Within the blinding white light,
the creature hailed as the most beautiful Pokémon in existence was being born.
The once-scraggly tail fin extended, transforming into a magnificent, fan-like array of leafy scales. The drab, patchy scales of its body shifted into elegant, shimmering hexagonal plates.
Its upper body lengthened, and the gaunt, haggard head of a fish smoothed out into a sleek, graceful visage. Its pectoral fins receded as hair-like feelers sprouted from the sides of its head, cascading downward. Between its brows, two long antennae curled upward, tracing the elegant outline of a heart shape.
The dorsal fin hardened into a single, straight horn pointing toward the heavens, and those dull, vacant eyes were replaced by soulful, vibrant azure orbs.
Finally, the light faded.
The Shiny Milotic stretched her breathtaking body. Her gold and rose-red scales shimmered under the sunlight that pierced through the retreating storm clouds, reflecting a rainbow-like luster.
Her cream-colored upper body and pale blue hair-fins radiated a profound sense of tranquility.
She gazed down at the sea of faces watching her every move, then lazily closed her eyes, looking like a masterpiece of autumn waters.
Inside the stadium...
silence...
Even the most restless hearts were stilled by the sight.
In the pool, the Gyarados had long stopped its spinning; the Pelipper had drifted down to the water's surface.
Both Pokémon and their Trainer looked up in a daze.
Their eyes held a mix of shock, longing, and pure adoration.
It was as if their very souls had been stolen by the Shiny Milotic.
Suddenly—
BEEP—!!
The sharp, whistle-like sound of the timer broke the spell.
The Water Spout collapsed. As Milotic began to fall from the sky, Blissey quickly caught her with a gentle Psychic and brought her safely to the platform.
Only then did the audience snap back to reality.
Some instinctively touched their cheeks, only to find them wet with tears.
It was too magnificent.
It had been far too long since they had witnessed such a stirring performance! This wasn't a scripted scene from a movie; this was a live, high-stakes Contest Battle happening right before their eyes!
On stage, Vivian quickly and gracefully wiped a tear from her eye. The three judges straightened their suits and regained their composure.
"TIME UP!"
Vivian shouted into the microphone, drawing everyone's attention to the big screen—including Aya on the other side of the field.
The results were clear. Aya's point bar had been completely depleted, while Kashiwagi still held over a quarter of his points.
This was proof of how effective Aya's combinations were; had they landed, she would have drained Kashiwagi instantly.
If Feebas hadn't broken through that Outrage-fueled Water Spout with sheer iron will and triggered an evolutionary reversal, the outcome would have been uncertain based solely on the previous point deductions.
It was a victory that felt like walking a tightrope.
Vivian raised her hand high to announce the verdict.
"The winner of the finals is—Mr. Kashiwagi and his Pokémon partners! Let's congratulate them on their ultimate victory at the Fallarbor Contest!"
Waves of applause and cheers that threatened to lift the roof off the stadium erupted. The audience stood as one, clapping frantically. The cheerleaders even forgot to dance, simply sobbing with joy as they cheered.
Screams, whistles, and praises were showered upon the stage, dedicated to the challengers and the Pokémon who had moved their hearts.
Confetti cannons boomed, sending ribbons spiraling through the air as the victory theme played over the speakers.
"We did it!"
Kashiwagi pulled the smiling Blissey and the exhausted, yet immensely proud, Shiny Milotic into a huddle. In a voice thick with emotion, he whispered, "We won!"
"Happy-!"
"Milo-tic~"
Their chirps were like beautiful musical notes. For Milotic, this battle was comparable to the day she conquered the Dragon Gate Waterfall—a moment to be cherished for a lifetime.
And she hadn't let her Trainer, her teammates, or herself down. She had achieved the ultimate reversal.
She had evolved!
A vast, limitless future was waiting for her!
"Congratulations! I accept my defeat wholeheartedly,"
A soft female voice spoke up.
Kashiwagi and his Pokémon turned to see Aya approaching the edge of the stage. In the water, Gyarados poked his massive head out while Pelipper paddled nearby.
