"This is a reminder if you don't know me—I'm a wild card who's won her region's league!"

There aren't many people who can match Rui's spunk. She's the life of party within this open battle area.

The setup of the fields resemble four basketball courts side by side, the short staircases on both sides leading up to the boardwalk. Vendors on the boardwalk announce their goods, which range from hats to candy. One of the vendors gets spooked by a mischievous duo of Haunter, a third Haunter spooking a group of rough-looking guys with mohawks. Closer to where she is, cars whiz by in the intersection. Denser foot traffic with pockets of chatter swarm the sidewalks and crosswalks.

Even the streetlights of Yellow Street and 17th Avenue know how awesome she is, why else would they illuminate her? Pokémon duking it out right next to the tranquility of the sea, with the megacity's looming skyline looking like a squad of mighty Steelix! It sounds like some sort of movie set, how cool is that?!

Her opponents better not think she's all talk—she can more than hold her own in battle. Just ask those who saw her win the Orre Conference. Ask her Midnight Lycanroc, who just slammed a Parasect into the ground with both of his hands.

"Hit em in the back with a Rock Blast attack!"

Lycanroc howls, a massive brown boulder with a white glow appearing in front of him. He hurls it at the staggering Parasect, the Grass and Bug-type struck in its large mushroom.

"If at first you don't succeed, have your Lycanroc use Hyper Beam!"

Lycanroc howls, firing a massive orange beam from his mouth. The attack explodes with intensity, flinging Parasect behind its male trainer. It skips on the ground like a rock over a puddle.

"Another win for me!" Rui sticks up both of her index and ring fingers. "Ya girl's winning like she's supposed to be, ooooooh!"

The crowd's in a fervor, and rightfully so. Who is she? Where'd she come from? Why's she so awesome? That's what they're asking, but they ain't getting answers outta her. Hahahahaha!

She's had quite a few battles one day, she can afford to call it an evening. She loves boardwalks, they offer such a nice view of the sea!

While she was engaging in this skirmish, a large crowd beginning to gather around another pair of trainers. She makes her way to the field on the other end of the rectangular, park-like area.

Something feels oddly weird about this, and it's enough to make her feel a bit uneasy. The imposing aura of a powerful Pokémon is heightening her senses, and it's one that she'd recognize a mile away. There's no way it's them...right?

Rui stops in her tracks, her demeanor flipping the switch. Her wide-eyed stare's unable to focus on anything else but the purple insectoid dragon and its trainer in the blue trench coat. That's why the aura was so familiar to her.

Naganadel.

Wes.

What are the chances? Should she watch the battle? Should she leave? What if Wes doesn't want to see her?

Hearing Wes commanding an attack snaps her out of her confusion. Appearing before everyone is a purplish-black, serpentine-like dragon formation with a curvy, beak-like mouth. A medium-sized pair of wings protrude from the middle, a smaller one just before the end of the tail.

The formation screeches like the wind it just stirred up. Naganadel fires it off like a cannon launching a projectile. It blasts the opposing Glalie, the Ice-type pelting the reinforced asphalt.

Rui gulps, her legs shaking as she walks towards Wes. The crowd's jumble of murmuring and loud chatter has Wes distracted, while her thoughts continue to vacillate between approaching him and being discreet.

Her determination overcomes her uncertainty and surges within her. She strides towards Wes, her steps growing wider each time. That's the Rui people know and love.

"Hey there, Wes."

"R-Rui?!"

Wes' posture rockets into a stiffer, upright stance. His mouth hangs open, his right hand raised to reassure his concerned Naganadel.

He takes a hard deep breath. He calls back Naganadel, placing the ball inside of his trench coat. He turns his body towards her, standing completely still for a few moments. He approaches her, his walk logy as he weaves through the crowd.

"Sorry...um...I didn't expect to see you here." Rui bows her head, tugging her arms. "But since I ran into you…um...maybe...we could talk?" As her gaze wanders, her face carries a faint shade of pink. "…If…you're okay with it."

Wes cocks a brow. "You want to talk to me?" He scratches his short, shaggy platinum blond hair. "Is that a wise idea?"

