Julian could only smile wryly at the display; it was typical of Pier Point, where virtually everything was driven by profit and self-promotion.
Still, he held no real grudge against that approach.
The purpose of organizing the Grand Celebration, aside from driving engagement and showcasing new gameplay systems, was precisely to draw in newcomers with generous rewards.
Looking at Angel Fetter's run, he clearly belonged to that opportunistic camp.
Yet talent and sheer luck had carried him far. His regional qualifier bracket had lacked dominant contenders, allowing him to squeeze through to the finals. With enough raw ability to reach this stage, Julian saw no reason to fault him.
"Thank you to our judges for their insightful critiques, and thank you to Mr. Fetter for treating us to a performance filled with wonder and surprise!"
Owlbert took the microphone with renewed energy. "After that mysterious arcane journey, the boundless, sparkling cosmos calls to us once more! Up next is Miss Asta from the Herta Space Station! Let us look forward to her performance!"
As Owlbert stepped back, the arena lights dropped into total darkness.
When the projection reignited, a breathtaking starry sky expanded across the entire venue.
Soft gasps rippled through the audience.
A vibrant, luminous galaxy stretched to the far horizon, glowing with soft hues of indigo, violet, and gold. The sheer scale and beauty of the celestial canvas left spectators spellbound.
The perspective pulled back to reveal Asta standing on the grassy plains of an alien world, flanked by Latias and Latios.
Her right hand reached toward the heavens, her longing gaze capturing her lifelong dream of touching the stars.
The scene shifted. Working alongside the two dragon-like Pokémon, Asta began constructing a star-faring vessel modeled directly after their aerodynamic forms.
After several failed prototypes, the small craft finally broke free of gravity, soaring into the open void.
What followed was a gauntlet of sudden cosmic hazards: tumbling meteor showers, wandering void beasts, and violent gravitational storms.
Fortunately, Latios and Latias moved in perfect sync, shielding the vessel with barrier fields and dragging it through the turbulence when the engines sputtered.
Yet the ship sustained heavy hull damage, forcing Asta to make an emergency crash-landing on a desolate, unfamiliar planet.
Night fell over the barren landscape. Dressed in her exploration suit, Asta stepped out of the airlock, looking up at the foreign night sky. It was completely distinct from the constellations she knew from home, yet equally dazzling.
I will find you!
Across the deep heavens, a fleeting, starlit silhouette danced between the nebulae, bearing the unmistakable shape of Jirachi.
Since Mythical Pokémon were restricted from active tournament rosters, Asta had cleverly framed it as an elusive phantom of her dreams rather than a physical combatant.
Reigniting their spirits, Asta, Latios, and Latias took to the skies once more. They weathered countless hardships, yet in return, they were rewarded with rare, breathtaking planetary vistas across forgotten worlds.
In the final shot, the small vessel and its two guardians drifted into the luminous sea of stars, fading into the infinite expanse of the universe.
As the lights returned, Asta stood center stage, her cheeks flushed with adrenaline and her eyes glowing with excitement.
"Stunning! Truly breathtaking!" Owlbert praised, stepping up to the mark. "Thank you, Miss Asta, for that poetic voyage! Let us hear what our judges have to say!"
Topaz leaned forward with a warm smile.
"I have to say, Asta, you stayed true to yourself," Topaz noted. "Nothing felt forced or over-rehearsed, and your interactions with your partners felt entirely natural. It was a lovely, heartwarming performance."
Topaz displayed her score: 98 points.
"Thank you so much, Director Topaz!" Asta replied, beaming.
As the daughter of a major corporate shareholder, Asta was familiar with Topaz's work and held high respect for her, making the praise all the sweeter.
Himeko adjusted her microphone, her expression gentle.
"Setting aside earthly comforts to chase one's dream across the unknown is a deeply admirable spirit," Himeko said. "The vast skies you witnessed along the way were the greatest reward for that courage."
"However, your romantic view of the cosmos caused you to gloss over the darker, more visceral perils of deep space," Himeko pointed out gently. "Had you highlighted those harsher moments of struggle, your central theme of perseverance would have carried even greater emotional weight."
Himeko raised her paddle: 95 points.
Robin spoke next with a friendly chuckle.
"To be candid, Miss Asta, your stage pacing wasn't quite as explosive or technically complex as the previous two acts," Robin evaluated. "Yet the beauty of the celestial visuals easily bridged that gap."
"If this tournament didn't have strict time limits, I could have watched that starry horizon for hours. That said, the choreography itself could use a touch more creative ambition. Keep pushing yourself!"
Robin gave her score: 92 points.
Jing Yuan rested his arms comfortably on the table, his tone thoughtful.
"The staging lacked excessive grandeur, but in this instance, restraint was the correct choice," the General observed.
"You may have heard us critique other acts for feeling small in scope. But those performances attempted to portray epic tales, demanding a grander scale to match their ambition. Asta's routine, by contrast, chose to focus on a humble, personal dream."
"A simple journey of the heart does not require apocalyptic battlefields to resonate," Jing Yuan smiled. "My only note is that your Pokémon's movement lines could have been slightly more graceful during the transition scenes."
Jing Yuan raised his paddle, awarding 96 points—his highest mark of the night so far.
Finally, Julian shared his feedback.
"I appreciated how you emphasized mutual trust and companionship with your partners," Julian remarked. "A Pokémon's charm isn't just about flashy visual effects; the bond they share with their Trainer is its own form of beauty."
"Moving forward together as equals was a wonderful motif. It was just a slight shame that the narrative only skimmed the surface of that emotional connection rather than digging deeper into it."
Julian paused, nodding in approval before continuing. "Additionally, you showed great restraint by not overcrowding the stage with a full three-partner lineup, and using Jirachi as an elusive, distant aspiration was a clever narrative touch."
Julian displayed his score: 94 points.
"Incredible!" Owlbert announced, his voice booming over the speakers. "With an overall average of 95 points, Miss Asta takes the lead as our highest-scoring contestant so far!"
"Thank you! Thank you all so much!" Asta bowed repeatedly, her face radiant.
"You earned every point through your own hard work," Topaz chuckled.
"Indeed," Robin added playfully. "Though don't celebrate the championship just yet—there are still five fierce contenders waiting in the wings!"
Robin's light banter helped ease Asta's lingering nerves. With a composed smile, the Station Master stepped down from the platform to rejoin the contestant lounge.
Sitting at the panel, Julian felt genuinely impressed by Asta's showing.
Given that Welt had overseen her preparation, the polished execution made total sense. As a former Herrscher of Reason, Welt possessed an exceptional analytical mind, easily dissecting tournament scoring criteria to uncover advantages other Trainers overlooked.
That strategic coaching was precisely why Asta's routine held together so well.
While certain design limitations kept her from hitting an absolute masterpiece tier, it remained an admirable run.
With Welt's guidance paired with March 7th's natural intuition, Julian couldn't help but wonder just how impressive March's upcoming performance would be.
"Having explored the breathtaking depths of the cosmos, let us now turn our eyes toward the vibrant arts of civilization!" Owlbert raised his wings, signaling the next transition. "Next to the stage is Little Guinaifen from the Xianzhou Luofu!"
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