer I bring you back to Mr. Mime for a Dunsberry Poffin?”

“Argh! I-I’ll scoot in the grass. S-Searching! Sigh.”

Beheeyem sat on a bench, yawning “What we do in the meanwhile? Loiter, rest or sleep?”

“Train. You may think that Pokèmon Contests are just based on a cute dress and how many poffins you ate down, and you couldn’t be further from the reality.” Gorebyss spoke solemnly “The Visual and most of all the Acting Performance are the heart of the challenge and require an huge strife to be accomplished successfully.”

“Then cut me out, Her Gorgeousness but not Cuteness, because you have just nominated the only word I haven’t knowledge of: strife.”

“You’ll learn how to ssstrive or I’ll teach you how to SSSSLICE! Understand?”

“I think I got the veiled message.”
“Count fully on me for the actings. Hop!” Gorebyss sprought off the bowl into the little lake doing aerobic “After I’ll take a relaxing swim session to prepare myself.”

“The interior temperature is cool enough, whooosh, but I prefer to add more ice. It could be a problem if …oh?” Aurorus was doing something that couldn’t be shown to the camera when she heard the voice of Tropius calling her name. She alarmed and quickly got out the bathroom, knocking into the grass sauropode. “Woah, how much rush! I was sure I have found you on the plane. Why I’m smiling like a Quagsire? Do you feel okay or had another problem with the health? What a Wobbuffet question…bah.”

“It isn’t. I appreciate you ask.” Aurorus smiled while assured that the bathroom was locked “Sadly the answer is yes, I felt sick again, this temperate temperature wears me. But I’m strong to resist.”

“*She appreciated! Anorith was right.* I have no doubts you will because you are enough hot.” Tropius blushed hard “I mean cool. Cold! Groan, I’m a disaster. Sorry, **this happens usually when I’m together a beautiful girl**…NOT AGAIN! I can’t even slap me for karma because of this short paws! I know this is getting more and more harassing for you, I leave you alone.”

“I’m not harassed, on the contrary.”

“Heh?”

Aurorus kissed him and make his heart frozen for the emotion. “I love you.”

And this is the Backlot Mansion! A majestic villa built in victorian style that counts a number of rooms about 51.” Drifloon explained with accurancy “On the back there’s the famous Garden Trophy: a wide acre of grass that belongs to Mr. Backlot, here there are very special rare like Roselia and Roserade. On the left…blah, blah, blah.”

“E-xtraordinary. Flash! Flash!”

Lampent tap-tapped Plusle “Is this the entertaining part where I have to laugh? Then, ahahah. So much fun.” The positive twin didn’t get she was sarcastic and cheered dancing with her pom poms “Alright, we’re having fun, yahooo! This is the spirit! Conga conga con-ga! Conga conga con-ga! Join, Minun!”

“No, thanks, I don’t see the need of it at the moment.” Minun sighed and gave a little pull to Drifloon “Please, ends the touristic tour here and bring us to the Poffin House or wherever it’s useful.” The balloon agreed and said everyone to follow her “Don’t worry, I remember exactly where to go! Actually, there are only two places left to visit.”

“I wonder how…” the negative brother rolled eyes.

“Poffin House. Here.”

“Finally.”

“Now, I have to remember how to do a poffin, hold on…mumble, mumble..” Drifloon stared at the void, meanwhile waited for her gassy matter to activate a thought. Metang opened a book of recipes “This will help your memory.” Her eyes shone “Eureka! Forgot the meaning of this word, but the book reminded me the recipe of poffins.”

**// Vent //**

**“Thanks Arceus Metang exists.” Minun prayed.**

“Yeah, cooking day! Are you ready, Lampent?” with the speed of the light Plusle dressed everyone with a funny apron and kitchen gloves, Lampent’s resembled a smily Mudkip face “Trust me, cooking in company is a marvelous sensation: the breeze of satisfaction to have achieved the common aim to prepare a delicacy is just an half of the amaze cuz the real funny part is all in the preparation. Me and Minun cook always TOGETHER. You’ll like iiiiiiiiiiiiit!” the lantern shrugged in reply. Drifloon read the recipe to everyone and organized the jobs in the kitchen: Drifloon meshed with zane the ingredients on the kitchen range (stove), Metang and Porygon 2 modeled and flattened the dough in disks, and Lampent and the twins occupied to put the poffins in the oven for the final baking and added the cream and the sprinkles. “Du-de dum, first is mixed!” Drifloon passed to Metang who used the move Hammer Fist to flatten the dough and Porygon 2 cesealed it in a round shape using Signal Beam, then passed the baton to Plusle and Lampent, who filled the custard cream and Minun stuffed the first whole of muffins in the mouth of the oven, waiting. “Vrrr..crunch…..KABOOM!”

“Cough, something went wrong.”

“I know really, these red poffins have no flavor, where’s the spice?!”

“The oven is talking…? Oh, right, Lester.”

“In plasma and craziness!” the ghost of the microwave said with swag.

“Jeez, it was too good to be real. Why in tarnation you possessed the oven? Why you’re here! I thought you have decided to take a vacation.” Minun felt more and more like a pokèmon Paintbrush while strived to keep the positive mood but Rotom “I confirm my decision, but, I eventually realized to be bored of all this inactivity, therefore I thought to reach you here and do a little JOKE! Also, I can provide for help, do you need a blender? I’m here! Do you need an oven? I’m here! Do you need..I’m starting to run out of objects…a fridge? I’m here, ah!”

“Do you want to know what we really need?” Minun lost that drop of patience he had still left “That you stay out of the oven (and every other electrodomestic), out of the kitchen and out of the challenge! Go enjoy your holiday from leadership and don’t think about us, please!” and tossed the microwave on the kerb. “Fine… I don’t like to be alone, but I solemnly promise to don’t disturb anymore. Zoom!” Lester did a forced smile and disappeared in a cartoonical flash.

“Well done.” said Metang to the mouse, instead the sister shook the head in sign of reproach. “I’m sorry for the oven, but he screwed on my patience this time. And now? Damn my impulsivity.”

“Don’t lose the hope as usual! The poffins cannot be baked without an oven, but we have Lampent.” Plusle threw confetti in the air doing a spin “Her flame is hot as much as an oven! If we put the sweets in her globe, they will bake for sure!”

“Or carbonize in ash.”

“Lampent, you’re being negative. Don’t follow the wrong example my brother offer.”

“Wrong example? Hey, sister, this is a little too..”

“See? He’s so serious that his same expressive wrinkles have wrinkles.”

“… Anyway, I’m not being negative, I’m stating a true fact. ***I’m not a regular oven but a doomed cursed souldestroying spirit trapped in a lantern. D-Don’t risk***.”

“So? I’m a lesser clone of Pikachu but I don’t give myself limits or restrictions.” Plusle conforted her “All you have to do is believe that you can do everything you want. Try?” Lampent stopped to shiver and shrugged feebly “I gave all the necessary warnings. Hope you won’t have to regret.” The other smiled dauntless and opened the doom of Lampent, putting inside the poffins survived to Hot Rotom’s gluttony. “Driflo-flo, give me the minutes of baking, how many?”

“51 minutes and 2 seconds to get a perfect poffin.” Drifloon answered firmly. Everyone gasped “HOW MUCH?!!” The purple balloon grinned innocently realizing her mistake “Ops! I confused the characters….of the page. It’s 2 minutes and 51 seconds, ihihih!” “Aaaah.” Almost three minutes later, the Leviathans obtained the first poffin. Plusle did a wide smile at Lampent who almost smiled back. “Ta-dah! Seen? Cooking is first of all fun!” she juggled with the sweets and tossed them to Minun, who wasn’t ready for the acrobatic lunch and got covered in the cream and buried under the sprinkles, glaring. “SISTER! You did this on purpose, admit it.” Plusle put the tongue out as a derpy. “Absolutely yes.” Since then the Leviathans managed to prepare and eat excellent poffins.

**// Vent //**

“By the way, when I said there was no spice in those poffins, I meant to warn them that they have forgot the most important ingredient: the berries! Without them, they bring no benefit. ” Lester grinned mischievously “BY THE WAY, too late and not my problem. I’m on hoooooolidaaaaays!”

**Scoffled.**

**“I’m bored if I don’t have anything to do. Quirky idea! I’ll go at Amity Square, modestly a random and unexpected decision.”**

Drifloon went to Amity Square, too. She was already there when he arrived but he was already there when she arrived. “Ok, guys, I’ll be right back with the items. Flooon!”

“Hey, Drifloon! I thought you were playing and taking photos with the kids in the children area, instead you have just entered. Pretty quirky oddity.”

“Really? Nah, you are confusing me with someone else, afterall, ehm, this place is full of balloons!” Drifloon winked “And I ain’t the only Drifloon in this world. Or I am, maybe, for you?”

Lester mazed at the innuendo “What do you..a-ah! Ahahahah! Nope. I’m already engaged with a splendid Latias.” whispered softly “By the way, therefore, I have to be careful because she could be hiding everywhere, controlling my moves, exploiting her invisibility...”