Her nerves start to ease up on the tension. "Yes and yes." She sweetly smiles, closing her eyes. "Please?"

Tension begins to weigh down on Wes like a Golem. Should he stay, or should he walk away? He deeply regrets what happened between them after the third incident. He doesn't want to make it worse.

"...Wes?" Rui bites her lower up. "Sorry for making you feel uncomfortable." She rubs her orange ponytails, her gaze darting toward her feet. "...I...I just want to help."

Wes doesn't respond, but he shouldn't pass this up. Another logy walk up the stairs, now he's staring out into the vast ocean. He takes several heavy deep breaths, then looks back at her.

"We can talk."

Rui runs up next to Wes, and her smile extends to both ears. It's been a while since they've seen the ocean like this, but she'll never forget this view.

Waves caress the shoreline on the other side, wild Poliwag and Poliwhirl frolicking in the sand. Various other Water-types, such as Kingdra and Vaporeon, go about their business in the distance.

A Magikarp flies out of the sea and slams into one of the Poliwhirl. The Poliwhirl angrily tosses the Magikarp back into the water. The laughter amongst the other Pokémon abruptly ceases when the Magikarp evolves into Gyarados, but it plops on the sand for a nap. This doesn't stop the Poliwhirl in question from hiding behind rocks.

Right next to the illuminated sea with the sun setting in the horizon, that's where she shared her first romantic kiss with Wes. So many great memories, will more join those ranks?

"It's pretty at night, isn't it?" Rui's tone is soft, her mind's light like a Swanna's feather. "I miss these moments."

"I suppose so." Wes leans against the railing, his arms feeling heavy. "I…can't help bit wonder if we jumped from friendship to romance a little too soon…given the circumstances."

"…You too, huh?" Rui frowns, lowering her her with a sigh. "I hate that it hit a sour note." She places her hands over her gut. "I've never been so disgusted at myself before, but I've come back stronger."

He's struggling to even look at her directly, but she's got no problem looking at him. How is she able to think of the good times? They said hurtful things to each other, such as the other being uncaring.

"Before our encounter at Barberini Stadium-"

"Stop," Rui interjects, her fists on her hips. "Dwelling on the past won't help."

"I...guess you're right." Wes stares at the ground, his teeth partially showing. "It...just...feels odd...you know?''

"You need time, but I'll wait for you." Rui's gentle gaze meets Wes' somber gaze. "It's not too late, it's never too late."

He's out of options on what to say next. On one hand, the chances of reconciliation feel infinitesimal. On the other hand, just seeing her smile is causing a peculiar contradiction of emotions.

"Wes, look here." She yanks a Poké Ball out of her jacket. "I presume that it's on eventually?"

Wes lifts his chin, his frown now a smirk. He's unsure what the future holds for Rui and him, but he'll never say no to a battle.

Rui's smile becomes a cocky grin. "Gonna get all sappy with me, lover boy?" Rui leans forward, narrowing her eyes. "Maybe you're scared that I'm still stronger than you."

Wes scoffs, pulling out a Poké Ball from his trench coat. "I'll kick your ass sooner or later."

"You think you can defeat me?!" Rui howls, cracking her knuckles. "Hahahaha, I'd like to see you try!"

"Can do, walking nightmare."

Rui nudges her elbow into his chest. "I'm your walking nightmare, wiseass."

"Gimme a break." Wes scoffs with a smirk and folds his arms. Since when is that something to be proud about?"

"Look who's talking, Sir Grumpalot."

Little by little, the weight on his shoulders is being lifted. He walked a lonely road...until an awkward encounter with a crazy girl outside of Phenac City. She became a bright spot in his life...looks like she'll retain that role.


Pokémon Contests are Valen's favorite form of the performing arts. He's been a trainer with a coordinator mindset for years, but he got his start on the stage thanks to Hilda's advice. He's sat in this large waiting area multiple times before, surrounded by pieces of history within a piece of history.

Ferguson Competition Hall's more packed than it was a couple of days ago, but that's not abnormal. Contests have been popular in Calvana for over two hundred and fifty years. The gift shop sells everything from merch featuring big names like Lisia to posters of famous artworks like the Mona Gardevoir. There's merch featuring him in his classy attire too, courtesy of his boy Guzma.

