True knowledge comes from practice.
Many movements and scenes they had planned looked vastly different when actually executed. Kashiwagi and Mawile were forced to adjust on the fly, keeping what looked good and discarding what didn't.
During these days, they combed through videos of other Mawile participating in Contests. Most were of little reference value—lacking creativity, riddled with frequent mistakes, or relying on overly simple techniques.
Only a small handful provided sparks of inspiration. Even then, due to individual differences between Pokémon, perfectly replicating a performance was near impossible.
Of course, they had no intention of copying; their main concern was "inspiration overlap"—accidentally looking like plagiarists.
In just a few short days, the Bewitching Fire Dance evolved from Version 1.0 to 5.0. The performance duration stretched from an estimated thirty seconds to a full minute and thirty seconds. Transitions were overhauled; by the end, almost everything except the core moves differed significantly from the original concept.
Failure was frequent. Occasionally, a single slip-up would cause the entire flow to collapse, leaving Mawile feeling dejected. Fortunately, sweets and her trainer's encouragement helped her regain her spark. One by one, the hurdles were cleared through relentless practice.
By the fifth day, Mawile successfully performed a full run-through without a single hitch. She could hardly believe it herself, dazed for a long moment before rushing to watch the playback on the camera. From that point on, her success rate climbed. Things that once seemed impossible became second nature, as if she had undergone a complete transformation.
As her trainer, Kashiwagi felt heartfelt joy, though he was also surprised by the changes in her. Coordination and Battling are not two strictly separate fields; they overlap constantly. In less than a week, Mawile had gained two levels, plus another from defeating Roxanne's Nosepass. She was now Level 59, just one step away from the milestone of Level 60.
Beyond levels, her precision in move execution and her physical tolerance for dizziness had improved drastically. Even setting aside tangible stats, her "spirit" was renewed.
Back in Pyrite Town, Kashiwagi had jokingly thought of her as a "fallen socialite in poverty," panicked and aimless about her future. She had been drifting with the tide. But since finding what she truly wanted to do, Mawile had matured. Every gesture now radiated confidence. What she would eventually become would likely depend on their achievements in the Contest hall.
"Passing the first round is our victory!" he told her.
The Pokémon Contest has no entry barrier, meaning the gap between the floor and the ceiling of combat power is massive. He didn't dare say they'd definitely win the second-round battles, but he had some confidence. Even if they lost, for a debut, leaving a lasting impression on the audience and judges would be enough.
"Maw-wile!" She nodded. Usually, only eight (or sometimes four) trainers advance to the second round, but there are often dozens or even hundreds of contestants. Competition was fierce. To stand out, one had to be extraordinary.
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With the Rustboro Contest approaching, Kashiwagi started looking for a potential partner for Mawile.
His primary candidate was Chansey, and he had discussed it with her recently. He figured that since Chansey couldn't use moves to directly attack opponents easily, using her moves to create magnificent backdrops and scenes might be a great fit.
Of course, it all depended on Chansey's willingness. Aggron had already made its lack of interest clear—fighting, planting trees, or even mining were fine, but stage performances were not its style. Steelix preferred digging tunnels in Pyrite Town. Deino didn't understand the concept, and Galarian Corsola... well, it pretended not to.
For now, Chansey seemed the best fit. Later, Kashiwagi hoped to catch Pokémon naturally inclined toward Contests—like Feebas. It would be a waste not to use a Prism Scale eventually!
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That night, Kashiwagi sipped hot cocoa, leaning back on the sofa to open the simulator. It was time for the monthly Blue Talent pull.
The recent three standard simulations had been decent, granting him four level-ups for Pokémon under Lv.50 and the moves Hypnosis, Strength, and Metal Burst. He was particularly surprised by Metal Burst; it was a perfect fit for Aggron, so he taught it immediately.
His hoard of stored moves was growing: String Shot, Roost, Psychic, Thunder, Low Kick, Facade, two Dazzling Gleams, and five move blind boxes. Recently, he had given Misty Terrain to Mawile for future Contests, Electrowave to Chansey, and Curse to Aggron.
Now, it was time to see who the next "Self" would be.
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Region: He'd done Kanto and Johto already. Since he was in Hoenn, he chose Hoenn.
Gender: Last time was a ranch uncle; this time he opted for Female.Maybe it'll give me a Coordinator? I need that experience!
Pokémon: Roselia. He blinked. Another evolved starter? Last time he missed out on a starter entirely and ended up as a Rapidash...
Talents:
Fixed Talent:
[Kind-Hearted] (Willing to help others).
Optional Talents (Pick 2):
☆ [Expert Breeding] (Pokémon have higher overall stats).
[Severing Affection to Attain the Way] (Will never fall in love or marry).
[Impoverished Family] (Raising Pokémon is a financial burden).
[Face Reflects the Heart] (Attracts Pokémon whose appearance matches your own beauty/looks).
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These are weird, he thought. Expert Breeding was a must-pick. But if he didn't pick Severing Affection, would the simulation waste time on romance? Romance could be a motivator, but in his first simulation, it had been a massive drag. Impoverished was an instant skip. That left Face Reflects the Heart.
What did that even mean? Would she be incredibly ugly or breathtakingly beautiful?
Looking at the Prism Scale sitting nearby, he made his choice. "Let's go with Face Reflects the Heart". With the Prism Scale's luck, even if she did fall in love, it would probably be a beneficial relationship.
He selected [Expert Breeding] and [Face Reflects the Heart] and pressed Start.
A screen of light unfurled.