“Ahah! They call me dumb but what should they think of you? LATIAS! Sure. I had forgot how nut you can be, but now you reminded me. I get to go, later!” she quickly swayed far.

“I wasn’t joking! Engage with a legendary is far from easy! Date with a Latios and you’ll feel the burn!” Lester shouted extremely offended, only to get back cheesy soon after “By the way, I have a job to do now! Vrrrrrrrrrr.”

“I found another ribbon! Can I do a pause, now? Sigh.” Dunsparce didn’t even wait for the answer knowing it was NO and returned to scoot the ground. Gorebyss returned from her swim and finally the training started. “The acting performance in double is not only a simple exhibition of moves and skills, it’s the show in the show: we have to impress the audience and the jury creating an unique combination. It’s important to pair the right pokèmon with the perfect partner and to have a project for the performance. Mine consisted in a swimming on, under and through ice performed with the help of Aurorus, that at the end would have casted an aurora borealis right behind me, so that all the gorgeousness of my splendid body leaved the platea astounded by the class and the beauty. \*Imagine the scene: me, dressed in the most dainty outfit viz my scales, merging from the ice as the polar star.\*” Her beautiful eyes shimmered stars out of the pupils while narrating, Anorith drooled “A beautiful majestic queen of ice, gheee.”

“Exactly.” Gorebyss turned suddenly vexed “However all this project is flushed into the filter of the tank since *AURORUS* dumped us and *VANILLITE* is gone. Therefore, I was forced to recur to a different idea with a straight different partner: Anorith.” The anomalocaris cheered wildly. “He’s the only one who can swim, afterall.” “Ah, only for this.”

“That means I’m in tag with the alien sssshame?!” Beheeyem cheered sarcastically floating next to Seviper. “Alright, any idea for our number?”

“Why you ask me? The act is the fruit of the personal work of the partners. Get with an idea and doooo iiiit!” Gorebyss sang harmonically diving back in her bowl and ordered Anorith to carry her at the contest. “I need a bigger aquarium for the exhibition, there’s a lot of work in the backstage for you. You better go quick. See you later for the make up and the visual restoration.” Seviper and Beheeyem glowered at her, and at Dunsparce, who was trying again to ask for a break. “Ssso, thanks to the byss, we have to fend for ourselves. Use that megaphone brain to get with an idea.”

“Nooo, why, better recur to your little but mischievous one.”

“I ssssuggest you do what I said, partner, because the only performance I have currently in mind is a *massssacre*!” Seviper death glare convinced eventually the unidentified snarking pokèmon.

**// Vent //**

**“Poison and Psychic…uhm.” Beheeyem pondered in boredom “If there’s a way to do a combination of the brutality of a snake and the genius of a superior alien, I don’t know it. To be fair, I don’t want to do this performance, I have better matters for my grey matter: the science, the study, and the eternal rest…staying alive. At the end, the undefined and problematic situation of friend-ship with Lampent, if there’s a residual space. Or this is the priority.”**
“Ssso?”

“I need a little of solitude to focus my big braincells.”

“Okay, I’ll leave you alone for 5 minutes meanwhile checking Dunsparce collects the most items possible. DUNSPARCE, I SSSSEE YOU! You’re loitering?!” “N-No, S-Seviper!” “Ah. Keep collect items until there won’t be a single one left in this park of idiots. Beheeyem, I’m also watching you, don’t try to escape.”

“Or you slash me. I know. I won’t. Sbuuff.”

Three quarters of an hour later Minun got very impatient… “How much time she’s taking to pick some items?” facepalmed. “Of course. I bet all my pokèdrama moneys that she forgot the reason why she entered, predictable. Follow me all inside and help me find and bring her back to planet TDVVT.”

“Mmmh, I still feel the flavor of the delicious poffins we have prepared before! How do you feel now?” Plusle didn’t need any answer from Lampent “Judging by that smile you’re trying to erase from your mouth but you can’t hide at all, you’re having fun. Fun. FUN!”

“Shht! Maybe, slightly , *right*.” The dark lamp whispered shyly “At least it was the first time I wasn’t bored in the kitchen, and the first time I entered in a kitchen since the last one was when I was a Litwick and was forced by Victini to bake his favorite food in his company: obviously macarones.” She stuck her tounge out for the disgust. “The worst thing is that I hated and hate them. Hleargh!”

“Ah ah ah!” the two newborn friends let out a laugher for her funny expression. “See how marvelous is the life if you see the sun light in everything?”

“I usually like to see the moon light in the dusk, but I discovered to like on rare times other sources of light.” But suddenly Lampent spotted Beheeyem in the tall grass, and the gloom came back to her heart immediately. “And most of all I like the darkness…” she left do not leaving Plusle or him the time to say anything.

“Ssssso, BEM?”

“I almost found an idea…” lied Beheeyem to the snake and laid on a bench in despair “I have to solve this mystery regarding me and Lampent but I can’t with that Seviper and Victini always between the planets…” Mow Rotom approached to him “Vrrrrrrrr. Hey, B.E.M! I casually heard you have a problem, and here I am: my previous owner was also a famous detective and I learned from him a lot of investigating skillz. Call me *Lester Rotolmes*.” Beheeyem deadpanned “Interesting…*actually why not, I’m enough desperate*…agree. I don’t have a single break for the rest of the day while you seem to be pretty free, you could actually collect “clues” for me and spare me a lot of tiredom.” After the alien explained the whole situation Lester put on the triangular shades and assumed a professional attitude “I’ll solve the case. I was actually collecting clues on a similar one that could be connected, and it regards directly my and your ex teammates, ah!”

“Interesting, which ones?”

“I have a certain suspect on Metang: he accused me for the sickness crash of Porygon 2, but when I entered in that Rocket computer I didn’t see any of the virus he mentioned. THEREFORE..!” a spark appeared through his glasses “***They were put by an outsider***.”

“A too clever outsider for the standards of **Team Rocket**, even if I’m clueless of what you’re talking about.” Beheeyem was surprised for an istant by the logic of the ghost. He considered him a ditz so far. And Lester was sure beyond the Swartzchild limit of the craziness, but his I.Q. was impressive. “Metang fits in the topic and I never trusted him.” To be honest, Beheeyem had since the beginning a secret repulsion for the cleverness of the mecha-crab: it was the biggest registered so far in his studies of the Earth life, but was also twisted in a strange scary way.

“By the way!” the high pitched voice of Rotom interrupted Beheeyem’s rummages “I’ll start the indagations soon after I’ve finished here. I found a work as gardener of Amity Square for a day, just to kill the time and the weeds.” Beheeyem looked at the streak of devastation where the mow had passed: trees eradicated, grass pokèmon shaved to the skin, and flaming craters everywhere in the lawn while the kids cried and their parents ran away in panic with them. “Only the weeds, eh?”

“Ahhhh, my Turtwig was trimmed!”

“Ops, I put too zeal in my job. I was never here. Vroooooom!”

Beheeyem observed the crazy mow zig-zagging between the guards to the exit, and shrugged “Meh, better than nothing, I think. Ok, now about the performance with Miss Double S…”

Minun found eventually Drifloon, she was being used as a toy by the kids, that entertained changing her rubber body in different shapes “Drifloon, I knew I would have found you here. What are you doing for Kyogre’s sake?! You forgot again your duty, right? Come on! You should have been an advantage for us, as you are the ONLY ONE who won a Sinnoh Contest, instead..you’re here, logic! Ahahhaha!!!!! T-Totally logic and strategic, uh???”

Of course, Drifloon dumbfounded and didn’t recognize him “Do I know you?”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!Sob, she’s driving me crazy with her dumbness..”

“She? First of all, I’m a male, mr. Freak, second I’m playing with the sons of my owners and if there’s someone dumb here it’s you. Pfui.” Drifloon fluttered away offended.

“But…” Minun stared. “You picked the wrong Drifloon. Tsk, I have the memory of a Goldeen but I would never forget the face of a friend.” Sarcastic faces appeared on the others. “Also, I distinguish thanks to the ribbons and the bag I have always with me. I came here to take the journal souvenir, having already all the items for the contest.”

“You didn’t wear them before…anyway, seriously?!? Why you didn’t say that before?”

“*She blatantly forgot it and remembered just right now.*” Metang whispered to him with complicity. Minun took a deep sigh and calmed down. “Alright, it’s a magnificent news: let’s go out of here to organize our numbers. Where is my sister?”

“R-e-l-a-x. I detect an high level of madness in you. By the file, her last appearance in my database is of 5 minutes ago, she and Lampent directed to the exit of the park to return to the Contest Hall.”

“Ah, phew.”

**// Vent //**

**Porygon 2 cheered “My first lie! Lying is an action not written in my system, instead is a K for a non virtual being. This means I’m evolving into a real pokèmon! @Sproing@”**

Drifloon suddenly saw something that left her speechless, like brainstormed. "..." Therefore Minun had to physically pull her to the exit.

"Hmm? That wasn't... maybe was a joke of my imagination." Cyndaquil returned to play with his trainer rolling in the lawn. He was the only pokèmon who liked the new incendiary look of the park courtesy of the gardening management provided by a certain Mow Rotom...

