Chapter 6

After the other four girls were chosen, Cinderella and all the other fifteen contestants followed the host into a small theater with a stage. Patricia was still upset about the outcome of her Poké Puffs as she sat down. Cinderella, Katelyn, Bianca, and the two other remaining girls came forward as the host addressed them.

"This is the fourth round, ladies." said the Host, "This is the freestyle performance. One by one, the final five contestants and their Pokémon will perform on stage in front of an audience. You can do whatever you want within a time limit of twelve minutes. Normally, the winner of this round would compete with last year's champion in the final round, but since Duchess Ella Livingston is not here this year, whoever wins today shall become the new champion. We expect you and your Pokémon to put on a great show. You all have fifteen minutes to get ready. Good luck to all of you."


Cinderella and her Pokémon all went back to their room. When they got there, they were met by the stepmother who was furious.

Cinderella smiled at her. "Hello. May I help you, Madam?"

The stepmother glared at the mysterious girl. "My daughter should have moved onto the finals! You are responsible for my daughter's disqualification!"

"Who? Patricia?" said Cinderella, "She was just trying her best. I think she did a great job to get as far as she did, don't you?"

The stepmother did not like this answer.

"Almost there is not good enough!" she snapped, "I demand that you step down and let her compete in the last round!"

"I'm afraid we can't do that, Madam." said Valiant plainly, "That wouldn't be fair to both my mistress and your daughter. We worked hard to get to this far and it's not ours or our mistress's fault regarding your daughter's loss. That's simply how the judges saw it."

"I don't care about what they think!" shouted the stepmother, "You better let her perform or I'll-!"

"What's going on here?" bellowed a voice.

Everyone jumped and turned to see the Archduke and Duke Grovyle walking down the hallway. The stepmother quickly bowed her head and smiled at the two of them, trying to feint innosence. The Archduke and Duke Grovyle saw through her.

"You again?" said the Archduke, "Are you bothering my daughter?"

The stepmother turned pale. "Y-Y-Your daughter?"

"Yes, Madam," said the Archduke, "She is my daughter."

Cinderella and her Pokémon were surprised by this. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. The Archduke telling a downright lie to a duchess? However, they could see that the Archduke was helping them out, so they played along.

"It's true, Madam," said Valiant.

Then the Archduke said, "If you have a problem with the judges' decision, Duchess, then why aren't you complaining to them?"

The stepmother didn't answer his question.

Instead, she stammered, "I, uh… I-I was just leaving."

And she quickly walked away. As soon as she was out of sight and earshot, Cinderella gave the Archduke a grateful look.

"Thank you, Your Grace," she said.

"No need to thank me, Ella." said the Archduke, "It was my pleasure."

Cinderella and her Pokémon jumped, their hearts skipping.

"How did you know who I was?" gasped Cinderella.

"My dear, I know everything about you." said the Archduke, "Even a mask can't hide that from me. But don't worry. I won't tell anyone who you are."

Cinderella smiled at the Archduke.

"We can't wait any longer." said Valiant, "We need to get ready for the final performance."

"Of course," said Duke Grovyle, "We won't keep you any longer. Good luck to all of you."

"Thank you," said Cinderella.

With that, she and her Pokémon entered their room. The maids and Cinderella's lady-in-waiting were waiting for them. For fifteen minutes, the maids and their Pokémon worked to get them ready for the final performance.


For the final performance, Cinderella wore a white off-the-shoulder gown made from her mother's wedding dress. It was pure white with pearl and diamond embroidered lace on the sweetheart neckline, trumpet-flared sleeves, and beautiful gold and floral printed accents on the skirt. She wore laced gloves, her royal riband, laced dancing shoes, and a pearl and diamond necklace with matching earrings. A matching side tiara with white false flowers dunned her hair in a braided up-do.

Her Pokémon all wore similar outfits. Rose wore a white flower tiara with a simple white dress and her mother's pendant on a pearl and diamond collar. Ariel and Bella wore similar dresses, gloves, and necklaces as Cinderella with the same flower tiaras and their ribands. Valiant, Rex, and Mikey all dressed up as Pokéguards in the traditional red uniform with their ribands. Valiant wore a black cloak with golden trimming for his costume.

After dressing up, they got out their props for their performance. When they were just getting everything finished up, there was a knock at the door. Valiant answered it to find the host.

