Gil was heading toward his destination in Cerulean City when his steps suddenly stopped… as he saw Trainers and their Pokémon practicing together.
But unlike ordinary battles, every movement was graceful and carefully coordinated.
On his right, a Starmie spun slowly through the air as dozens of shimmering bubbles floated around its body, catching the sunlight before bursting into a cool, sparkling mist.
Nearby, a Butterfree rose higher and released clouds of silver powder. The delicate particles danced in the breeze, glittering like tiny stars.
And a little farther away, a Roselia sent glowing petals spinning upward. Thin vines wove between them, shaping the petals into a living flower that hung in the air for a moment before drifting down like soft pink snow.
Gil stood there a little longer, eyes following the drifting petals.
"...Beautiful," he whispered.
There were no loud commands. No reckless attacks. Every movement was careful and full of feeling. Precision, creativity, timing, trust… all of it mattered here.
A small smile touched his lips. This might be exactly what I need.
Eevee looked around curiously as well before hurrying after Gil as he headed toward the main building.
Inside the lobby, the noise from outside faded into a calm quiet. A few contestants waited with their Pokémon while a staff member worked behind the long reception counter.
He walked up to the reception counter.
"I'd like to register for the Cerulean Contest."
The young receptionist smiled warmly.
"Of course. Is this your first Contest?"
"It is."
"Then may I see your Trainer ID, please?"
Gil placed his Pokédex on the counter. The receptionist scanned it for a few seconds before handing it back with a smile.
"Everything looks good."
Then he reached beneath the desk and set two items in front of him.
"This is your Ribbon Case. Since it's your first Contest, you'll need somewhere to keep the Ribbons you earn."
"The second is the official Contest Booklet. It explains all the rules."
She checked her screen once more.
"The Cerulean Contest will begin in three days. Your registration has been confirmed."
Gil accepted the Ribbon Case and Contest Booklet with a polite nod.
"Thank you."
With his favourite furball trotting beside him, he stepped back outside and started walking while flipping the booklet open.
Most of the rules felt familiar, yet this world had its own differences.
A Coordinator needed five Ribbons to qualify for the Grand Festival.
The first round was the Performance Round. Each Coordinator had a few minutes to impress the judges by showcasing their Pokémon's beauty, creativity, coordination, and control. Raw power alone wouldn't earn many points.
Only the top sixteen contestants from the Performance Round would advance to the Battle Round.
Each starts with a full point. Every successful attack, mistake, or poorly executed move caused points to be deducted.
After two minutes, the Coordinator with the most points remaining was declared the winner.
But If a Coordinator's Pokémon was knocked out before time ran out, that Coordinator immediately lost the match.
One thing that surprised Gil was the number of participants.
Up to forty Coordinators could enter a Contest, with each allowed to use up to three Pokémon throughout the entire competition. They could even rely on the same Pokémon in every round if they wished.
He closed the booklet for a moment and let out a quiet breath.
I've trained almost entirely for battles until now... I've never really focused on style or presentation.
"Vee~♡"
The familiar cry pulled Gil from his thoughts. Looking down at his adorable little furball, a quiet determination settled in his heart.
This is exactly what we need.
Winning Contests means prize money, sponsorships, and recognition. If I can become a top Coordinator, I'll finally have the resources to give my Pokémon the training and equipment they deserve... and buy everything I've been forced to put off because I couldn't afford it.
And these performances aren't just for show. They'll force us to trust each other more, understand each other better, and fight as one. We'll grow stronger…
By the time he finished reading, he had reached a quiet corner of the practice grounds. No one else was nearby.
"This should be perfect," he said softly.
Eevee looked up at him, ears perked.
"What do you think? Ready to do our best?"
"Vee~♡"
She puffed out her chest and nodded firmly. She didn't understand every detail of Gil's plan, but seeing her Master's excitement was more than enough. Her fluffy tail swayed eagerly behind her.
Gil smiled and took out two Poké Balls.
"Come on out. You too."
Twin flashes of light appeared. Charmeleon and Scyther materialized beside them.
Charmeleon's tail flame flared brighter the moment she saw him. Gil's eyes immediately drifted lower. His mind already pictured exactly how he should guide that body during training…
Scyther's wings gave a sharp, excited buzz as she shifted her stance, her gleaming scythes catching the light.
A small thrill ran through Gil as his gaze lingered over her sleek, hard green body. She was already mesmerizing... and once she learned to move in perfect harmony with him, she'd become even more captivating.
Eevee was already at his side. But she pressed even closer the moment Gil's attention shifted to the other two.
There was no way she was going to lose to those two bitches, especially not Scyther, who was now also trying to steal her master…
Her tail wagged slowly as she nuzzled him with pure, honey-sweet affection.
Gil noticed the way she clung to him. A quiet, amused smile touched his lips. Her jealousy only made the heat in his pants grow stronger. He liked seeing her fight for his attention like this.
Soon, he explained to the three of them what they would be practicing and how Pokémon Contests worked…
Eevee's eyes sparkled with excitement, already imagining herself dazzling in front of everyone.
Charmeleon grinned confidently, a small flame flickering at the tip of her tail as she eagerly accepted the challenge.
Scyther's wings gave a low, eager buzz, ready to master whatever Gil asked of her.
As lately, something in her had begun to shift.
The more she trained beside him, the more she started to… like him.
Not just as her trainer anymore, but as someone she trusted completely.
Someone she wanted to grow stronger for.
Someone she didn't want to be separated from.
And even though the earlier bathroom incident had left her with a strange, confusing warmth she didn't fully understand yet, that feeling only seemed to deepen with time.
Especially when she mastered a new move, or caught him watching her with those brief glances, she was reminded of what he had promised when they first met, that he would help her grow stronger.
And later, Gil had even told her that one day, he would even help her evolve.
To Scyther, evolution had always felt distant. Almost impossible. Other Pokémon seemed to accept it as fate, something naturally granted to them, but for her kind, it had always felt like a closed door never meant to open…
Yet now, that belief was starting to crack.
With Gil's promise, it no longer felt like a dream.
It felt real. Possible…
Soon…
The three Pokémon exchanged determined looks ready to impress him…