### **Preparation and Training**

**JIGGLERS**

Piplup and her temmates were in the backstage of the Contest Hall, she was ticking off the list of the items collected setting up herself as the authority “Resuming the situation: we ate the poffins I cooked and have the items I provided for, what misses now is the talent. I have it already, since I’m a veteran of these contests.”

“How many times you won?”

Piplup simulated to have not heard the vexing question “In both the acting and the fighting performances the jury judges fundamentally three factors: the quality of the moves, the originality of the exhibition and the synergy between the pairs. The choice of the partner is the first key of the success and I allow myself to do it for everyone for the sake of the team. But first to do this I want to prepare the outfits for the visual challenge, clap-clap! This is mine.” The penguin went in the locker and returned dressed in a large royal jacket with a long fur cloak around the neck, an headstripe with a feather on the top of the head and pom poms at the wings “This is the first piece of the Piplup Collection I created for the occasion. Having been assigned to the Party theme, I mixed the fanciness and the jolliness in a single clothe, perfect for formal feasts and informal tea parties, with pieces of costumes usually used for parties but, also, a majestic royal complete, to underline I’m part of the èlite.” The reactions were pretty obvious but I’ll resume them with a single quote:

“OshaWTF?!!!”

“I know really, I should have become a fashion designer but I passed the sunset limit, too late.”

**// Vent //**

**Ninjask put on a pointy birthday hat, a traditional kimono with a polka dotted papillon, a trumpet and a pair of white handgloves, and arched a brow “Neither camouflaged as a toilet I would feel this uneasy. She’s really bad at clothing.”**

**Oshawott outbursted in laughers unable to say anything in the Confessional. But..**

**“This is your outfit, Oshawott: since you’re a natural joker, it’s basically a clown costume. Minus the nose, cause you have already a big red one.” Piplup snickered in amusement before to leave the vent.**

With firmness that Bagon, Lucario and Ninjask held the pissed off Oshawott, Piplup continued to speak “These are the pairs I decided: Me and Oshawott, because we’re both water pokèmon and my experience can do the miracle to fix her goofiness, Chimecho and Ninjask that are both fond on their japanese origins, and the comic duo Squirtle and Bagon.” Bagon raised an hand “Yes? Any objection?”

“Squirtle got injured and Chimecho went with him, so we’re basically 5.”

“I know the solution! I’ll do the contest performance alone, or better, I won’t do it at all. See? Problem solved.”

“No, Lucario. Tsk,tsk. This is a tag team contest and you’re not going to skive off again a challenge and, dear Bagon, Squirtle only posed to get hurt, stop lie to yourself and bring he or her back.” Lucario sgrunted folding arms and at the end of the quote said “Then I want to pair with Chimecho! Sgrunt.” only to blush soon after and frown again. Ninjask flew next to him “Pair me with Lucario: I got an idea for a strong exhibition.” Piplup pondered a second “Agree. That’s a really good combination, modestly it was my first option.” Lied. “Ok, Oshawott, don’t worry for the performance, I’ll tell what to do and you will have just to do it, fine? Fine.”

Bagon walked to the plane. Squirtle and Chimecho were still searching for his goggles. When they heard him they stopped the research “H-Hey, maaan, what’s up? I feel good: Chimecho healed my sprinkle very well using her magic powar!”

“Psychic power.” Chimecho said with a feeble voice, yawning. She was exhausted.

Bagon was oblivious of what was going on with them and, actually, he was too on the go to reflect “Awesome to know this, Squirt-bro, but I need you, now, if you feel cool again, we can do the performance together!”

“Man, I don’t know, it’s hyping but I would better stay in the bench today.”

“Come on, this is the first time ever we can shine in front of a wide audience, and, you know, show our cooliness. Wouldn’t you like?”

“You’re right, Brogon!” Squirtle was coaxed by the eagerness of the friend and forgot temporary about the goggles. “Let’s do this. \*BRO-FIST\*” He turned then to Chimecho “Ehm, Chimechanga? Can you keep the search for me in the meanwhile? I beg you! Please, pwease, be coolkind! I risk my friendship here but I’m sure that if you use your magic powers at max power you will detect the target. Okeyyy?” Chimecho wanted to rest but she couldn’t: refuse a request went against her solid principles! She just couldn’t. Nodded unwillingly. “Yawn, o..ka..y. I’ll do… everything …….I can to find …the….m.” “Thanky ya, Chimechangaaa!”

Later, Bagon and Squirtle discussed about their performance: “Do you have any idea, buddy? Because I don’t have one at the moment. Strange, because I’m usually creative at home when I try all the strangest ways to fly, maybe I miss my goggles. Yes! Probably they’re the source of my wiz. Can you give me them now?”

“Ops, I forgot them on the plane, man, I’m so goof!”

“Oh, ehm, nevermind. Mumble.”

Squirtle, sweating, delayed from that topic “You have the attitude even without them! Like I do without ma shades.”

“But you have them on now.”

“Sure, but remember what you said me yesterday?”

“Right.”

“Uhhh, sheik! I got an idea: a free-styling!” the turtle tuned on the stereo and span on the floor folding inside the shell. “Isn’t it an hell of a dance, man? I remembered all the spinning traps we got into yesterday at the Rocket Quarter. Do the same with the head and we’ve this in the bag. Yo-Yo!” Bagon heeled over and upside down tried a spin using only the head, but fell at the middle of the twist. “I like the concept idea but it’s difficult and need more than this to be complete, however I want to do it totally. Hope we’ll learn how to perform it well in time for the contest.”

“Then stop talk and spin together me, maaaaaan! Wooh-wooh-wooooh!”

“Snort, I warn you, Ninjask, I don’t want to do a dainty, joyful or blah-blah-blah spectacle. Ask Piplup to be your partner if this is your kind of idea. I have a dignity to fend, and to me it’s enough hard to deal with the audience cause I HATE THE CROWDS.” Ninjask ignored him and disposed quickly a set of bushes and trees on the floor “Are you listening to me? Grr.” Ninjask used Booster and finished the background in few seconds, at the end spoke “Do you like to do bonsai, right?”

“Not your business. Did Chimecho tell you anything?” Lucario set on the defensive “However, *do* is an offensive word, I *create* bonsai, because the art of bonsai isn’t simply cut some leaves. It’s a true art! U R G H. You tricked me, sneaky ninja. I gave you the answer you wanted, what’s next?”

Ninjask smirked “Excellent, you answered exactly what I wanted. And, don’t worry, our performance will be based on pure toughness.” The dog got suddenly interested “Serious?” “Serious. Word of a ninja.”

**VENTURERS**

Gorebyss was pretty annoyed “Where is my aquarium? I specifically asked for a large tank decorated with tropical corals and-“

“Gorebyss, did you seriously pretend to find a true aquarium in the backstage?” Anorith cut her speech justifying “Be grateful that there’s an oceanic background! For the last time, **I’m not Vanillite here to grant all your wishes.**” Gorebyss put her lips next to his “*I’m conscious of this, but sweetie…* **did you idiot forget I cannot move out of the water?!** I’m angry and so so so disappointed. I’m forced to change again my plan. Sniff.” She dried a dramatic tear off to make Anorith shameful, and soon after returned to use the soothing voice. “*You’re sorry, I know, but this is not enough to receive my mercy. By the way, we’ll talk about this at the right time. In the meanwhile I thought at an alternative sooooluuuutiooon.*”

Scene cut to the other wonderful pair Beheeyem and Seviper. “Exsssssplain me again how this works.”

“For the 51th time. Ahem. You use your Poison Bomb that I block in mid air with my Psychic and organize in bubbles that will float around us, then I read a book and you end the performance popping all the bubbles with your poison tail. Understood or I have to be more synthetic?”

“No, I got the idea this time. You could have done more, but let’sss begin the try outs.” Seviper spat her poison in the air and hit Beheeyem before he casted his psychokinesis. “Perfect execution, pity I doubt the audience would appreciate. Fsss... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Right in the eyes!”

“I won’t be sssure in your place. I would like to see a sssimilar spectacle in a live show.”

“Of course, because you’re sssadic. With triple capital S.” The alien replied rinsing the eyes and struggling to keep his motionless mood “I wasn’t ready. If you would have waited I could have explained you the details. I’m very slow compared to you, therefore, we have to synchronize our different attacks to be successful..*and to not make me blind*.”

The viper spat in annoyance to the ground, rolling eyes “How much you are ssslow?”

“Like a running Noah that carries Owen on the shoulders after this one ate up a complete lunch and asked for the bis. Therefore add 7 s more to the word slow and listen to my system: count to 51 before to do your Poison Bomb. By that time, I should have been able to summon my Psychic shield.”

“Ptù. Fine, but you dissssssssgussssst me with your slowpoke attitude.”

“The feeling of sick is reciprocal.”

**LEVIATHANS**

“Hop-hop-hop! Oplà!” Minun backflipped landing on the shoulders of Plusle “The performance is the easiest part for us. We’re the only collaudated duo, sister!” Plusle replied with a spark of happiness, but she wasn’t totally happy.