"Are you and your Pokémon ready, my Lady?" he asked.

"Yes, I am, sir," said Cinderella.

"Good," said the host, "You are fifth in line to perform. Follow your footmen backstage."

Cinderella and her Pokémon took their things and followed their footman escort down the hall and back to the theater. They entered backstage to find the other girls waiting there with Katelyn and Bianca.

Katelyn and her Pokémon were all dressed in a pink and purple color theme. She, Anna, and Cherry all wore the same simple dresses with pink ribbons. Pinky had a grand bow on her wings that made them look bigger and grander and had a tiara of yellow flowers. Flash wore an elaborate bridle and saddle with jewels, pink and purple silk, and a white feather plume. Sky wore a suit with the same colors and a prop sword.

Bianca and her Pokémon were already waiting on stage, but they had a different theme. She wore a purple dress with different overcoats. Peter was decorated with various flowers and leaves to go with the bud on his back and grass cuffs. Fuzz wore a yellow collar with orange and red ribbons and golden bells. Poppy and Daisy were dressed as the flowers they were named after. Splash was wearing a white and light blue blouse and ribbons showing snow and ice.

Rose looked up at Cinderella, very nervous.

"What's wrong, Rose?" Cinderella whispered.

"I'm so nervous, Cinderella." whimper Rose, "They're so many people and Pokémon out there. What if I mess everything up for us?"

"Don't worry." said Cinderella, "We're all in this together. I was scared for my first performance."

"Really?" said Rose, "What happened?"

"I did well, but my dress tore before I went on stage." said Cinderella, "I was able to fix my dress in time. I won that first day. Just believe in yourself and you can do anything."

Cinderella and Rose hugged. Rose now felt much better. She was still nervous, but not that much anymore.

The host finally began to talk on stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Your Royal Highnesses! I am pleased to announce that we are ready for the final performance of this year's Perfect Princess Contest! These five young ladies have performed before our esteemed group of judges and are ready to perform in our freestyle round! First, let us welcome our first contestant, Lady Bianca Goodland, daughter of Baron and Baroness Goodland!"

The crowd applauded as the curtain opened. Cinderella smiled and watched as her friend and her Pokémon bowed to the audience. Music started in the orchestra pit and Bianca and her Pokémon began their performance.

They were performing a dance representing the seasons. Poppy and Daisy played the season of spring as dancing flowers, using their Attract to send hearts into the audience. Peter played the season of summer, using his Vine Whip to make Bianca fly and his Solar Beam to make a sun. Fuzz played the season of fall, turning the leaves shades of red, orange, gold, and brown and using Hyper Voice to make the sun explode into a dazzling display of golden light. Splash played the season of winter, using her Water Spout and Ice Beam to create snow.

Bianca and her Pokémon danced gracefully together as the audience watched in amazement. At the end of their dance, Peter and Splash used Solar Beam and Ice Beam with Poppy and Daisy's Assist of Flamethrower and Razor Leaf to create a display of colorful fireworks with the four seasons. They finished and bowed to the audience who clapped and applauded.

The next girl came and went with her performance, then the third girl.

Then it came to Katelyn and her Pokémon. They also had a dance, but Anna and the other performed acrobatic stunts. Cherry and Sky rode Flash as she jumped with flaming wheels made by Anna. Pinky rested on Katelyn's back and used Psychic to lift her into the air, making it seem like she was a flying fairy. Cherry and Sky used Spark and Helping Hand to create a lightning show. They all bowed as they finished their performance.

Finally, it was Cinderella's turn. With the curtains closed, she and her Pokémon went out on stage and got their props ready. Her other friends were in the orchestra pit, ready with musical instruments.

They heard the host speak up. "And now, please welcome our last contestant, the Masked Maiden!"

The curtains opened as the audience applauded. Cinderella and her Pokémon smiled brightly as the lights and crowd came into view. She signaled her friends to start playing the music and their performance started.

Their performance was a song telling the tragic story of a young girl who under a dreadful curse. Cinderella was the narrator, Rose was the cursed girl, Valant was a noble knight, and the others played side roles. They moved props and used their powers to add special effects to impress the audience.