The line's getting so long that many will have to wait until later today to purchase their desired items. Hopefully, Melanie and Hilda have gotten at least some merch by now. The Wallace merch they want won't remain in stock for long in any busy store because it's freaking Wallace. The man's got impeccable style and taste.

A number amongst the throng have spotted him, and murmurs are going around about his return to the contest stage. A few of his female fans are gushing under their breaths, others seem puzzled that he's chilling like a normal guy. Both male and female fans are eager to see his latest performance, but he's got mixed feelings. He's stoked about entering another contest, but was it too soon? Will he still be able to wow the crowd? What if he doesn't even make it to the next stage?

Sensing his lingering doubt, his team lets themselves out of their respective Poké Balls and surround the vintage sofa. Gengar, Golisopod, and Salamence attempt to perform a cheer, making him chuckle. He fists bump Gengar and Golisopod, then he pets Salamence's head. Good thing Rosa's Milotic is still in her ball, eh?

Gardevoir caresses his right cheek, Typhlosion nuzzles her face into his chest, and Luxray rubs his body up against his right leg. Valen pats Typhlosion's head, laughing when she licks his face. He scratches the back of Luxray's ears, the feline's purring further soothing his mind.

Here comes Rosa, the ball of fluff extraordinaire. Her Volcarona seems to be asking the team if everything's okay with him. Luxray sits on his hind legs, nodding at Rosa with a gentle smile. Rosa begins stroking the feline's back. Luxray may consider himself proud and edgy, but he's still a kitten at heart.

Rosa kneels down on his lap. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She paints her tone with tenderness, her eyes carrying a gentle gaze. "You look worried."

Valen sheepishly smiles, his laugh a tad halfhearted. "Yeah...little bit nervous." He scratches the back of the head. "Please don't worry about me."

Rosa caresses his forehead. "You'll be fine, I promise," she whispers. "Why not analyze the art around us instead?"

"Good call."

So much love, so much care. Hilda's no different, words aren't enough to express how grateful he is. The tender sensation of Rosa's arms around his midsection negates the tension's attempt to return. He rests his hands on her back and for a few moments, the duo sits there and kiss at a slow pace.

Rosa flirtatiously winks, a finger on her lip and her other hand on her hip. She spins on her tiptoes while calling out her Hydreigon. She darts away and through the arched entrance. Volcarona's on her left and Hydreigon's on her right. Clash and win, as per the silent declaration of Rosa and Hilda's number one fanboy.

"I promise that I'm fine," he reassures his team. "Don't worry, we've got this."

His Pokémon are satisfied with his answer, now it's time to follow Rosa's advice. Both the West and the East are represented within the art prints scattered around the main stage's waiting area. Oil paintings by the Castelia River School movement are among the gathering of Western art, but Wesley Homer's Unforgettable Summer Night from 1890 catches his eye. Hilda and him shared one of their first kisses with the original looming over them, plus he shared a dance with Rosa in front of a larger print of it.

A male trainer and a female trainer stare deep into each other's eyes. They dance under the glistening moonlight, the ocean nudging the quaint shoreline of Undella Town. A Gallade and Gardevoir perform the same gestures and movements. Gothic Revival buildings litter the other side of the background, with specific details like the extravagant spires and coupled windows painstakingly depicted. The colors used include yellow ochre for the woman's dress, ivory black for the man's suit, and viridian green for the Pokémon's heads.

The subjects of the Johtoian ink painting and Hoennese ukiyo-e prints range from kabuki to landscapes. One of Edo Hoenn's most iconic ukiyo-e pieces is Nagi Masanobu's Natural Surroundings, which depicts what's now called Fortree City.

The lush foliage of the trees and grass are finished in malachite, the sky in ultramarine. Lighter shades of ultramarine can be seen on a few Pokémon, such as Swablu, Altaria, and Salamence. Other Pokémon present include Skarmory, Wingull, Pelipter, Taillow, and Swellow. Men and women wearing straw hats and kimonos trek through the dense woods, while others stop and stare upwards into the treetops. Perhaps they're dreaming about living up in the trees? Or are they in awe of Rayquaza, who's soaring above everything?