**// Vent //**

**“Since we were little, we have practised as acrobats doing a trip around Hoenn and beyond with our circus. I trust my sister as I trust myself, actually, I trust more her than myself, there’s a strong bond that links us and that’s why it’s so easy for us to perform our moves…” Minun waited for Plusle’s usual bouncy line “Our moves to..ge…ther. Together! Ehm, I don’t say it as well as you do.”**

“Plusle, sissy, are you ok? Did the poison effect strike back?” worried.

“Nope. I’m down because I failed to cheer up Lampent: just when she seemed happy, POOF! She returned dusky.” Plusle pointed sadly at a locker room where the lamp had bunkered.

“Ehh, Lampent, I warned you she would have been tough…WAIT. Don’t tell me you have given up on her. Plusle! You never surrender!” Minun scolded her for the best “I don’t recognize my twin sister that in this moment. Who are you? A Pichu in undercover? Because I don’t see any sign of positive electricity u.u”

Plusle realized and glomped him “Silly I am! You’re right. I can’t give up now that I was close to the aim. Zappy thanky funky you, brothy! Drifloon, I need the best items you have in your bag. Knock-knock! Can I enter?” An hollow voice answered yes, as the mouse entered the ghost lamp quickly dried her tears and asked briefly “What do you want, now? I’m unhappy.”

“I’m here for this reason, in fact!”

“For the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“No.”

“How dare you say no at me? I’m the daughter of the head of this reality show, that’s also a legendary. I could just ask and he would kick you out the game in a second.”

“I don’t care.”

“….” Lampent sighed and sobbed “Do you want to leave me alone?! Go out, I’m used to live with my misery straight opposite to your candy existence.” Plusle sat near her “Do you really want to spend the rest of your non life consuming in wax tears or do you wish it to be different? I understand you have your good reasons to be sad, but you have to get over them, sweep them under the rug like useless dust, and start care for the good things you’re surrounded by. Take this contest as an opportunity!”

“Certainly, *an opportunity to expose me to the judgements and the laughers of the people. As I wasn’t enough humiliated when I was human, when I turned into a ghost, and at the end even by Beheeyem.*” Lampent’s fire was dimming more and more for the depression “I’m an ugly, pathetic, depressing spirit lantern girl. None can like me.”

“I heard enough, zap!” Plusle jolted on her and put all the items available. “Driiiiifloooon? Can you give me an hand for this self-claimed desperate case, please? I need your professional touch.”

“I’ll be just glad to do it ^X^” Drifloon hesitated a minute having a memory hole “The theme was the Elegance, right?”

“+ Yup + Better the top hat or the rose in your opinion?”

“Both, but actually a flat cylinder would fit more… I see if I have one. Yes , I have!”

“Ehm…what are you doing to me, exactly, if I can ask something not too clever for you?” questioned Lampent in the middle of the two.

Plusle zipped the X-mouth of her colleague “Shht, it’s a surprise! Also, can you pair with Lampent for the acting performance?” The balloon nodded trying to speak “Mppmf.” Plusle dumbfounded “Eh? I didnt’ get the answer. Repeat, pwease.” “MMMPF!” “Uh? A little louder!” “MMMPPXX!!” Drifloon put eventually Plusle’s arm off the mouth “Yes, I mean YES! I was going to pick her however because I have a special project for the contest.” “Splendid!” “Ok……*you two are really starting to give me the chills that an horror movie never*.”

### **Visual Challenge**

“We’re ready for the exhibition, man!” Squirtle high fived with Bagon after an intense training. Then both dressed on their outfits “Wow, this is pure party stuff but not enough hip hop! I have a golden chain for both. Ah, better.” They passed for the check up of Piplup “EEK! What’s that horrible blinging you put around the neck? No, no, no. This gangsta trash cannot be used for my exclusive collection.”

“Oh, c’mon, Pip Plup!”

“I’m Piplup for you, or Leader, I allow you also to call me in this way. There’s still a few of things I have to check!”

“Have you ever met someone with such a giant ego?” Bagon questioned to Squirtle and Oshawott as soon Piplup was gone.

“I’m not gonna exit dressed in this way, fling this ridiculous trash all to the poison ivies!” Lucario shouted in the backstage, tossing all the items away. Piplup swoll for the anger and faced him “HOW dare you talk in this way about my splendid collection, incivile? I comprehend there’s no fanciness in the country shack you come from, but this is only an addictive reason to follow my dressing indications. Pfui. Ungrateful mutt.”

“Sgrunt. Zip that beak, bitchbird.”

Ninjask got into the discussion to solve the conflictual situation “Lucario, consider the advantages if you accept to dress this rubbish: we will permorm the spectacle we’ve trained for hours and Chimecho will be there to watch. Chimecho, Lucario.” Whispered.

“What are you insinuating? Bah, deal! I’ll put on this ridiculous penguin collection for the sake of the show. Afterall, I don’t want to have wasted MY time for nothing.”

Victini checked his V-clock and announced “Ladies and gentlemons, the Super Contest will begin in 5 minutes! So, Az, what do you think of all this? My reality show is for true victors only.”

“I’m really curious to see your contestants in action. However, they won’t be as good as my ex ones.” Azelf said with a certain arrogance.

“Instead they’re valorous, you’ll see!” Victini grinned deviously “Afterall, your reality show failed after three episodes while mine is still on air.”

“Thanks to that lazy-ass of Uxie and that sexy selfish of Mesprit.”

“Ahahah! I have a valid collaborator to count on. Valid with the capital V.”

Azelf pointed at Jirachi, who was drooling on the table completely asleep, sneering. “I see, totally valid for you!” Victini glared and poked the star wishmaker in the (vain) attempt to awake him.

“Dunssssparce, hurry up with this make-up and don’t screw it like Inkay and the byss did in the past.”

“Y-Yes, S-Seviper! Glom, I hope it won’t be too terrible. Psst. Beheeyem, how I’m doing in your opinion?”
“Please, don’t involve me more than I’m not yet.” Drawled acidally the alien already in his kawaii dress chosen by Gorebyss. Speaking of Gorebyss, she was taking care of Anorith’s look “Fard, flowers, sparkling porporine, foundation cream, that’s a must of beauty, gloss and…hey, keep still! Come on, Anorith..I have to misfit your age the most I could or we’ll never win.”

“I know, but the ribbons and all the rest of this stuff are so necessary? I have the cute eyes already.”

“Aww, stop complaining, you’re becoming so dainty! Plus, you offered to be my partner, then you have to improve your look to be at my same level. The wings need more gloss…”

“Offered?” Anorith blink-blinked and blushed while she filed his claws. “I feel uneasy cross-dressed in this way.”

“Feel beautiful and dainty, instead!” Gorebyss winked. “By the way, Dunsparce, use more ribbons for those two, and put a cucumber mask on that scar face you’re working on. This is my suggestion, blink.”

“Oh, t-thanks. I’ll follow your advise to fix her ugly and frightening scarface.”
“Call me scarface again and I sssssshred you for a sushi! I SWEAR!”

“S-S-Sorry me, S-S-Seviper!! I didn’t want to offend you. Rattle.”

“Attention: the contestants of Team Victini is Very Very Very Very Victorious are first invited on the palk for the **Visual Challenge!**”

Dunsparce waddled to the audience and took a seat next to the other non participating pokèmon Inkay and Lester. Aurorus and Tropius were absent, but he bore still a grudge on her to care.

The crowd waited impatiently to see the first contestants, but when the first two Venturers entered there was the complete silence. For the first 5 seconds. Beheeyem and Seviper walked on the palk against their will, Seviper had ribbons of different colours tied everywhere on the sinuous body, the biggest one decorated the tail, and her facial scars had been replaced with the scrabbling doodles Dunsparce had tried to draw as decalcomanies, there was also a pitched blush under the cheeks and little chings attached to the red fangs; Beheeyem was introduced with a dinky dress instead of the usual coat that ended with a pink skirt, that flied away while he floated to the scene, a very little hat on the top of the head that resembled an UFO, and a pair of fake cute eyes to cover his deadpan expression.

**// Vent //**

**Gorebyss explained “The model was the model, I couldn’t do a miracle with him.”**

**“Tonight I’ll use the telescope in order to seek for my dignity instead that for new stars.” Said Beheeyem covered in tomato souce from the head to the feet.**

Lampent stiffed her laughers the most she could while Victini outbursted in loud ones, soon imitated by the audience (minus Dunsparce who worried for his safety) , when the two models tripped into each others they tossed rotten berries in their direction “Look where you walk, sssslowpoke alien. Hissss.” “Correction: I don’t walk, I float or flutter.SPLORTCH!” “Sssshut u- SPLOTCH! SPLATCH! GRRR, who did give them the berries?”

“Each spectator is usually given a sack of Tamato Berry to toss at the worst performers.” Drifloon explained sitting in the front row and tossing a Melon Berry straight against her “But as an ex-champion I have the right to use a various range of berries of the rarest species.”

“I SSSSLA SPLATCH, PLOTCH, PLORTCH!!!”

“FLASH! This moment will go in the album.”

