The preliminary round was held in the banquet hall aboard the S.S. Anne, a super cruise liner capable of carrying tens of thousands. Now, with its departure from Vermilion City, the majestic vessel began a slow, scenic journey along the coast.
The contestants were divided into ten groups, each judged swiftly by staff from the Contest committee. Given the massive turnout, the competition proceeded at lightning pace—and the elimination rate was shockingly high.
"Hmph! My Pokémon is Machoke, and our theme is the beauty of bodybuilding!"
On stage, a muscular, oil-slicked Machoke flexed vigorously at his Trainer's command, biceps bulging, pecs twitching rhythmically, and thigh muscles vibrating so quickly it was borderline disturbing.
"Rejected!"
"What?! Why?" wailed Machoke's Trainer.
"No reason! Next!"
Moments later…
"Rejected!"
"Rejected!"
"Passed!"
The pass rate was terrifyingly low; most entrants were merely here to fill numbers. Only those exceptionally prepared could advance beyond the preliminaries.
"Look! It's that Gardevoir's turn!"
A wave of excited whispers rippled through the audience as Dodo, the girl from Hoenn, stepped gracefully onto the stage with her Gardevoir.
Given Gardevoir's naturally gown-like appearance, the Pokémon needed little adornment, merely accessorized tastefully to accentuate her elegance and poise.
"Hello, everyone! Our performance is called Flower Dance."
Dodo's gaze drifted across the audience, locking magnetically onto Nami's. For an instant, the two girls seemed to see nothing else but each other.
Simultaneously, Gardevoir raised her delicate arms, conjuring streams of shimmering, ethereal light. The beams twisted through the air, forming a garden of illusory blossoms that gently bloomed midair, leaving the audience in awe.
From this opening alone, it was clear their performance existed on another level entirely—worthy indeed of a seed contestant from Hoenn, the birthplace of Pokémon Contests.
Amid the floating blooms, Gardevoir began an enchanting dance, drifting like an elegant fairy through the garden of illusions. Her graceful movements and captivating beauty imprinted deeply upon every viewer.
"Passed!" the judges declared unanimously. Such exceptional quality would have qualified directly for the main event—clearly beyond the reach of mere preliminaries.
Perhaps shaken by this mesmerizing display, the next several contestants suffered swift rejections, plunging the waiting competitors into a spiral of anxiety.
"We're doomed, we'll definitely be eliminated, Meow…" Meowth stood gloomily in the waiting area, the gold coin on its forehead dim with despair.
"Relax, don't worry… with my meticulous costume design, we'll absolutely stun the judges and crowd!" Jessie and James cheered him on. Finally, their alias was announced: "Jessie Storm!"
"Hmph! It's finally my turn." Jessie and Meowth swaggered confidently onto the stage. Rather than opting for conventional glamour, they chose outfits so eccentric and unconventional that one glance guaranteed an unforgettable impression.
Jessie was wrapped in animal skins, Meowth donned a bizarre spacesuit—their mismatched aesthetics radiating a uniquely chaotic charm.
Jessie dramatically began her recital: "Ah! The meaning of life lies in contemplation! We are cosmic travelers, arriving on this barren planet, greeted by a hollow, colorless tomorrow awaiting our steps…"
"Meowth-stic!" Meowth solemnly raised a paw in cooperation.
Their utterly nonsensical lines, combined with Jessie's melodramatic gestures and Meowth's expressive earnestness, strangely compelled everyone to keep watching.
"Hey, why do I feel like I've seen that group before?" Ash, holding Pikachu in the audience, felt a powerful sense of déjà vu. Misty and Brock nodded in agreement.
"Hmph! Captivated already, are you? That's right—winning by surprise is our ticket past the preliminaries! Today marks Jessie's first step towards stardom…"
Jessie swept her hand dramatically, signaling James to haul a massive block of ice onto the stage. "Now, Meowth, it's your turn!"
Meowth had been itching to move, and at Jessie's command, he sprang forward eagerly, his claws flashing like shadows. Ice chips flew, and in moments, an elegant ice sculpture of Meowth lost in thought appeared before the amazed crowd.
This alone surpassed most contestants, who'd struggled merely to strike a simple pose. The judges were already preparing to grant passage.
But Jessie, determined from the start to astonish everyone, refused to end things so simply.
"Thought gives rise to wisdom, and wisdom ignites new sparks…"
Meowth's claws blurred again, swiftly sculpting three additional statues depicting Meowth in the Stone Age, primitive wilderness, and early agricultural society. This artistic storytelling set their performance far apart from those preceding them.
"Impressive! Looks like even Kanto has formidable competitors," remarked the owners of Gardevoir and Milotic, intrigued. This kind of performance was unprecedented, even by Hoenn standards.
Judging by audience and panel reactions, Jessie's performance was indeed distinctively powerful and resonant.
"And thus, civilization was born!" Jessie concluded with a flourish, bowing gracefully to end her tale.
An instant later, thunderous applause erupted. Although legend stated this world was shaped by gods—who created humans and Pokémon and dispatched emissaries to guide them, laying down the foundations of order—Jessie's tale of humanity discovering civilization through wisdom had undeniable appeal. Many found inspiration and imagination more compelling than divine intervention.
Indeed, plenty of people leaned towards such interpretations.
"Haha! That's the trick—grab everyone's attention with a compelling story, then reveal everything in the finals. Our fame is practically guaranteed! Ohohohoho!" Jessie basked triumphantly in the cheers and admiration. The familiar posture and laugh immediately triggered recognition in Ash.
"Ah! It's Team Rocket!"
Misty and Brock nodded in unison. "Definitely them!"
"Who would've thought…"
"Their show would be so incredible!"
Ash protested loudly, "Hey! This is Team Rocket! Aren't you guys worried they'll cause trouble?"
"So what? Even we of Team Rocket have every right to enter a Pokémon Contest. We came here chasing our dreams—and fighting to fulfill them," James said, sidling up next to Ash out of nowhere.
"Exactly! We're soon-to-be stars, headed for greatness. But you, twerp—bet you can't even pass the qualifiers. Ohohohoho!" Jessie mocked as she and Meowth walked past, leaving Ash red-faced and fuming.
"Just you wait! We're definitely going to pass!"
Ash declared defiantly—but minutes later, he and Pikachu found themselves unceremoniously eliminated. Even the future superstar Pikagod was far too inexperienced now, and without any decent preparation or performance plan, they inevitably faded unnoticed into the vast crowd of contestants.
---
T/N: nono pikagod is simply acting weak!
bonus chaps
100 stones -> 1 chapter
200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
hehe every 100 followers on either instagram or twitter is a bonus chapter...?
discord.gg/wisetl
patreon.com/wisetl
instagram: hanbaowise
twitter: WiseKingOfUruk_