They first showed the song's landscape with Ariel making a meadow theme with Magic Leaf while Bella and Mikey using Signal Beam and Razor Wind to create a sun. Then Rex then performed an acrobatic dance with Steel Wing that reflected the light around the theater, much to the audience's and judges' delight. Cinderella, Ariel, Bella, Rex, and Mikey all danced as they sung of the harvest and the castle on an island where the girl lived. Leaves, sparks, embers, and shadows danced around them as they dance and sung with their friend.

Rose acted the girl's part, weaving a colorful web night and day knowing that she is cursed, but doesn't know what the curse could be. Kept in a tower weaving with a mirror as her only window to the outside world, the girl is sad and lonely, longing to have a knight of her own. Rose used Protect to create a mirror and performed a sad, yet graceful dance as she pretended to weave and sung beautifully. She was surprised that she could perform so well. Everyone was amazed by her voice and performance.

Ariel made a Moon with Moonblast and held it up with Psychic as she Rex acted as two newlywed lovers which the girl saw in the mirror. Rose acted out the girl's sadness and loneliness. At this point, Valiant announced his entrance as the knight as he danced in. He used Heal Pulse to create a magical effect as he and the other sung as the knight traveled to the forbidden castle.

The girl fell in love with the knight and watched him as he traveled to the castle and caught a glimpse of it in the mirror. The moment she saw the forbidden castle, her weaving flew away and the mirror shattered to pieces. She knew the curse was upon her but left her home to meet her knight. She found a boat below a willow and wrote her name on the prow before drifting down the river towards the castle.

The Pokémon changed the scene to a dark, cold night that caused fear and sadness in the audience. As the boat drifted down the river, the girl looked at the castle. On the way there, she sang as the night slowly froze her blood and she died from the cold as she reached the castle's town. Ariel, Bella, Mikey, and Rex performed a sad dance. Mikey's Ice Beam and Dark Pulse created a cold misty night for effect.

The girl in the boat reached the castle at dawn and the Pokémon surrounded the boat, reading her name, and weeping for her death. In the last verse, the knight meets the girl and comments her beauty while asking the gods to grant her mercy upon death. Valiant finished by firing an Aura Sphere into the air which softly exploded into a beautiful aurora that danced over the audience.

Upon finishing, the audience broke into applause, touched and impressed. Cinderella and her Pokémon smiled as they bowed.

"Oh, my goodness," wept the Queen, "That was so beautiful! All I want to do is see my mother."

"I know kings don't cry," said the King, "But that song was filled with so much emotion and love. It felt all real and it makes me feel like crying and smiling. I'd never seen or heard anything more tragic and beautiful in my life."

Even the host wiped tears from his eyes.

"That was definitely worth the wait." he sniffed before regaining his composure, "Will all the finalists please join me on stage?"

Katelyn, Bianca, and the other two finalists joined Cinderella on stage. The Pokémon stood with their trainers as the audience applauded again.

"So, who will it be, ladies and gentlemen? Who is this year's winner? Your Highnesses, do you and the judges have a winner?"

"You have all done well, ladies." said the king, "We wish that all our contestants could be the winner, but there can only be one choice."

The King gave a Pigeot an envelope with the royal seal. It quickly flew down and gave the envelope to the host. The host opened the envelope and read it carefully.

"The winner of the Perfect Princess Contest by unanimous decision is… the Masked Maiden!"

Cinderella heart leaped as the audience applauded. She almost didn't believe it.

"We won!" said Rose, smiling proudly.

Cinderella smiled and giggled as she and her Pokémon all hugged each other happily. One of the other girls looked like she was going to cry while the other scowled upset. Katelyn and Bianca both came over to Cinderella smiling.

"Congratulations!" said Bianca.

"That was amazing!" said Katelyn, "Great job!"

Cinderella hugged her friends. "Thank you, girls."

The King, Queen, and Archduke came on stage with a money satchel and a golden trophy.

"My Lady," said the King, "We congratulate you and your Pokémon for your spectacular performance today. As the winner of the Perfect Princess contest, we present to you this trophy and 10,000 Poké."

Cinderella took the trophy and the satchel, smiling.

"Thank you, Your Highness." she said, "I also congratulate all the girls and their Pokémon who performed today. I loved everyone's performance."

"You are most kind, my Lady," said the Queen.

The host spoke again, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, let's give one more 'round of applause for our new winner!"

Everyone clapped for Cinderella.

"Thank you all for coming here to watch and support our contest and these lovely ladies! Tea and other awards will be waiting in the dining hall. Thank you again, and we hope to see you next year!"