Gorebyss snickered in the backstage: this was the payback for the Radio Tower flush experience. She had forgotten on purpose to teach her temmates how to pose and stand on the catwalk. She was the last to be introduced, and enjoyed the different reaction. Her undisputed beauty tamed the audience that switched the laughers in applauses and the berries in flowers thrown in her honour. Gorebyss, that dressed only a purple bow knotted to the edge of the tail and fake longer eyelashes, picked up a flower of Cherri Berry with the needle mouth and thanked blowing the petals with smooth in the air, and the pink petals fell on her confusing with her lucid pink scales. “That’s how a professionist act on the catwalk. This one is very hot.” Commented Azelf, Gorebyss reminded him a lot of Mesprit. Victini agreed and checked the tab “Gorebyss has filled alone 3 on 5 hearts, that’s very impressive! But where is Anorith?”

“Behind me.” Gorebyss said half annoyed and half amused by the unusaul shyness of him. The unusual shrimp was regretful to show up in that look in front of such a wide theatre, Gorebyss had really focused too much on the cuteness factor with him: his olive color was now a teal, his wings were glistening and decorated, and with the claws perfectly filed and the giant pink stiped ribbon on the head he resembled a female Anorith or a toy for genki girls obsessed by the kawaii. “I feel too uneasy, it’s true that I have a cute power in the eyes, but this doesn’t mean I have to become an eye-candy, in the literal meaning.” Sighed averting that Gorebyss had moved aside and stepped forward “Ok, at least I seem younger in this way and you promised me a kiss, but I always hated to do this.”

Anorith embodied the pupils at the utmost size and glazed at the perplexed jury and the audience with the most adorable, irresistible, pitiful look he used to recur to be spared from the predators back in the Cambrian age, disposing his claw as in pray, fluttering his wings like a butterfly and emitting his ancestral verse.

“Awww! She’s so cuuuuuuuuuuute!”

“I can’t resist to cuddle her!” Drifloon erupted on the palk and hugged the anomalocaris.

“This female Anorith…. is too much Kawaii..stop. BURBLE!” Azelf puked a rainbow out meanwhile the tab of the hearts reached the score of 4 on 5. “Anyway, I’m a male Anorith.” Half of an heart dropped down the tab after he spoke. “And proud to be of another smarter generation. Do you want to leave the grip?” He poked Drifloon deflating her and the other half of the heart fallen. “ANORITH!” Gorebyss glared “You ruined the same scores you have earned and all the artwork I did on you.”

**// Vent //**

**Anorith made a sad puppy face “That’s why none ever liked me: I always say the wrong thing at the worst timing. Even if I say the truth. Because, seriously, the nowadays generations have an involution of the cleverness instead of an evolution if they give all this importance to a beauty contest in order to win just a…ribbon!”**

“Alright, the Venturers have scored 3 hearts on 5 of appreciation. Enter the Jirachi Jigglers!”

Piplup marched proudly at the head of the group, how she was dressed, you already know that, but now she had also a little crown, behind her followed Oshawott with a ridiculous afro nut green wig, Squirtle wearing a party top hat and a disco ball, Bagon with a lamp on the head, Ninjask see some lines above, and at the end Lucario in a too noble outfit for him that barely covered his muscles and haired with a LUIGI XIV wig. He and Ninjask carried a table with them while Piplup explained “The Piplup Collection, as I allowed myself to call it, is the perfect union of snoot and entertainment that resumes the idea of the Party theme you have requested, of course I mean an elegant tea party. Formal and informal at the same time, suitable to have fun without mesh with the pleb.” They did a bow all together. The audience this time didn’t even laugh. “So, what’s your opinion? Too astonished to react?”

“I swear to have never seen something this out of vogue, got the concept to mix the two different sides of a party, but..ergh, Lucario is a punch in the visuality and this collection is a big collapsion.” Victini judged and Azelf took the occasion to say “You have so many valorous contestant, Vi! So far, only one didn’t make me want to vamoose from here.” The V-Host swallowed the bitter pill. “0 hearts filled: that’s just vapid.” Piplup fainted.

**// Vent //**

**Oshawott smiled deviously “The Piplup Collection reveals to be the Piplup Collapsion.”**

**Piplup had been just reanimated “People are so ignorant! Incivile!! Inepts!!! Villeins!!!! Pfui, they couldn’t recognize the class even from a centimetre.”**

Victini put his last hopes in the Leviathans to impress the rival host in charge “Last team to (ehm) get on the catwalk for the Visual Challenge is….Lester Latias Leviathans with the theme Elegance.” The red curtains glided revealing the 5 pokèmon…the 5??

“Drifloon!”

“Ops, forgot I was in the contest, eheheh’’”

“Ta-dah! We’re the Leviathans! \*EPIC POSE\*”

“Not bad with that..” commented Lester.

The six pokèmon appeared all together on the scene disposing in an exagonal figure: Drifloon and Porygon 2 at the exterior angles, Minun, Plusle and Lampent in the middle, and Metang occupied all the space behind, completing the exagon with the long arms. The impact on the audience was much different than the previous teams. Minun and Plusle were dressed in the same fashion, seeming come directly from the ‘20s with their black papillons, the cylinders and the fancy stick they juggled with, similarly Metang whose manubrial moustaches reminded Charlie Chaplin, and the colorswap in silver his shiny form. Porygon 2 was the most quirky to watch due to the fedora, the cloak, the monocole and the imperial under the beak while Drifloon dressed simply her favorite scarf based on Chimecho.

“Where did they find all those fabulous items?” lamented Piplup in envy. “In the park, but you probably didn’t search carefully.” “Impossible, I know that park as my tea pockets and never found anything of this high quality.”

**// Vent //**

**“I used a few of the common items available at Amity Square. Like, the imperial and the moustaches of Porygon..1?..2?…or 3 or was an alphabet letter? and Metang. The rest are all pieces of my triumphal collection and souvenirs I bought during my travels region to region. Like this.” Drifloon stroked the smooth scarf feeling a little of nostalgy “By the way, I used the best ones for Lampent. Ready to see her?”**

At the end there was Lampent. Drifloon and Plusle had painted the fire lamp in purple and yellow at the edges of the arms with the same pattern of a Drifblim and a tiny cloud on the top of the dome: Lampent carried a candel in the arms instead to have it inside her globe as usual, and her slow flutter gave the final sensation she was a balloon blim. Her radical change left Victini speechless while Beheeyem felt a bump at the height of the chest, because both couldn’t believe their eyes. Forgot to say: she was smiling. That was really the same Lampent they knew?

“*I really don’t know what to say…or think..my brain refuse to connect at the moment.*” Beheeyem shrugged staring from the backstage. He was sweating at all.

Lampent enjoyed the applauses she received with a little of shyness, it was a complete new experience for her, Plusle had to give her little pushes continuosly to encourage her to not hide from the viewers! Victini was double happy, on one side he had finally shown to have valiant competitors and on the other he had never seen Lampent happy not by reading a spooky book “Congratulations to all 5! Each one of you filled an heart viz means you scored the max in the Visual Challenge: 5 on 5. But the contest is only at the begin, and everything can happen in the second half of the contest, good luck!” Everyone returned in the backstage.

### **Acting Performance**

“I’ll
explain how the scores will be given in the Acting Performance.” Azelf spoke
“Each pairs exhibits at turn and dedicates the performance to one of the three
judges, Me, Victini, and this sleepwalker in the middle, if the performance is
likable, an heart under the tab of that judge will get filled and it’s counted
as two normal hearts. Fulfill all the 3 hearts of judges duplicates the scores
for your team.”

“The highest
total of the scores gained in Visual and Acting Performance by a team will make
it the VICTORIOUS ONE!” finished Victini.

“Ok, the
first couple exhibit for me.” Azelf announced solemnly “Enter first: Seviper
& Beheeyem, with their Psychedelic Venom.” Beheeyem and Seviper appeared on
the palk no more in their ridiculous clothes and began to spin one around the
other, creating a rotating figure with their bodies, Seviper’s coiled around
Beheeyem, Beheeyem’s screwed into her spires. When they stopped, Seviper
spilled out the poison that Beheeyem was meant to catch but ,too fast her or
too slow him, it landed on the audience, burning the fur of some viewers.
However, they tried again and this time Beheeyem used psychokinesis to trap the
poison inside a bubble and juggled it with the fingers, making the liquid
bioluminescent of the three primal colors alternatively, before to pop it, and
then the exhibition ended. Meanwhile some paramedics assisted the viewers who
had been poisoned, Beheeyem and Seviper waited for Azelf to deliberate  “It wasss you fault, ssslowpoke. I was in
perfect time, so how you failed to get it? Anyway, the second time went all as
planned, so we should get the score in any case, unless I’ll ssslash him.” Her
whispering menace reached the hears of Azelf who was prompt to fill the heart
in order to not get his heart filleted
“Considering they’re new to the contest, the accident was expected , and
at least the exhibition was eventually fully executed, so I give the 2 a
score.” The first tab under Azelf was fulfilled with an heart.

