The first round of the Hearthome Contest was like a whirlwind that had left everyone a little bit dazed. After Togepi's "Happiness Aromatherapy" performance, the bar hadn't just been raised—it had been launched into the stratosphere.
As the competition progressed, the other Coordinators felt the weight of that precedent.
"Staravia, use Wing Attack!" a boy shouted, trying to create a gust of wind to scatter glitter. "Grotle, Razor Leaf! Make it spin!" another cried out. "Wormadam, Hidden Power! Surround yourself with light!"
The moves were technically sound, but the judges' faces remained politely neutral. Mr. Contesta was scribbling notes about "lack of thematic cohesion," and even Fantina, who usually loved every bit of flair, looked a bit underwhelmed. It's a classic problem in the world of Contests: when the first act is a masterpiece, everything else feels like a dress rehearsal.
Only a handful of Coordinators managed to scrape together decent scores. Most of the performances that followed were met with strict critiques about "timing" and "uninspired choreography."
I waited in the darkened lounge area, Togepi resting on my lap. We watched the large digital screen as the final scores from the first round were tallied. When the screen flickered to life with the Top 8 bracket, my heart did a little jump.
There it was, right at the very top: Julian of Sandgem Town.
We had advanced as the first-place seed.
The atmosphere in the stadium shifted instantly. The gentle, melodic background music was replaced by a high-tempo, driving beat that signaled the start of the Second Review: the Battle Stage.
"After a truly intense opening round, our participants for the Battle Stage have been determined!" Marian's voice boomed over the speakers, her energy reaching a fever pitch. "The rules are simple but demanding! You have five minutes to dazzle the audience and the judges. Every move that connects—or every move that is countered with style—will reduce your opponent's score. If a score bar hits zero, it's a Knockout! If time runs out, the one with more points remaining moves on!"
The crowd roared, the anticipation almost physical.
"Now, let us welcome our first pair of competitors!" Marian shouted, gesturing to the left tunnel. "First, from the quiet greens of Twinleaf Town, give it up for Clara!"
A girl in a simple but elegant white sundress stepped out, her eyes narrowed with determination. She looked like she had something to prove.
"And on my right, the top-seeded Coordinator from Sandgem Town, the master of the 'Scent of Happiness'... Julian!"
I stepped out onto the stage, adjusting the collar of my blue hero's outfit. It was a bit more restrictive than my usual hiking gear, but the way the fabric shimmered under the stage lights made me feel like I belonged there.
"The second review of the Hearthome Contest, first match... begin!"
DRIP~~~
The match bell rang out, sharp and clear. Clara didn't hesitate for a second.
"It's up to you, Chatot! Take the stage!" She tossed her Poké Ball with a flick of her wrist.
A burst of white light erupted, accompanied by floating musical notes that danced in the air. Out came a vibrant blue parrot with a head shaped exactly like a quarter note. It flapped its wings, swaying its tail feathers back and forth like a metronome to keep time with the stadium music.
I remembered Chatot from the first round. Clara had used its ability to mimic human speech to perform a literal stand-up comedy routine with the bird. It was clever and showcased the Pokémon's personality perfectly.
Chatot. Normal/Flying type. Its tongue is similar to a human's, and it can learn to speak. I quickly gauged its presence. It wasn't an Elite-level threat—probably entry-level, just like Togepi. This was going to be a battle of wits and charm.
"Togepi, it's your turn! Attract entrance!"
I tossed Togepi's ball. He emerged in a shower of hearts, wiggling his tiny fingers and landing with a soft "Pri-pri!" that immediately caused the audience to start cheering again.
"Chatot, don't let them get their rhythm! Preemptively use Chatter!" Clara commanded.
"Chat-chat! (Talk-talk!)"
Chatot opened its beak and began a rapid-fire, high-pitched vocal assault. But this wasn't just noise. Chatter is a unique, signature move of the Chatot line. Its vocal cords are so specialized that no other Pokémon can naturally replicate the sound—it's a vibration that disrupts the very thoughts of whoever hears it. In a battle, it's a guaranteed ticket to Confusion.
The sound waves materialized as glowing, translucent musical notes that zig-zagged through the air toward Togepi.
"Togepi, Protect!"
"No-wing! (I block!)"
Togepi balled his hands together, and a brilliant blue, spherical shield snapped into existence around him. The musical notes slammed into the shield, shattering into sparkles of energy that harmlessly dissipated.
On the large overhead scoreboard, Clara's point bar took the first hit. A successful defense on a signature move was a huge point-earner for me.
"Hmph!" Clara crossed her arms, a confident smirk on her face. "You can't keep that up. Everyone knows the success rate of Protect drops every time you use it. Let's see you handle a repeat performance! Chatot, keep the Chatter going!"
Chatot puffed its chest out and began an even louder, more irritating stream of "words."
"%￥￥&@#￥%!"
It was a chaotic mess of sounds—mimicked insults, high-pitched squawks, and bits of stadium chatter. A fresh wave of notes flew toward Togepi.
"Is that so?" I leaned forward, my eyes locking onto the bird. "I think Chatot is talking a little too much. Togepi, let's give him something to really talk about. Attract!"
"No-wing~ (Look at me~)"
Instead of a shield, Togepi took a step forward. He ignored the incoming sound waves and blew a large, shimmering pink heart toward the parrot.
The heart traveled through the "notes," clipping one and turning it into a shower of pink glitter. It hit Chatot squarely in the chest.
Chatot's foul-mouthed chatter stopped instantly. Its beak hung open. Its tail feathers, which had been swaying to the beat, suddenly went limp.
"Cu... cute!" Chatot mimicked a human voice, but it was soft and dreamy.
The bird began to wobble through the air, its flight path becoming erratic as it drifted toward Togepi, eyes wide with literal hearts in them.
"Oh no!" Clara's face went pale. "Chatot, wake up! Snap out of it! That's an egg! You're a bird! There is no future there!"
The audience erupted in laughter. It was the perfect Contest moment—comedic, cute, and tactically devastating. Attract only works on the opposite gender, and while there are exceptions in the wild, the "Egg Group" bond usually makes it much more effective. Togepi's natural cuteness had turned the battle into a romantic comedy.
Clara's point bar was hemorrhaging now. Her Pokémon was completely infatuated, unable to follow a single command.
"Chatot, listen to me!" Clara shouted, her voice desperate. "Look closely! It's just a Togepi! You two have nothing in common!"
Chatot seemed to shake its head for a second, its eyes clearing up as it looked at its trainer. Its wings started to flap with more purpose.
"Not that simple, Clara," I said, pointing a finger toward the sky. "Togepi, seal the deal! Sweet Kiss!"
"No-wing~ (Catch this one too~)"
Togepi touched his lips with his small hand and sent a flying kiss directly at the parrot. A pink lip-print floated through the air with a gentle, humming sound. It landed perfectly on Chatot's forehead.
Mwah.
Chatot, which had just been regaining its senses, was hit by the full force of the Fairy-type energy. Its eyes didn't just turn back into hearts—they turned into spinning hearts.
"I'm coming~ I'm coming for you~" Chatot mimicked, its voice now sounding like a lovestruck teenager. It began to fly in dizzying circles around Togepi, completely forgetting that it was in the middle of a tournament.