Before he can analyze Ogata Tsunemitsu's Brass and Bell Towers, Hilda surprises him by wrapping her arms around his neck. He wraps his right arm around her waist and pulls her closer for a kiss.

"I'll never get tired of this." Hilda swoops in for another kiss. "Hehe, I got you!"

Rosa darts toward Hilda and him, but she stops at the last minute. Being a social media sensation, she's got to take pictures of herself. She does just that, and Hilda trots on over. They gesture for their fans to come, which they gladly do. The bright lights of the camera app flashes several times.

Valen gets onto his feet and approaches the duo. He'll remain quiet and glance around while they discuss upcoming events. Ferguson Competition Hall's more packed than it was a couple of days ago, but that's not abnormal. Contests have been popular in Calvana for over two hundred and fifty years.

The tips of Hilda's left fingers are in front of her grin. "I keep getting calls about that fresco you painted within the agency, plus the oil paintings I put on display," she says. "They want to know the talented artist behind them."

Rosa rests her hands on her hips. "I'm just too awesome." She tilts her head back. "Name it and I'll paint it in oil, tempera, fresco, or ink."

"We're all awesome, silly."

"I'm more awesome!" Hilda titters and spins to face Valen. "Thought you were off the hook, hm?"

"Tee-hee, Valey's acting all cool!"

Hilda and Valen exchange quips, while Rosa muses about her passion for art. Becoming an internationally renowned trainer is among her goals, but she's already got numerous accolades. Why not shift more of that focus towards painting and the performing arts, with a bit of graphic design here and there?

"The biggest tournament that's still open is a regional," Hilda informs her. "Entering one would be a boon for you."

Should she leave her plan as is and enter, or should she start shifting a bit of focus? It's not like she'll stop battling altogether. She could always combine being an actress and trainer..

"You've got time to decide, and don't worry about saying no or changing your mind!"

"You're sooooo flexible!" She clasps her hands next to her right cheek. "How about Valey?!" She twirls to face him. "Are you entering this one too?!"

Valen lies down on the bench, his hands rustling his hair. "I'm sitting that one out."

Rosa folds her arms, an uneasy feeling weighing down on her. He's doing much better nowadays, but she worries that he could relapse into low self-esteem again. Her Volcarona and Hydreigon attempts to cheer her up by patting her head, her faint giggling delighting him. She kisses Hydreigon on his main head, and gives Volcarona a massage on his belly.

She jolts into hyperawareness upon feeling Valen's arms around her midsection. His humming fuses with his embrace to cast a blanket over her.

"Sorry, I should've been more specific." He hoists her upwards. "The Annual Art History Convention is coming up," he reminds her. "I'm preparing for that one step at a time."

Rosa's forehead rests on his forehead. "We want you to be successful and have lots of fun with us." Her smile has a soft tenderness to it. "I'm sorry that I took it in the wrong way, I still worry sometimes."

"Don't worry, Hilda and I know you mean well."

"Sweetie, never forget your strengths and how much Hilda and I love you." She smiles with her eyes closed. "Give us a big smile, that's all we ask of you." Her hands are clasped in front of her. "Kay?"

Valen places Rosa down. "As if you two don't put a big smile on my face already."

He'll always be the big bad trainer, but he's already well established. The art history field's been leaving one too many messages in his mind.

Rosa's Hydreigon and his team look pleased with the outcome, but why is Salamence-when did Rosa's Milotic let herself out? Why did Salamence agree to a few shared kisses if he's blushing so much? Why did Salamence take after his dorky side in the first place?

Huh, that's a twist. Hilda wants to enter the regionals too. Due to how big the BW Agency's gotten, Hilda rarely enters tournaments these days. Rosa's cool with it, but he suspects that she was hesitant for the same reason.

"Sooooooooooooooooo, who will you root for?" Rosa slides closer with her hands above her hips. "Hilda or me?"

Valen leans against the wall and closes his eyes. "I'll cheer on both of you." He holds up a black rose. "How can monsieur Valen say no to such belle dames?"