“The Jirachi
Jigglers are next and I’ll judge their performance.” Jirachi said in a rare
moment of awareness.  Bagon and Squirtle
popped from the backstage bringing a boombox: “Get ready for some hot water fun
‘cuz this is the Hydropump Pop.” With a freestyle move Squirtle opened the
dances. Oshawott’s eyes goggled. The tortoise folded arms smuggly and  moved the tail at the rythm of the hip-hop,
spitting water in the microphone to beatbox, Bagon attempted all the time to
stand on his head and spin but kept falling, Piplup banged her head on the wall
several times for the frustration. “Bro, so far this is a disaster.” Squirtle
didn’t listen and continued his Water Gun beatbox for a bit, until he rolled on
the floor and shouted “Heat hot finale!” He retired all in the shell and used
Hydropump to spin generating a twister of water which wetted all the pokèmon at
the contest like a fountain. Once he was out of the shell, he boasted his
slicky muscles with attitude but the crowd covered him of tomatoes. “Tried to
tell you, dude.” Only Rotom cheered in the audience.

**// Vent //**

**“That’s exactly what I would have purposed**
for my exhibition, if I was in!” Rotom explained enthusiastically but soon after
changed mood “By the way I’ve already decided to sit out for this episode, so…
occasion wasted! Not my business.”

**Oshawott fanned her face with the scallop,**
sweating  “Too hot water.”

“Splutt. So,
Jirachi, your vote is?” a wet Victini poked an already asleep again Jirachi
“Zzz..duuuh…heart.” And surprisingly the tab was filled. “Oh, yes, dude, yes. I
love you.” Victini called on the palk the first couple for the Leviathans,
Minun & Plusle, who purposed an elegant fusion of circus numbers and fancy
ragtime. They started with a tip-tap dance with the sticks balanced on the
little noses, suddenly Plusle put the stick on the ground and raised herself up
staying in balance head-over, Minun tossed his top hat in the air, jolted on
the legs of the sister, and waited for the hat to land back on his head
perfectly. “Ohhh!” the audience clapped loudly but the exhibition hadn’t ended
yet. The twins separated. Minun put his hat off and used it as a trampuline for
the sister who backflipped, discharged and landed right heeled-over on her hat,
dressing it at the end  with fanciness
and bowing to the audience for the applauses. “If only I could I would give
them directly the Master Ribbon.” Victini commented the performance utterly
overwhelmed by the excitement “For the wonderful twins, this heart is fully
deserved!”

Lampent was
the first to congratulate with them in the backstage, much for their shock
“Wow, thanks. Do you feel still in yourself, right? Auch.” Plusle smacked the
back of his head. “Of course she is!” Lampent limited to smile at that funny  little argument. However, Drifloon was the
most excited “We’re dominating the contest so far, the hearts we have scored
are twice the other teams. We have only to fill two more hearts to do the en
plein! Therefore I can add another ribbon to my collection soon as possible.”

“Fine. So
far the exhibitions have been all good or at least got scored by us. Now, it’s
up to you to decide which judge you want to impress, but remember: whenever you
succeed an heart is fullfilled, who fullfills the three hearts of the same
judge gets 2x scores, whenever you faul an heart is unfulfilled. Aurorus &
Inkay on the palk, please.” None came. “AURORUS & INKAY on the palk,
again.” The host was getting impatient, immediately the leader of the Venturers
rushed in the audience and picked Inkay “Sssquidbackward, what are you doing
here if I picked you before! Get to your duty FIRST THAN IMMEDIATELY. About
you, Dunsparce, get busy, go find Aurorus right now!!!”

“Y-Yes
Seviper, i-immediately, S-S-Seviper!” the land snake darted to the exit.

“I don’t
want to wait anymore, we’ll skip directly to the next couple if you are not
doing it.”

“NO WAIT! I
ssswear she will pay for thisss.” Seviper was about to reach the exit when
Anorith stopped her saying that he and Gorebyss were going to exhibit in their
place meanwhile the teammates looked for the missing Aurorus. Seviper
reluctantly trusted that plan and confirmed
“Anorith & Gorebytch are the second to go for us.” Victini agreed. “Ah,
Gorebyss, finally a professionist winner of the contests. You’ll know see how
she makes your Mesprit and Lopunny pale in comparison, Az.” Anorith used Brine
to begin the performance and Swords Danced in the between, creating a deep
steam. Azelf yawned unimpressed, Victini looked the same disappointed: where
was Gorebyss? Anorith continued to entertain the best he could. Suddenly he cut
the air with X-Scissor, Gorebyss cleared the voice meanwhile the mist that
surrounded her faded progressively “I dedicate this sing performance to my
favorite host, Victini, but because I don’t want to make envious anyone, I also
do this in honor of the guest host, Azelf and the co-host, Jirachi. Cause I
like you all, wink.” She approached the thin mouth to the microphone and
started:

*“You cannot resist*

*When I merge from the mist*

*Surrender immediately*

*Cause I’m pink and lovely.*

Y*ou cannot escape*

*I can give your dreams a true shape*

*If I use Attraction*

*Useless becomes any kind of opposition.*

*You have to deal with the fact that I’m the*
hoe

*Fall at my gorgeousness and do a bow!*

*I’m the queen of the abyss..*

*Of all the oceans the miss…*

*I sank many ships with a single kiss..*

*All hail to Her Gorgeousness Gorebyss!*

*Come on, my dear boys…*

*Listen to the smooth sound of my voice.*

*I will be the siren of your sin*

*If you allow me to win!*

*You better believe*

*I’m sexy as manipulative*

*Not only a dainty fish*

*My needle really stings and I make you*
realize each of my wish…

*I’m here to offer all my best!*

*By the time the others perform I’ll have already*
conquered this contest!

*Spend my time in a luxurious tank makes me*
pretty dejected…and pretty bored.

*But I have the certainty to be never*
neglected..and I eventually reflected!

*Be envious as much as you want*

*I have a power that you don’t*

*And it will fail never ever never ever!*

*You better face the reality*

*Nothing beats my attractivity*

*Watch out from me, females..*

*I have tricks on my skaaaales!”*

Piplup:
“She’s using Attraction for real? This is unfair!”

Drifloon:
“She used her charme on them to get the score.”

Once
Gorebyss stopped to sing she had lured all the audience and none was surprised
that Azelf exclaimed “My heart, all my hearts to her!” and added a sign post
under his tab: DATE ME. Seemingly acted Victini giving a second heart against
the rules, Gorebyss thanked him and everyone else blowing a kiss and returned
triumphant behind the curtains together Anorith. “See, Seviper? You have the
cruel strength , I have something rather more powerful and sinister.”

**// Vent //**

**“What a cheater. She didn’t even perform a**
true performance: you use your moveset, not your voice in a contest.” Drifloon
shrugged “What to expect from an Hoenn challenger? They’ve been always the
worst to face if I remind correctly.”

Gorebyss replied to the accuses “Cheating?
Oh, no, I played my game fair and square. That’s how I won all the Hoenn
Contests. In fact, you don’t win there if you aren’t able to unnerve your
opponents before they unnerve and distract you from your exhibition with no
shame.” She winked at the camera “I brought back a little bit of this dear old system
by attracting the jury.”

“Oshawottever,
we’re next, **so hurry up announce our**
entry**!” she shouted right in the eardrums of Squirtle who was drooling over**
 the siren fish much for her envy. Her
voice didn’t affect the jury, so Oshawott decided to directly get on the palk.
Piplup didn’t approve “No, wait, that’s unprofessional… Also I have to
introduce the peformance before.” Oshawott rolled eyes. “Dear jury, the performance
I concepted and ideated will leave you astonished: my purpose is an elegant but
powerful  tea party taken between my
majesty and  my servant. I will offer you
the fanciest experience with water ever!” she announced proudly yet none seemed
to pay attention. She continued “Dear audience, you may remember me as a glory
of the contests in the past, altough I retired long time ago, I’m come back for
your happiness, just for a day.” Oshawott and the other Jigglers in the
backstage looked at the clock impatiently.

“I don’t
remember any Piplup winning a contest ever.” Said Drifloon.

“Unpolite
you. Ahem. Ohohoh! Afterall, you have no memory.The Fancy Water Party begins! *P.S: try to not ruin it, Oshawott my dear,*
please.*”*

Finally the
exhibition started: Piplup and Oshawott sat at a little table to have their tea
cups, some yawns could be heard in the audience already, and both took a sip. While
drinking Piplup began to create a bubble with the beak, Oshawott on the other
side used her mouthbreath to make the water raise from the cup with little jets,
resembling a tiny fountain. Piplup’s bubble gently floated in the air meeting
with Oshawott’s jets, that bursted it in sparkles of water. “Not so awful as I
expected.” Piplup thought looking at Oshawott genuinely impressed by her this
time. At the end of th spectacle Piplup and Oshawott waited for the judgement
of  “Azelf? Mr. Azelf, we’re waiting for
his generous opinion.”

