Topaz plunged into the crumbling labyrinth alongside her Tepig and Gimmighoul. Navigating complex ruins and solving ancient puzzles, they worked together to bypass deadly traps, making new friends among wild Pokémon they met in the dark. At the deepest point of the ruins, a giant guardian stone statue suddenly sprang to life, swinging its massive fists.
Topaz led her team and their new companions in a coordinated counterattack, bringing down the guardian.
Reaching the central altar, Topaz retrieved the final treasure. The moment her fingers touched the artifact, Gimmighoul burst with golden light once more, warping the virtual environment around them.
The scene shifted to a war-torn urban wasteland. Amidst a storm of gunfire, Topaz dodged through the wreckage, dealing with armed mercenaries while working alongside local Pokémon to defeat a warlike warlord and claim his hidden vault.
By now, the audience realized the core narrative: this was a story of an relentless explorer seeking rare treasures across the cosmos.
Drawing from Topaz's real-world field experience, the visual production was breathtaking. Every chapter felt tense and fast-paced, like watching an action film unfold in real time.
Among the crowd, her colleagues from the IPC immediately picked up on the real-world parallels.
"So she's framing debt collection as a classic treasure hunt? How clever."
Jade sat in the VIP balcony with her legs crossed, a amused smile touching her lips. She recognized every scenario on stage; they were re-enactments of Topaz's most famous corporate recovery operations—though the real-world events had been far more ruthless than this artistic adaptation.
After all, how many corporate defaulters were peaceful people?
The scene shifted a final time. Word reached Topaz of a legendary treasure sleeping deep within an abandoned crystal mine. Deep in the subterranean caverns, Topaz and her companions discovered the sleeping forms of a mythical Diancie.
The moment Diancie appeared on screen, the chat boxes exploded:
"LOOK AT THAT BEAUTIFUL CRYSTAL PRINCESS!"
"RELEASE DIANCIE ON OFFICIAL SERVERS RIGHT NOW I BEG YOU!"
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE STORE PRICE, JUST GIVE ME THE GEM MONSTER!"
As Topaz awakened the creature, a sudden cave-in triggered a collapse across the mine. Working in perfect sync, the three Pokémon combined their abilities to forge a path through falling rocks, escaping into the sunlight just as the cavern caved in.
Topaz's performance excelled at building cinematic tension. Tepig and Gimmighoul demonstrated combat charm and utility throughout the exploration, while Diancie—despite limited screen time—stole the show with its breathtaking design and glittering moves.
Even stacked against the eight regional champions, her performance comfortably held its own in the upper ranks. The audience appreciated her effort; after all, as one of the IPC's Ten Stonehearts, taking the stage to deliver a full showcase for the community was more than enough to earn universal praise.
"Thank you, Ms. Topaz, for an unforgettable performance!" Owlbert boomed from the center stage, bowing with exaggerated deference. "Please, step over to the judge's podium..."
Owlbert's formal posture was fine, but his flattering tone was so obvious it made the audience laugh.
"Owlbert is bowing so low his beak is touching his toes!"
"Why did Owlbert turn into a corporate suck-up all of a sudden?!"
"Haha, Owlbert is an IPC broadcast employee! Topaz is literally his high-ranking executive boss!"
"No wonder! Look at that 'I want a promotion' energy radiating from his feathers!"
Realizing his professional demeanor had slipped, Owlbert cleared his throat twice, quickly shifting the topic.
"Next up, let us welcome the Navigator of the Astral Express—Ms. Himeko!"
The arena plunged into total darkness once more.
A single shooting star cut across the black void, opening into a vast, breathtaking panorama of the deep cosmos.
Himeko's gentle, intellectual voice echoed through the stadium speakers.
"Across the boundless cosmos lie infinite unknowns and endless possibilities."
"To unravel those possibilities and pursue the truth of the stars... that is the heart of our journey."
"I am Navigator Himeko. Welcome aboard the Astral Express."
A ring of spatial energy opened, and the legendary Astral Express emerged from warp space, gliding through a sea of nebulae. The camera drifted into the passenger car, where Himeko stood alongside a small Hoopa, greeting the audience with a warm smile.
Seeing the legendary train—sung about in countless interstellar folk tales yet rarely witnessed in person—sent a wave of quiet awe through the audience.
"The Astral Express follows no fixed destination..."
Himeko stepped forward through a series of glowing spatial rings generated by Hoopa, stepping from the train's aisle straight onto a succession of distinct alien worlds.
The dynamic staging showcased not only the beauty of each planet, but also the environmental hazards and unique wild Pokémon inhabiting them. Through scenes of exploration, battle, discovery, and quiet farewells, the narrative made it clear: the Pokémon accompanying Himeko represented the friends made across her long journeys.
Beside Himeko on the train stood a Metagross, followed by a Snivy, a snow-white Vulpix tagged as (Alolan Form), and finally a young Riolu.
One Navigator and four Pokémon, journeying together through the stars.
Backstage in the contestant green room, Asta nudged March 7th's shoulder. "March, look at that white Vulpix! Isn't that supposed to be you?"
"Wait—that cute little white Vulpix is me?!" March 7th blinked, her face lighting up as she giggled. "Aww! So that's how Himeko sees me! Hehe!"
Down in the audience seats, Welt smiled softly as he watched the screen. "A Snivy, hm? Looking at its posture, it certainly carries your composed demeanor, Dan Heng."
"Mr. Welt's counterpart is a Metagross," Dan Heng noted with a firm nod. "Powerful, calm, and dependable."
Caelus stared at the screen with a thoroughly confused expression. "So... I'm the Riolu? Why am I a dog...?"
"Perhaps Himeko sees a certain playful spirit in you that we haven't noticed," Dan Heng replied, a rare, subtle smile touching his lips.
"Haha, at the very least, its spirit matches yours perfectly," Welt added with a light chuckle. "And looking at its stance, one can tell it's going to grow into a formidable warrior."
Caelus pouted, though his reaction only made Welt and Dan Heng laugh harder.
"Still," Dan Heng murmured, looking at the grand planetary transitions unfolding on stage, "does Himeko's performance feel a little like a promotional recruitment video for the Astral Express? Has it drifted off-topic?"
"Not at all," Welt shook his head gently. "Though Himeko continues moving forward, her Pokémon constantly showcase their traits through battles, environmental puzzles, and interactions. You only feel that way because your focus is locked onto the train elements."
Welt paused, then added with a wry smile, "Though I don't entirely disagree with your point. Once this broadcast ends, I suspect our inbox will be flooded with application letters from young Trailblazers across the galaxy."
"Pioneering isn't an easy life..." Dan Heng sighed, shaking his head. Casual days on the train were pleasant, but when real danger struck, every member risked their life against cosmic threats.
"It can't be helped," Welt noted amusedly. "Himeko's theme is meant to inspire, so showing every dark, brutal side of deep-space exploration wouldn't fit the stage. Besides, if we get an influx of applicants, managing the paperwork will be Himeko and Pom-Pom's headache, not ours."
Caelus turned to stare at Welt. "Mr. Welt, you can be surprisingly sneaky sometimes."
"Thank you for the compliment," Welt replied smoothly.
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