"If you need a tiebreaker, I've got one right here." Rosa places her right hand on her hip. "Hilda's going to lose to me again," The tips of her left fingers rest on her forehead.

"I think you've distanced yourself from reality." Hilda wags her right index finger, her left hand on her hip. "I'm going to claim first place."

He better stay out of it, unless he wants to be bopped into another dimension. Or will he be cuddled so ruthlessly that he'll be swallowed up by their love? Ahhhhhh, the horror.

The real question is if he should jokingly boo everybody else to make them happy, even though he's absolutely not cute.

Melanie's finally arrived, she's waving while running towards them. What he told Rosa and Hilda applies to her too, they'll be platonic partners forever.

There's her signature flick to the back of his head. She must have practiced using Extreme Speed, how else did she get behind him before he even realized it?

"Where were you?"

"I couldn't decide what jacket to wear, but then I remembered this!" She turns her back towards him, showing off her newest Valerie Versace jacket. "Check it out."

It's a dark red leather jacket, the top underneath carrying the same color. Rosa and Hilda love it too, so much so that they're now taking pictures with her.

"You look great in that, but you three always look great."

"That's right, keep stating the obvious about me." Melanie runs her right hand through her elbow-length, black hair. "Them too."

Valen shrugs, earning himself another flick. This is typical, but he loves that about her. Silver's here too, but he's taking his sweet time getting his ass over here. He's unable to hide his grin.

"Kris is landing in a few hours. Gonna go to the airport, and I promised that I'd help her to move in."

"Say no more." Valen pats him on the back. "Have fun."

"I'll still be watching the Battle Stage on my phone."

Valen's hands fly in front of him as he steps back. "Woah woah woah woah, it hasn't even started-"

"Humph, you're gonna win the whole thing."

Heh, at least Silver's boasting about somebody else. That habit's how they first met—Silver's boasting incurred the wrath of Steven's fans while he was entering contests in Hoenn. Steven's a remarkable sculptor, but a gentleman like him couldn't say no to a lady like Lisia. He also couldn't say no to helping the ding dong get out of the mess he created.

The contest will start in ten minutes, Rosa and Hilda are part of the opening act. They wave at everybody, then they blow a kiss at him. They wink while he nearly blushes, his face covered with his palms. The duo trot out of sight, but they'll be seeing everybody shortly.

Rui's here, her expression...a mix of content and unease? She's texted everybody about her encounter with Wes, but she wanted to save the details for later. If she needs a little boost, he's got it covered.


Neon and fluorescent lights pulse with the energetic music from the screaming speakers, a rhythm of colors dancing on the giant digital screen. A pair of Tsareena elegantly strut across the elevated stage. It's like a stage show straight out of Vega City. Rosa's Hydreigon and Hilda's Garchomp storm the stage and let out proud roars.

Rosa and Hilda trot onto the elevated stage, their long hair swaying as they spin in opposite directions. They press their backs together, both placing two fingers sideways in front of their foreheads.

"It's about never giving up, so hold your head up!" they jump. "And we will carry on, yeah yeah yeah yeah!"

The camera crews move in for a closer look, the crowd thundering with applause and elation.

"Here she comes!" They spin towards each other, following it up with an encore. "Lisia the Contest Queen!" Both raise a hand into the air. "Yeah yeah yeah!"

Lisia swoops down on her Altaria, leaping down onto her feet behind the duo. Her Altaria floats in-between Hydreigon and Garchomp, the pair of Tsareena bowing in front of the dragons. Lisia's blowing kisses at the crowd while doing her trademark spin.

Valen doesn't know Lisia personally, but she's definitely someone that he'd enjoy hanging out with. She'll be handling the introductions, his cousin, and him at the end of the line. Among the entries is Alexis Tezuka, Melanie's old rival. Her fans are going wild, the guys sounding like a bunch of Exploud.

Looks like Alexis wasn't expecting him to enter, but that smile says it all. Asgard's here too, hence the squealing fangirls that just startled Silver into the present. What was the professional brooder daydreaming about this time?