“Eh? Uh?
Mesprit? Who’s Mesprit?” Azelf’s eyes were shimmering “\*Only Gorebyss exists  by now, and me, the Being of Will.\*” Gorebyss
giggled in the backstage, Piplup did the contrary “You miserable guest host
didn’t pay attention at all, right?! VICTIINIIIIIIIII! I demand to pick a
different judge in order to…”

But Victini was
similarly distracted by Attraction.

“T-Then
Jirachi.” Jirachi was sleeping the whole time. “AAAAAAARGH!!! This is unfair,
unpolite, undecent!!!” Oshawott for once had to drag the angry penguin back to
the dress room. “So even a true lady has her tantrums sometimes.” commented
amused to see her teacher of gentlemanry under a different light. Who wasn’t
amuse were the other Jigglers, and the Leviathans, all pretty discouraged:

“What can we do now? They’re completely under
Gorebyss’s influence, they won’t pay a swalot to us anymore.”

“Maybe a
better performance, a really astonishing one,
can hit on them more than Gorebyss!” Drifloon encouraged her teammates.

Metang and
Porygon 2 were the second pair to act for the Leviathans. Their performance was
entitled “The Keyboard Concert”. A giant flat screen with a keyboard dominated
the palk. Porygon 2 trepassed the liquid crystal screen to the virtual
dimension, meanwhile Metang ascended over the control panel. As he pushed the
first button of the keyboard, Porygon beamed a part of his body and activated
the savescreen, next he played a glissando and Porygon 2 railed over the files,
making computer sounds. After a quick warming up, Metang started the cybernetic
composition he had wrote.

“W.O.W.!
That’s it. Metang is a genius.” Minun amazed.

“But he’s
not using any move, this is not the way to take a contest!” protested Piplup,
however at the end of the concert the result was the same: 0 hearts fulfilled
with Azelf and Victini utterly off the bat.  Minun sighed “Groan, unbelievable. If this
wasn’t enough, we’re officially doomed. ” but suddenly Jirachi showed a sign of
life. Until he utterly woke up. “Yes, he’s fully awake! Miracle! We can count
on his scores, then. Pity we can count ONLY on HIS scores.” Both Plusle and
Drifloon slapped him “Stop your negativity once for all. Jirachi has filled
already an heart, 2 more and he’ll get fulfilled and our scores will be double!
We have still a pair to show.”

“Forgot
there are two rival couples before, Drifloon?” Lampent objected. Drifloon puffed
“Here we go again the negative duo, or you’re a couple? I may forgot this. On
the contrary, I didn’t forget about what you said: the Venturers have no
players remained, so if Jigglers do well and fill, we will be next and
fulfill!! Got it?” the other shrugged “Let’s practise on our number one more
time.”

Anorith
and  Gorebyss  listened to everything and  alarmed. “What happens if they really manage
to impress Jirachi? All our advantage would be flushed down the toilet then! We
get to assure Jirachi sleeps again.” The agreement was instantaneous. “Gorebyss,
go sing him a lullaby, maybe---“Grrr.No way. Don’t dare to do that!” Lucario
blocked the way soon joined by the rest of the team. “You’re not going to ruin
OUR chances in this way, not this time. Jigglers Attack!” Gorebyss was locked  inside her tank while Anorith asked for mercy
recurring to his goggly eyes, but soon after  “You know what? I’m tired to get battered and
crumpled for this team, I have done enough for my age, so it’s your turn,
Beheeyem.” fleed.

“And all of
sudden I am involved into the rumble….” Beheeyem teleported outside “No,
thanks. I’m the Brain pokèmon, not the Brawn one.”

“Yuhuu, we
succeeded, ganga!” Squirtle exclaimed “Jirachi is still awake and the sneaky enemy
has retired.”

Oshawott
thumbed up “Good job, Lucario! You busted them just in time.”

“Then I care
back to my performance. Next time watch out from the rival teams, I won’t do
again this favor because I ain’t supposed to be a pokèbabysitter, clear? Sgrunt.”

Oshawott
glared at Lucario “ I.   HATE.  HIM.”

“Sssht,
Oshawott! We need to keep Lucario calm and collaborative, otherwise our hopes
are destroyed.”

“Oshasnort.
Fine. I’ll bear until I can. Warned you.”

**MEANWHILE, THE OTHER VENTURERS…**

“Hurry up.
Drill. Drill! DRILL TO THE HELL IF NECESSSSSARY TO BREAK THAT ICE.”

“Y-Yep,
S-Seviper, I’m  drilling my best.”

The snake
boss turned to Aurorus with a death glare “Tell me what were you 2 doing here,
why you ditched us in the middle of the city, and why Tropius became an icicle
before I ssslash you.”

“I just
touched him and…”

“**Ssspit out the truth, Aurorus!**”
shouted. “I’m not stupid. You were kiss-kissing meanwhile the rest of the team
struggled to avoid the defeat! And ssstill struggling. Do you think I don’t
know about your secret already?” Aurorus gasped and looked at Dunsparce.
Suddenly the doors opened and a frantic Anorith quickly rushed into the vent “What
are you- “If Lucario or Gorebyss look for me, tell them I’m a fossil again. See
you tomorrow.” Seviper stayed speechless for a long minute. Aurorus continued
to look at Dunsparce in despair. “Tropius told me everything: you’re in love
for each others.” Aurorus sighed in relief, that wasn’t the worst secret,
afterall. “Alright, I confess: I failed to hold myself no more and kissed him,
causing this. I tried to solve it alone but due to my ability I only aggravated
the situation. Sorry.” Seviper surprisingly for once had mercy and simply
signed off, or posed to. “Just go to the Contest Dome and bring Inkay with you,
I don’t care what you prepared, just perform!”

“I-I think I
finally created a fissure in the b-block, Seviper.” Dunsparce claimed her
attention.

“Dunsparce,
get back to the Dome, too. I don’t trust those two. I’ll take care of Tropius
perssssonally.”

“Are you
sure you can break the ice alone?”

“DUNSSSSPARCE…”
Seviper sliced the ice in two halves with a single blow of the tail. “O-Okay, I’m
going immediately. Aury, Inkay, wait for me, please!” Tropius was finally free
and blabbed something like “I love chillblains…weeew..it was f-f-fantastic—c-c-
brrr.” Chimecho, still looking for the missing goggles, passed by and stopped “Heal
Pulsar! This helps you recover all the health points, but you’ll also need a
berry soup for the frost.” “Thanks, but there’s no need to dist-“ Seviper
interrupted him “Sure, we need all the berries YOU can find. Go to the research
and prepare your special remedy, I’ll wait patiently here assisting Tropius.
What are you waiting for?”

“…I promise
to be right back soon.”  Chimecho replied
with a tired look.

**// Vent //**

**Anorith**
was sleeping inside the ventilation tube when Seviper broke into to do her
confessional  “Anorith, this is my
territory now, MOVE OUT OR I SLASH YOU.” The anomalocaris obeyed unwillingly in
silence. Glad to have made miserable the life of an other pokèmon again,
Seviper sneered at the camera “Am I exploiting the kindness of Chimecho? Yesss,
I am. She’s a member of the rival team and she volountarly offered to help and
so exposed herself to my control: now that I know this flaw on her, I’ll suck up
all her energies like a lemon. This isss just the beginning.

Back to the
contest…

The three
Venturers were blocked by the press “No, no, no, you have been signed off as
absent, go with the audience.”

Inkay gulped
“Molg. We are too early. Who tells this to Zangoose now?”

Dunsparce
shook vehemently the head. “S-S-Sorry me.”

Aurorus reassured
“I’ll take the responsibility. It’s all my fault. Not yours.”

Meanwhile
Lucario and Ninjask prepared in the backstage, they would have been the next
and last chance for the Jigglers and everyone expected the best from them.
Squirtle, Ohawott, Bagon, and even Piplup rooted for Lucario, who was unnerved.
“Shut up all! I know I can do this without your support. You’re just sickening
me, get out!”

Ninjask
clapped him “Well done. Kicked the distractions outside the door. Those
starters are just losers slowering us, afterall. *We’re different. When we have a target we’re 100% focused, none can get*
on our way.*” Lucario nodded “Of course, I can’t stand them for this reason.*
That’s why I care only for myself.”

Ninjask
approached  “Only for yourself? This
isn’t true. There’s Chimecho.”

“Chimecho?
Where?” Lucario frowned in blush “Sgrunt, **I**
don’t **care** about her. Have you finished
with this or we can do the damn exhibition now?! I’m already nervous. *I have never been in a crowded place like*
this, I’m close to flee out of here and recoil on the Mount Coronet away from
all this annoying people! *You know what? I’m going to do this right now!”*

All of
sudden Jirachi’s announcement rebounded in the area “For the final acting
performance of the Jigglers, introducing Lucario & Ninjask!”

The ninja
insect decided to play the card Chimecho again “Chimecho is in the audience,
too.” Lucario didn’t say anything and stopped by the exit, looked back, and got
on the palk directly “I’m in, snort. Hope to not regret.”

Drifloon: “Oooh,
finally they decided to show up.”

Porygon 2:
“By the way  I calculated all the scores
gained until this point of the competition: Venturers are in first place and we
follow, but whoever scores fulfilling the hearts of the same judge will win.
Mathematically, whoever= us.”

