March 26th, Friday.
Lake Valor, one of Sinnoh's three great lakes, was said to be the habitat of the "Willpower Pokémon," Azelf.
Shaded by lush greenery and shimmering under the sun, the lake was a picturesque sight.
This was precisely why the Wallace Cup was being held here.
As a competition hosted by Wallace—the current Hoenn Champion and Top Coordinator—
The winner, awarded the Aqua Ribbon, would earn eligibility to participate in any region's Grand Festival.
This was the Wallace Cup's prestigious status in the world of Glamorous Contests.
At that moment, atop a grassy slope overlooking Lake Valor,
A strikingly handsome Trainer stood on the turf, gazing at the bustling arena in the distance.
A snow-white, elegant Sylveon coiled its ribbons around his arm, its expression haughty and aloof.
"Quite the crowd."
Natsume lowered his gaze to his phone, browsing the event's official website.
"The opening ceremony is this afternoon. During the official competition, Lake Valor will also host a series of side events..."
"At least judging won't be too boring."
To Natsume, Pokémon Contests themselves weren't particularly appealing.
But since he'd promised Ruby, as a Contest Master, he could at least offer the contestants some constructive feedback.
What intrigued Natsume more were the fishing competition and water speed races organized by the Marsh Conservation Association.
Their goal was to promote wetland protection by showcasing the charm of Water-type Pokémon.
"Pretty meaningful, actually..."
Natsume stroked his chin and nodded.
"The prize doesn't matter—I just want to test my fishing skills!"
No way I'm pulling up another Magikarp in Sinnoh!
...
The Contest Arena buzzed with excitement.
Coordinators, dressed to impress, chatted animatedly in groups:
"I heard Fantina will be judging this time?"
"Ah, the dancer! I love her fashion sense!"
"She's the real deal—Hearthome City's Gym Leader! No, when it comes to Contest Battles, she's a top-tier master!"
Just as Trainers idolized Champions like Red and Leon,
To Coordinators, figures like Wallace, Valerie, and Fantina represented the pinnacle of Pokémon Contests.
Being able to compete in the Wallace Cup and earn their recognition was an honor in itself!
"I heard Natsume-sensei is judging this year too?"
"Really? I think he's just as handsome as Mr. Wallace..."
"Personally, I prefer Mr. Steven~!"
Listening to the chatter, a vibrant red-haired girl in sunglasses slowly lowered her newspaper.
"The Wallace Cup, huh?"
Green smirked. "Perfect for some side hustle!"
Beside her, a yellow-haired girl with a ponytail fidgeted nervously.
"Sister Green, shouldn't we find Natsume-sensei first? Selling, um, knockoffs is..."
"Relax!" Green waved her off cheerfully. "It's just like when I sold those limited-edition Red caps!"
Back then, Green's strategy was simple: Buy something, mail a letter to this address, and get a chance to win a Champion cap!
She remembered one young man who sent 100 letters—so she shipped him a cap.
Of course, they were all unlicensed fakes, but Green still made a killing.
Now, she could already picture "Wallace-style white caps" flying off the shelves!
"B-But that's still illegal~ QAQ"
"Pfft, we'll just have Natsume-sensei invite Mr. Wallace to the group later!"
Green grinned, twirling a lock of hair as she prepared to order materials.
Just then, a group of Coordinators walked past, all wearing "Wallace-style white caps", chatting excitedly:
"That shop's quality is surprisingly good!"
"That Meowth could even talk! So cute!"
Green froze.
Yellow tugged her sleeve gently. "Sister Green... you okay?"
Green shook her head, eyes glistening with tears as she clenched her fists.
"Those have to be fakes! I'm reporting them to the organizers!"
...
Nearby, in the vendor area.
A stall emblazoned with a giant golden coin was swarmed by crowds, its racks overflowing with Wallace and Fantina merchandise.
"They even have Natsume-sensei merch?! Gimme one!"
"Yes! I pulled a Natsume-sensei character card!"
"Not sure if that's lucky or unlucky..."
Business was booming. The gacha machines and caps sold out fast, and the crowd gradually dispersed.
"Thanks for your patronage~ Come again soon, meow!"
Meowth rubbed its paws together, grinning ear to ear.
James counted bills happily. "Didn't expect Jessie's idea to work this well!"
"Of course!"
Jessie tossed her hair proudly. "After all, I'm also a contestant in this Wallace Cup!"
"...Huh?!"
"What's with that reaction?! I, Jessie—the Top Coordinator known as Jessilina—am a star!"
She struck a dramatic pose.
James and Meowth stared blankly.
"Hey! What's that look for?!"
"Alright, alright," James mediated. "I heard an Executive is judging this Wallace Cup too."
"If we earn enough funding this time, we'll definitely get their recognition!"
Instantly, the trio looked up dreamily.
"Feelin' good~!"
...