Several more contestants later, Lisia's got the microphone pointing towards Jacques and Valen instead of herself. She knows that they prefer to introduce themselves, but there's an obvious twist here. The crowd doesn't need to know their names, but they already do.

Jacques flips up his shoulder length hair. "Ciao." He blows a kiss at the squealing female fans who've brought a large sign.

Valen yanks a rose from under his tuxedo jacket's right sleeve. While waving at his own fans, he clenches the rose in-between his teeth and closes his eyes. Silver's startled by squealing again, much to his amusement. He almost falls onto Melanie, but an elbow jab into his chest prevents that. Jacques and him would be laughing, but they've got to maintain their cool.

It's time for the show to begin, a randomizer tool appearing on the screen. Jacques and him are fourth and fifth respectively. That nervousness from earlier must have gotten bopped out of him—he hasn't felt it since he entered the stage.

The first contestant, Alexis, takes her place. The other contestants exit the stage and head back towards the lobby. Before he's out of sight, Valen raises his hand to wish Alexis luck. He smiles when she returns the gesture, grabbing a Poké Ball off of her belt at the same time.

Once he's back in the lobby, Valen checks out the giant flat-screen television. Alexis is using her Walrein for this performance. That Pokémon gave his Salamence a hard time in the finals of the first Calvanian Conference he won. It wastes no time in surrounding itself with sparkling light blue water, its trainer's long blonde hair ripping due to its Water Pulse attack. She's calling for Blizzard, a barrage of light blue snowballs freezing the water.

The ensuing tundra-like aesthetic is a lovely sight, the crowd's rightfully enamored by it. Melanie's giving her old rival a thumbs up from the front row. Probably for her choice of attire too—Melanie loves Alexis' white tank top and blue jeans. He presumes that her favorite aspect is still the giant Mudkip on the tank top's back.

Watching these performances is going to be great, he's gotta show that he's still got it.


Asgard's Roserade is delighting the audience with her phenomenal combination of Solar Beam and Sweet Scent. The pleasant aroma's seeping into the waiting area. These performances are getting him more pumped up, and his cousin's next in line.

Asgard's now leaving the stage, while Jacques leaps onto the stage like the movie star that he is. He's donning that Fantina Vuitton suit like a boss. Lisia's swooning with her palms on her cheeks, her squealing so loud that it probably startled Silver off of his seat.

Jacques' Sylveon is already out, she's twirling with an adorable grin. Looks like they're going for the Dazzling Gleam and Double combo. Sure enough, Sylveon and each copy are enveloped by a dazzling twister of vibrant pink energy and sparkling stars. The crowd's going wild over it, he's hoping for the same result.

He takes a few hard deep breaths. He can do this, he can pull this off. He shouldn't get lost in any doubting thoughts.

The gushing of Jacques' throng of fans indicate that he's back in the waiting area. Yep, there he is. He's stopping to give autographs and allow his picture to be taken, but his Sylveon has other plans.

Sylveon leaps in front of Jacques and darts towards Valen. She sports a winsome smile while tapping Valen's feet with her front paws. She sits on her hind legs, and Valen begins to pet her. Normally, he'd be after Jacques when it comes to Sylveon's required pets.

"Who's a good girl?" He scratches the back of her ears. "Is it you?" She's now licking his hand. "Of course it's you."

His cousin's now approaching. Sylveon twirl to face her trainer while standing on her hind legs. Jacques picks Sylveon up and strokes her back, much to her delight.

"Nice performance." Valen folds his arms, painting his tone with pride. "Guess it's my turn."

Jacques raises a hand to wish him luck, prompting him to raise one in thanks. He makes his way out of the lobby, exchanging a nod with Asgard as he does so. The instant he's within sight of the audience, the flashy lights are aimed directly at him. He's taking it all in, he's remembering how much fun contests are. This is part of who he is, he'll never forget it again.

He strides onto the stage, waving at everybody. Several of his fans are holding up giant signs to show their support.

"It's been a while since I've seen him perform!" Lisia spins with her right fist raised. "This is going to be fantastic!"

