In the audience stands, Drew's mother continuously cheered for Wallace's performance, and little Drew beside her was also captivated. Unbeknownst to him, a seed of admiration was planted in the young boy's heart.
Previously, Yuga had worried that his influence might affect Drew's future when Drew expressed a desire to become a Trainer like him. However, the future always tends to unfold in its predetermined direction, and even with slight changes, it quickly returns to its track.
After Wallace's performance, the competition officially began.
The rules of the Wallace Cup are not significantly different from other Pokémon Contest. It consists of two rounds: the first round being the Performance Stage, and the second round being the Battle Stage. However, whether it's the Performance Stage or the Battle Stage, participants must send out two Pokémon simultaneously.
This rule undeniably increases the difficulty of the competition, putting more emphasis on the coordination between Trainers and their Pokémon, as well as between Pokémon themselves.
By the way, the first round of the Performance Stage is also divided into two segments. The first segment is the preliminary round, while the second segment is the formal competition for the Performance Stage. Only those who pass both segments of the Performance Stage move on to the Battle Stage.
The Wallace Cup spans two days, with the first day dedicated to the Performance Stage and the second day to the Battle Stage.
Under Vivian's enthusiastic commentary, the participants took the stage one by one, many of whom were familiar faces from previous Pokémon Contest. Even Yuga, who didn't pay much attention to such contests, recognized quite a few.
The match order for Kris and Robert was towards the end of the Performance Stage segment. However, before that, Yuga saw a familiar face and someone unexpected.
Around halfway through the first segment of the Performance Stage, Solidad took the stage. Her opening Pokémon were Butterfree and Pidgeot.
While Solidad knew Yuga, she didn't come to visit Yuga when she come to Verdanturf Town. And Yuga wasn't responsible for registering participants, so he had no idea she was participating in the Wallace Cup.
As her Butterfree and Pidgeot took the stage, they simultaneously soared into the sky, their wings surrounded by swirling silver winds for Butterfree and turbulent whirlwinds for Pidgeot.
Their sprint was incredibly fast, and the two streams of differently colored air clashed, creating small vortexes of airflow in the sky. These airflow vortexes constantly disappeared and reappeared, making for a captivating sight.
When the two Pokémon reached a certain height, they abruptly halted, then charged towards each other, but they didn't collide; instead, they brushed past each other.
In the instant they crossed paths, Butterfree used Sleep Powder, while Pidgeot unleashed a burst of Heat Wave.
In Butterfree's Sleep Powder, there were shiny scales from its wings, which, upon being touched by Pidgeot's Heat Wave, instantly turned into tiny flickering flames, spinning within the residual swirls of silver winds and whirlwinds.
Solidad's performance not only showcased the precise control and finesse of her two Pokémon's moves but also highlighted their elegant postures.
Speaking of another person that Yuga didn't expect, he was genuinely surprised when she took the stage. This person turned out to be Misty's sister.
Misty had three sisters, and Yuga only remembered their names as Lily, Violet, and Daisy. However, he couldn't recall which sister was which.
The one on stage, named Violet, appeared to be around Yuga's age, with deep blue hair. Yuga couldn't remember which sister she was, but her name did sound familiar.
However, this was the first time Yuga learned that one of Misty's sisters had participated in a Pokémon Contest. In his impression, Misty's sisters were more like decorative figures.
However, Violet's performance did catch Yuga's attention, making him little impressed.
Violet's performance was quite distinct from the others. She performed alongside her Pokémon, and she was dressed in a stunning swimsuit. However, this swimsuit didn't reveal much skin; it had a long flowing skirt adorned with various colorful ribbons of different lengths, giving Violet the appearance of a beautiful mermaid.
It was more appropriate to call this outfit a costume designed specifically for performance.
As the daughter of a Water-type Gym Leader, Violet's two Pokémon were naturally Water-types as well: Dewgong and Kingdra. When Dewgong and Kingdra entered the pool, Violet jumped in with them.
As Dewgong resurfaced, Violet was already on its back. Dewgong, with Violet on its back, rapidly swam around the circular pool, with Kingdra following closely.
The entire venue was filled with Violet's laughter, like tinkling silver bells, and the clear, melodious calls of Dewgong.
As they swam, Dewgong suddenly spouted a water ring ahead and swiftly carried Violet into it, with Kingdra following right behind.
Once the two Pokémon and Violet had passed through the water ring, Kingdra immediately released another, and after they passed through it again, Dewgong released the next one.
This cycle continued flawlessly, with Violet and her two Pokémon displaying not only precise control of their move but also an incredible harmony between them.
It was as if they were performing a water circus, and the entire venue was filled with a joyful atmosphere.
At the end of the performance, Dewgong leaped high into the air, and Violet, riding on its back, made a graceful jump, landing lightly on the central stage.
In the water, Kingdra used Dragon Pulse to shoot out a dragon-shaped energy wave. Under Dewgong's Ice Beam, this energy wave transformed into a crystal-clear ice sculpture in the shape of a dragon, sparkling and shining in the sunlight.
Violet's performance, which included extensive interaction with her Pokémon during the Performance Stage, was a rare sight in Pokémon Contest, but she excelled in every aspect of the Wallace Cup.
Her seamless coordination with her Pokémon, the showcasing of their move and their bond, the entertainment value of the performance, and more—all were on point. The most crucial element was the harmonious relationship between the Trainer and her Pokémon.
This last point had always been the timeless theme promoted by the Pokémon League and was equally important in Pokémon Contest.
Yuga rarely made unnecessary comments on previous performances, but after witnessing Violet's performance, he couldn't help but praise her a bit.
It's no wonder the three sisters could earn a substantial income from their water-based performances at the Sootopolis Gym. It seemed like they indeed had something special.
After her performance, Violet was actually quite nervous. This performance style was conceived by her, her sisters, and herself. To be precise, she was a newcomer to Pokémon Contest, and her participation in the Wallace Cup was a spontaneous decision made by her and her sisters.
However, after hearing the appreciation from the judges, she finally felt a sense of relief. Following Vivian's instruction to leave the stage and wait for the results, she exited the stage feeling a bit dizzy.
Yuga noticed that as Violet left the stage, two girls were waiting for her at the stage exit. One had blonde hair, and the other had pink hair—clearly, these were Misty's other two sisters.
As Violet descended, the three sisters joyfully embraced each other.