Minun: “What
if Jigglers don’t score?” Plusle glowered at him “It’s a negative possibility,
but still a legit possibility. Ahem!”

Bagon: “I’m
really curious to see what Ninjask and Lucario organized.”

Squirtle:
“Same, bro.”

Jirachi read
the paper “Lucario & Ninjask’s performance is  Bonsai Fight. Yawn. Enjoy it.”

“Bonsai
fight? What is a bonsai fight?”

The curtains
opened and revealed a garden of bushes. Lucario and Ninjask were on the
opposite sides separated by a giant tree in a pot that dominated the view.
Lucario attacked first aiming at the opponent but Ninjask was faster and
attacked back, the two crossed the claws and the blades in mid-air, and landed
on the respective opposite positions. Silence. “Woooosh.” Everyone turned to
Rotom Fan. “I’m providing for the wind of suspense, what else?” Lucario didn’t
waste a second and attacked again, surprising Ninjask, apparently, but the true
Ninjask had camouflaged in a bush exploiting his Substitute and used Double
Team to increase the number, surrounding Lucario all around. The whole
swarm  used Shadow Ball at contemporary.  Lucario dodged a few hits, meanwhile giving a
peek to the audience to see Chimecho’s reaction, then passed from defense to
attack and cut off every single bush with a Ninjask inside, until a single
Ninjask was left. The following moment of pause let the audience admire the
precision of the cuts: the bushes had ben turned into perfect bonsai.

“Wow! Never
seen something like that before.”

Lucario exploited
a second of break to peek but couldn’t see Chimecho again.

No time to
breath. Ninjask boosted his speed at max and prepared a new trick: Volt Switch.
He pulsed of electricity and pursued the enemy, bouncing backward and forward
so he couldn’t get hit, Lucario struggled to keep his pace then leapt to avoid
the incoming attack and hid in the big tree, that allowed him to dodge all of Ninjask’s
switches, until it was over. Lucario swept the ashed leaves and assaulted
Ninjask with a discharge of Rapid Punch: the duel between the musk and the dog was
pitched, the two continued to fight for all over the fall, carving and trimming
the tree and themselves to the end.  The
audience gasped totally amazed!

…

But the
performance wasn’t over yet. Both Lucario and Ninjask raised up, separated, and
casted their best respective shots in the moveset: Force Ball vs Sign Beam. “Where’s
Chimecho?” Lucario couldn’t hold the tension anymore and distracted to seek for
her aura: the two attacks were supposed to meet in the halfway but the Sign
Beam hit Lucario right in his Achille’s talon, while the Force Ball hit the
tree decapitating it.

“Nooo!”  Drifloon deflated for the disappointment. Piplup
shouted, Bagon dumfounded, pretty every Jiggler or Leviathan was striked.
Before he could be asked for explanations, Lucario kicked the exit door and
limped out the contest hall. It was game over for all.

At the end
of the contest…

“The winners
of the Super Contest of Master Category are Anorith and Gorebyss for Team V5!!”
now finally free from the attraction effect Victini and Azelf put the Rainbow
Ribbon around Gorebyss, who thanked the audience and the jury blowing a kiss.

“This is
unfair…she cheated all the time.” Lamented
Piplup.  “*I want a lawyer*.”

“We deserved
to win. I forgot the last time I didn’t win a contest here because it never
happened. It’s all your fault if we lost, Minun!” Drifloon inflated her volume
for the anger but her good mood returned as soon as her memory went fly a kite
again “What am I doing, here?” Minun groaned “How is it my fault?! Ah, doesn’t
matter. At least we have won the second place, right?”

“2nd place?
Oh, no, there can only be **one winner**
team **this time while the other two are equally considered losers, that**
means that you both have to take part to the nomination, tonight!” the V-host
announced with flamboyance.

“How quirky.
The first time I’m not at the leadership the Leviathans get to nomination.”

“Lester,
PLEASE, spare me.”

“By the way,
I have an invincible strategy: we’ll vote all together for a contestant of the
Jirachi Jigglers, ah!”

“This is…wow,
actually, a sane idea.“

Contemporary,
Piplup, ordered her team to do the same “Vote all Minun out: without him, the
Leviathans would be in the complete chaos.”

**// Vent //**

**Oshawott:**
“I vote PIPLUP. Not only because I hate her, I also want to become the
new leader of the team.”

**Squirtle: “Yo, I vote Piplup, cuz she has**
no respect for the hip hop culture.”

**Bagon: “Lucario, obviously. He’s the main**
reason we lost.

**Lucario: “Piplup, that forced me to dress**
like an idiot.”

**Piplup: “Minun. Uhuhuh!”**

**Minun: “Ninjask. He proved to be the ace in**
the pocket of the Jigglers in every challenge.”

**Plusle: “NINJAAAASK!”**

**Drifloon: “I won’t forget the name this**
time: Ninjask!”

**Lester: “Piplup. By the way, I forgot to**
say them who to vote all together. Ahahah!”

**Anorith: “Enough. A poor fossil pokèmon can’t**
even sleep in peace in this stupid age…there's no respect.”'

### **Tail of Losers**

Reunited all
the 14 pokèmon on the tail of the plane, Victini distributed the first seven
macarones: “Drifloon, Lester, Lampent, Plusle, Porygon 2, Chimecho and Bagon
are safe! 7 left, only 4 macarones still on the whole, and then the remaining
three pokèballs between there is the infamous Voltorb of Victimization.”

“We already
know this, sgrunt.”

“I’m
speaking for the Lester Latias Leviahans: this is their first time in
nomination, so break the grumpiness and sweeten that awful blunt with your
macarone, Lucario. Safe are also Oshawott, Squirtle and….Metang.”

Piplup
started to lose her firmness  “No safety
for me?” Similarly acted Minun. Ninjask stayed in silence.The victory star host
shook the head and tossed them the pokè balls “Minun, you’re a newbie to the
ceremony, so I explain you the system: I’ll countdown to 3 and if your pokè
ball is a Voltorb, it will blow up at the end and doom you to the ELIMINATION.”

“Glom. It’s
a very harsh system.”

“It’s  6-1-7: who will be the next victim?” Victini set
the timer “3, 2, 1… WOOOOOOSHHHHH!!!!” Suddenly an huge wind hit on the plane,
blowing against everyone at incredible power
“What the hell…Brace yourself all, competitors! WWWWWWWWWWOOOOOSHH!” Minun
and Plusle held each others tightly on the seats, Lampent and Porygon used the
heavy body of Metang as a shelter, Lester turned into a fridge, and Lucario (reluctantly)
protected the weakened Chimecho winding her around an arm. Piplup, Oshawott,
Squirtle and Bagon formed a chain to resist. Only Ninjask couldn’t do anything
and was swept away from the plane…but he boosted his speed stats higher than
the stream and managed to get back on the tail. “Astonishing! Look at Ninjask!
He’s showing the windfall who’s the boss. If only I could do the same… **I want to live the same experience, *I try***.” Bagon broke the chain “Brogon!!!
Are you crazy, dude?! You aren’t ready for this. I even understand that.”

“Oh my
shell! COME BACK HERE, YOU MAD DRAGON, OR I SCALLOP BLADE YOUR BUTTS!” shouted
Oshawott in panic.

“No way. The
wind is calling my name. I jump. I JUMP. Banzai!” The stubborn dragon flapped
his arms jumping with the eye of the tiger, but falling like a meteor. “BAGON!!!”
Lucario had a flashback and istinctively said
loudly “NOT AGAIN! I won’t let this happen!” but Ninjask was faster than
him to move and rescued  the imprudent
wannabe flyer becoming the hero of the day.
Eventually the windstorm finished and Bagon apologized in ashame and
thanked Ninjask a lot. “Phew, we’re all safe. Then, I’ll repeat the countdown.”

“C-Couldn’t
we just celebrate the incredible rescue executed by Ninjask?” Piplup purposed
trembling at the thought to be possibly the next boot. “I offer a tea party!
No?”

“3, 2 , 1-“

Lampent
cough coughed simulating indifference “And Drifloon? I think she forgot to use
the safety straps. Pretty ironic we also forgot about her.” Everyone turned to
the spot where the balloon was, seeing that the seat was utterly empty and
facepalmed.

“Alright,
then I’ll count her as the eliminated one of today. Oh, and, Piplup, I suggest
you to toss away the Voltorb you have in your wings before it explodes. BOOOM!
Too late.” Piplup stared in shock, and not only for the explosion. Oshawott
smiled with malice.

“Din-don!  Yawn. Attention: there’s going to be a
turbulence. So assure that your straps are settled correctly or you will be
blown away. Duuuup.” The droopy voice of Jirachi announced in huge delay.

“-.- Thanks
for the warning. -.-”  was the general  sarcastic reply.

## **Trivias**

* Drifloon, Piplup and Gorebyss are the only known contestants to be veterans of Pokémon Contests. **However, only Drifloon won a Sinnoh Contest**.

* Two characters from the pokèmon series of Happy cameos: Mr Mime "The Chef" and Azelf "The One in Charge".