Here comes the squealing again, he may as well charm a bit. He blows a kiss at Rosa and Hilda, who are now sitting in the front row with Melanie and Rui. Rosa and Hilda tilt their heads in Lisia's direction, while Melanie chuckles. Rui's sticking her tongue out while holding up both pairs of index and ring fingers.

"Let's see what his comeback has in store for us!"

"How can I say no to you, Madame Lisia?" He playfully winks, tossing a black rose at her. "Perhaps fate chose you to be one of my amies."

The rose makes contact with the puffy cotton draped around Lisia's neck, and she catches it as it falls. "Oooh, you're still good at this!"

"Merci."

Time to for a twist of a classic performance—the revamped technique they'll be using is inspired by two prominent nineteenth-century painters and a High Renaissance legend. Why not strut his knowledge a little bit? It's a sneak peek for when he cements himself within the art history field.

He grips a second rose while yanking a Poke Ball off of his Guzmani belt. He tosses the ball into the air. Gardevoir leaps out, performing a graceful landing on her feet. She smirks, folding her arms. There's a Ralts and a Kirlia among the throng, their glittering eyes fixated on Gardevoir. She's already noticed this, her smirk now a lopsided grin.

"Gardevoir, dazzle the audience with your artistry." He snaps his fingers, painting his tone with a collected, somewhat romantic vibe. "La nuit étoilée." He clenches the rose's stem in between his teeth.

Gardevoir's eyes glow light blue, firing off a wave of energy to disintegrate the first orb and merge with the second orb. The second orb shines over a sparkling blue aura like a full moon over the ocean. She fires multiple pink waves of energy, using her Psychic attack to morph them into stars.

"There it is, ladies and gentlemen!" Lisia shouts, her eyes glowing as she spins. "Gardevoir's Starry Night combooooo is in the houseeeeee!" She leaps up and down. "It's inspired by Victor van Gogh's The Midnight Sea and Starry Night Over Azure Bay!"

"Don't forget Raphael's Cresselia At Midnight and Wesley Homer's Unforgettable Summer Night."

"Whoopsie, I made an oopsie!"

Numerous people and Pokémon in the audience laugh with Lisia.

Gardevoir slides around in an elegant motion, her gown being blown upwards and backwards. She closes her eyes and twirls, treating everybody to an mellifluous and angelic tune. Everybody's in awe of her majesty, as they should be. Watching those figure skaters on the glowing box paid off for her.

Valen holds the rose next to his chin. "Let's end this with a gentleman and a lady." He snaps his fingers again. "Unforgettable Summer Night inspired this bit too."

Gardevoir fires off three pink waves, morphing the first one into a tranquil coastline with a sandy beach. The second and third transform into the contour of a couple holding hands as they walk near the ocean. The outlines bear a striking resemblance to Wes and Rui.

While the fired up audience roars with applause, Rui's using her right arm to wipe her eyes. She seems to be unable to look at anything else. Don't lose hope. There's light at the end of the tunnel, he's living proof of that.

The scenery begins to fade away little by little Gardevoir twirls again, bowing to the audience. Upon hearing the applause and cheering, both trainer and Pokémon grin. Gardevoir gives Valen a peck on the top of his head and caresses his right cheek.

Jacques and the other contestants line up like before, while Valen and his Gardevoir remain where they are. Now that the first round's finished, it's time to see who made it into the Battle Stage. Repetitive dinging echoes as the points are automatically added up on the digital screen.

Jacques and him have made it to the second round. In other news, water is wet. He'll be facing off against Alexis, while Jacques and Asgard will be duking it out prior. If Jacques and him end up battling, may the best man win.

Suddenly, arms are around his neck. Rui's orange ponytails touch his cheeks, her forehead on the back of his head. Her feet are off the ground, her tears dripping on his black suit.

"You're really sweet." Rui whimpers, gritting her teeth. "Even after what you went through...being injured by a Shadow Blaziken...falling into despair...you still want to help us out."

"You two did nothing wrong," he assures. "Cipher did."

Rui lets go of him, stating, "Friends forever?" She cups her hands in front of her.

"Hell yeah." Valen smirks, exchanging a fist bump with her. "I like the sassy and spunky type as friends too."