According to the group chat's location sharing,
The first to meet up with Natsume-sensei was the perpetually blushing Jasmine.
Jasmine, her twin braids swaying, wore a white blouse and spoke softly:
"L-Long time no see, Natsume-sensei."
"Long time no see." Natsume greeted her. "Did you sign up for the Wallace Cup?"
Jasmine shook her head, cheeks pink. "N-No, I didn't get the chance..."
Truthfully, she hadn't mustered the courage to enter a Pokémon Contest yet.
"That's too bad." Natsume sighed. "I could've arranged a free pass for you."
"Huh??"
"Learned it from Lance..." Natsume coughed. "Anyway, your Steelix could easily win a Master Rank Tough Ribbon."
Jasmine's eyes sparkled faintly. "R-Really?"
Natsume nodded.
A 10-meter-long Steelix not being "tough"? The Contest Hall might as well get demolished.
Jasmine took a deep breath, placed her hands on her knees, and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Natsume-sensei!"
She was a diligent, kind-hearted girl—ordinary in every way.
Aside from her bottomless appetite, she meant no harm...
"Let's head to the arena. The opening ceremony's about to start."
Natsume smiled, scanning the surroundings.
"Looking for someone?"
"Well, Lucian should be here too."
Natsume's eyes lit up as he spotted a man in a wine-red suit, holding a hardcover book, approaching with calm strides.
His lavender hair and glasses gave him a scholarly air.
In his other hand was a transparent incubation device—inside, a Pokémon egg.
"Natsume-sensei, my apologies."
Lucian, looking slightly weary, adjusted his glasses with a faint smile.
"I overslept this morning..."
...
Natsume understood. Lucian, the Elite Four member who handled everything personally, was overworked.
He patted Lucian's shoulder wordlessly—some things didn't need to be said.
"What Pokémon is this?" Jasmine asked softly.
Lucian handed over the incubator, pushing up his glasses.
"It appears to be a Ground-type, but that's unconfirmed. If needed, I suggest consulting an egg expert—Johto's Professor Elm."
Professor Elm was the researcher who'd previously entrusted Natsume-sensei with Togepi's egg.
The "Egg Groups" theory—that Pokémon of the same group could breed—was his brainchild.
But right now, he was probably busy preparing for some research conference.
Natsume studied the transparent container, his expression turning subtle.
Ground-type?
That narrows it down to Larvitar or Gible.
Worth noting: Larvitar's final evolution, Tyranitar, was Dark/Rock-type, not Ground.
But its pre-evolutions were Rock/Ground—a common point of confusion.
Still... if even the species is unconfirmed, how can they call this a pseudo-legendary?
Natsume voiced his doubts to Lucian.
Lucian coughed awkwardly. "Well, the breeders analyzed it. They believe there's a high probability it's a powerful Pokémon."
"So no actual confirmation?"
Lucian nodded sheepishly.
As an Elite Four, his expertise wasn't in breeding.
Jasmine, however, had worked at a Pokémon Day Care and smiled gently.
"No matter what Pokémon it is, if the Trainer pours their heart into it, a kind and precious life will surely hatch."
"Gengar?" Gengar suddenly popped out of Natsume's shadow, scratching its head.
Natsume promptly shoved it back down. "Not your turn to babysit. Sirfetch'd's handling this one!"
"Gengar~~(｀Д｀)" Gengar wailed theatrically before vanishing into the shadows.
Lucian recalled Natsume punching Regigigas and chuckled nervously.
Jasmine smiled softly. "Natsume-sensei, I really envy your bond with your Pokémon."
Natsume laughed.
Envy? This cost me multiple houses!
Using Aura of Ripple, Natsume probed the gray egg—and got a response.
A lazy, sluggish aura, eerily reminiscent of Sirfetch'd.
This... is the perfect slacker material!
A match made in heaven for Sirfetch'd and me!
Natsume's lips curled uncontrollably.
Pseudo-legendary? No way. Since when are pseudo-legendaries this lazy?
I bet this is just a Trapinch egg.
And Trapinch's final evolution, Flygon, is gray-green too!
In that moment, Natsume cracked the case. He placed the incubator into his shadow.
A small hand reached out, grabbed it, and vanished.
"I thought you said... Gengar wasn't babysitting..." Jasmine whispered.
"Just storing it there for now." Natsume shrugged. "Once we're back at the hotel, someone reliable will take over."
"Sirfetch'd!!"
Instantly, the Premier Ball at his waist shook violently.
To think the day would come—I, Sirfetch'd, am being called "reliable"!
I'll give this egg 110% of my effort!!
"The Wallace Cup's opening ceremony should be starting soon."
Lucian glanced toward the lively Contest Arena.
"Let's go. Green and the others are here too."
Natsume checked the group chat and headed toward the bustling arena, a thought striking him.
All I have to do is talk, give some comments, and collect my judge salary!
This is pure profit!