"Ladies and gentlemen, Trainers from all over! Welcome to the annual Hearthome City Interaction Capture Tournament! I am your beloved mayor—Enta!"
As soon as Peter and Whitney arrived near the stage, they saw the plump mayor in a blue suit enthusiastically warming up the crowd.
At his voice, over a hundred contestants gathered tightly around the platform.
From a distance, Peter spotted a familiar figure in the crowd—Paul—hands in his pockets, expression cold as ever.
"Hey—Paul!" Peter called out.
"...Tch." Paul rolled his eyes and turned away, but his fingers unconsciously brushed against his Poké Ball, clearly still paying attention.
Before Peter could say more, someone tapped his shoulder.
"Hey, Peter~!"
He turned to see Nemona waving brightly at him.
"Nemona? What are you doing here—"
"Heard you were here, so I came!" she grinned, pulling out her badge case. "Ta-da! I already cleared three Gyms west of Mt. Coronet~"
Peter glanced inside.
Three badges rested neatly within—the Coal Badge, Forest Badge, and Mine Badge.
"As expected of you," he smiled. "That was fast."
After all, she was the future Champion of Paldea. Her pace was easily twice as fast as his.
"Not just that!" Nemona added excitedly. "I've also been battling at the arena—almost reached Silver rank! I'm gonna surpass you soon!"
"Uh… sure…" Peter replied, subconsciously tightening his grip on Whitney's hand.
Senior, you really shouldn't be saying things like that so casually…
-----
Meanwhile, Mayor Enta continued announcing the rules:
"No Poké Balls allowed! No battles allowed! You may only use items like berries, food, or drinks to earn a Pokémon's approval!
The competition lasts until noon! Each participant may choose only ONE target. If the Pokémon willingly stays with you, it counts as a successful capture!
Afterward, we will use a friendship scanner to evaluate results. The top three will receive a year's supply of Hearthome-exclusive Poffins!"
"Huh… that's actually interesting," Peter murmured.
He wasn't particularly interested in catching new Pokémon—but Poffins?
Those were valuable.
In the anime, Poffins were sweets that could boost friendship and even enhance a Pokémon's appearance for Contests—similar to Poké Puffs later on.
And instantly…
He thought of Eevee.
That quiet little Pokémon cared deeply about its fur's shine—and boosting its friendship would help it reach its Partner form sooner.
Now all he needed…
Was the right target.
"Next, you may begin searching for your targets! Please follow all rules—violators will be removed!
Let the competition begin!"
As the mayor's voice fell, the crowd scattered like a burst dam.
Everyone rushed out, scrambling for their ideal Pokémon.
After a moment, only a handful of calm participants remained.
Whitney looked around anxiously. "Honey, shouldn't we hurry too? What if someone else takes the cute ones?!"
Peter smiled calmly. "Relax. Follow me."
He waved goodbye to Nemona and led Whitney toward a quieter direction.
Along the way, many contestants had already chosen their targets.
Some tempted Aipom with bananas.
Others offered cakes to Bidoof.
One guy was even whistling at a Kricketot…
The plaza was huge, even extending into nearby hills. As they walked deeper, fewer contestants remained.
Peter scanned Pokémon one by one, their stats appearing in his mind.
Nothing particularly suitable for Whitney.
Bidoof with the Simple ability was decent… but its evolution?
Let's just say—not exactly cute.
…
Then suddenly—
He spotted a small white figure behind a tree.
Ralts.
"Hmm? A future 'waifu Pokémon' candidate…" Peter muttered, then shook his head. "Too bad—it's a male."
"What do you mean?" Whitney asked curiously.
The moment Ralts realized it had been noticed, it teleported away.
Before disappearing, it sent a telepathic message:
"Hmph! Boys are cuter anyway—I like being a boy!"
Peter's mouth twitched.
…Okay, philosopher in the making.
…
Just then—
A gray-white figure dashed past the bushes and leapt onto a tree branch, staring at them.
Small body.
Oversized ears.
Fluffy tail tipped in white.
Large brown eyes with no visible whites.
Absolutely adorable.
It was—
Minccino.
[Minccino ♀ Lv.19 | Beginner]
Ability: Technician (boosts moves with power ≤ 60 by 50%)
Talent: 298 (near max 300)
"Minccino—the Chinchilla Pokémon," Roto explained. "It loves cleanliness. If it finds dirt, it uses its tail like a broom to clean it, Rotom~"
Whitney's eyes lit up instantly.
"Ahhh! It's so cute!! Honey, can we catch this one?!"
Peter smiled. "Yeah… this one's perfect."
He handed her a Beginner-tier Pokéblock.
Whitney nodded, slowly approaching the tree while gently breaking the Pokéblock in half.
A sweet fragrance spread through the air.
This was one of Peter's special batches made with honey—highly effective for attracting wild Pokémon.
On the branch above—
Minccino twitched its nose.
Its eyes locked onto the treat.
And just like that…
The moment of choice had arrived.
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T/N:
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