A number of his fans swarm the stage, wasting no time in approaching him. They want autographs and photos, and both Gardevoir and him are happy to oblige. He's not the only one interacting with their fans. How could he be when several popular people are nearby?

As the bright lights of cameras illuminate his surroundings, he borrows a pen to sign various items. He can't make the world a better place, but he can make somebody's world a happier place.


Angel City International Airport is the sight of countless joyous greetings and somber farewells. It's the largest airport within Calvana's part of the globe, the dreams of many being equal in size, perhaps even bigger.

Among the throng of people and Pokémon is a blue-haired woman, her steps having a bounce as she strolls with confidence. She bets they're all in awe of how stylish she is in this white Valerie Versace jacket. Maybe they're mesmerized by her crimson top and her two-toned shorts from Wallace Kors. Sorry boys, she's way out of your league.

"Hellooooo Calvana, Kristýnka Tanaka's in the house!"

A jumbled fusion of sounds encircles her, from the clanging of rolling luggage carts to the happy cries of a trio of Growlithe. A loudspeaker blasts a woman's announcing about a flight from Vinena City being on time. Announcements about flights from Nimbasa City, Hong Kong City, and Petrovburg follow suit. The aroma of various foods, such as Unovan pizza and garlic bread, occupies the air. It's making her a little hungry, but she wants to eat lunch with a certain someone.

She can't wait to re-visit the Calvanian Museum of Art, much less meet the director again! Thanks to wealthy backers who believe that art should be viewable by the public, such as Dragoslav and Dajana Liniya, they've secured more original classical sculptures, red-figure vases, and black-figure vases! She also gets to see all kinds of cool historical architecture too! This is gonna rock like a Roggenrola!

"Kris, you promised that you'd behave this time."

Kris can recognize this blunt and prideful voice from a mile away, much less when he's right there. She waves at her favorite grumpy redhead, albeit he's the only grumpy redhead she knows.

"I'm the boss, not you."

"Humph, the boss of what?" He chuckles, leaning against the wall. "Being a pain in my ass?"

"Oh please, you have no room to talk."

Haha, how did Silver and her go from saying nasty things to each other to this? It still feels surreal at times, but she's long since learned a valuable lesson. It's because of Silver that she got to befriend the son of Professor Veronica Beauchene-Barsotti. Now she gets to work with her, that's why she gets to be with her special someone in person.

…All it took was for his declaration to never set foot in Johto or Kanto again. Not to mention she put all of her friendships at risk because of how she treated him. But dwelling never helps, she needs to be herself. That mess was years ago, both of them have changed for the better.

Warmth infuses her, sending a tingle throughout her body. When did Silver wrap his arms around her waist? Why does that matter when it feels so good? She lets her body go limp, it feels like it's been forever since he held her in his arms.

"It's good to have you here." He's trying to hide his emotion-choked voice. "...I...missed you."

"I missed you too." Her arms encircle his neck. "It's not the same when you aren't around." She knows that the feeling's mutual.

Wait a minute, did he just try to hide a few tears? He definitely did, why else is he trying to play it cool? Big tough Silver is a softie underneath. He's not slick, everybody can see right through his attempts to play it off.

Kris shuts her eyes, her grin showing her clenched teeth. She hums, then jumps into the air with a first raised.

"I'm going to battle and shop to my heart's content, but the art world beckoned me first!"

"You've gotta settle in first." Silver tilts his head towards the baggage claim sign. "Come on, I'll help you with your luggage."

"Thanks, that's really nice of you!"

Silver saunters while Kris dallies, but she decides to pull Silver along with both hands. He grunts, fighting off his blushing. Little does he know she has something even scarier in mind.

He nearly shrieks when Kris randomly makes him dance back and forth with her. Oh for the love of Lugia, he didn't need an impromptu tango! Her giggling isn't helping, nor is her cute grin.


Did you like Valen's performance? How about the debuts?

Art is a great tool for worldbuilding and fleshing out characters.

Traditional Japanese names have the family name first.

In regards to Kris, see Chapters 23, 35, and 36 of Identity if curious.

Wes made a cameo in Chapter 41 of Identity.