Both Pokémon were staring intensely at the elegant Milotic, their eyes filled with unabashed longing and infatuation.
True to her reputation as the most mesmerizing Pokémon, Milotic had enchanted her rivals in a matter of minutes.
"Thank you. Your Pokémon are incredibly strong," Kashiwagi replied with sincere admiration.
"Your move combinations were breathtaking. I hope we can battle again!"
Training combos between different types is several times harder than same-type tricks. Kashiwagi genuinely respected the effort Aya had put into her team.
Everyone loves a compliment, and Aya was no different.
She had initially thought Kashiwagi might be arrogant; his battle style showed an almost frightening level of certainty, as if he knew exactly how the future would unfold.
She had worried he might be difficult to get along with, but his humble reaction delighted her.
"Thank you for the kind words! I look forward to our next match!"
The two shook hands briefly before Vivian hurried over to guide Kashiwagi to the trophy ceremony.
"Excuse me," Kashiwagi bowed politely.
"Go on! Go claim your honor!" Aya smiled. As she watched him walk away with his Pokémon, a look of slight regret crossed her face.
Such an excellent young man... a pity he's so young.
Perhaps I could become his fan?
That way, I can watch him grow.
She turned to her own Pokémon, who were still staring at Milotic's retreating tail. She couldn't help but laugh.
"Stop it, you two! Your eyes are going to pop out of your heads!"
"Gyaaa..."
"Peli..."
Gyarados and Pelipper looked away, embarrassed.
A Milotic that evolved through a soul-deep metamorphosis was indeed different from one that evolved through a mere Prism Scale trade.
She possessed an aura of magnetism they had never felt before.
...
The Awards Podium
Blissey and Shiny Milotic leaned in on either side of Kashiwagi.
The grey-haired Mr. Sukizo held out a tray with a beautiful pink ribbon. "Congratulations on your win at the Fallarbor Contest. Remarkable! Here is your Fallarbor Ribbon."
"Thank you."
Kashiwagi took the ribbon, shared a glance with Blissey, and then turned to hang it gently around Milotic's neck.
"Milo?"
Milotic looked at the ribbon on her chest in shock. While happy, she shook her head toward Kashiwagi, Blissey.
"Milo-tic~"
She knew she hadn't won this alone. She hadn't even participated in the first appeal, and without Blissey's tireless support in the final, she never would have reached the sky.
Blissey had given her the chance to shine, and Milotic knew it very well.
Her pride wouldn't allow her to monopolize this glory.
She carefully used her golden tail fin to unhook the pink Ribbon, placing it back into her Trainer's hand.
She tilted her head, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she let out a gentle, melodious cry.
"Milo-tic~"
Everyone nearby, Kashiwagi included, froze in a daze.
Looking at a mere photo of a Milotic, some might find it hard to understand why this serpent is hailed as the most beautiful Pokémon in the world.
But experiencing one in person is different; the charm it radiates from within feels like a physical law of nature.
Even without the Cute Charm ability, her beauty was undeniable.
Anyone who had actually stood before her would find it impossible to utter the words "not pretty."
"Simply... breathtaking,"
Mr. Sukizo sighed in awe.
"Remarkable! If that performance had been in the first round, I would have awarded her a perfect score without a second's hesitation! That iron-willed climb against the current, followed by such a world-shaking evolution—it's hard to imagine a performance surpassing it in theme or execution."
"Agreed!" Mr. Contesta added, coolly adjusting a strand of his hair.
"The reversal from Feebas to Milotic and Blissey's perfect support were both wonderful," Nurse Joy said, clapping her hands happily.
"It's clear you've raised them with incredible heart and soul."
Kashiwagi thanked them once more. He held the Ribbon high, displaying it to the cheering fans, and gave a deep, respectful bow.
The Fallarbor Contest had officially come to a perfect close.
He was now only two Ribbons away from qualifying for the Grand Festival. If he counted the one from the Wallace Cup, he only needed to enter one more standard Contest.
...
...
Back in the waiting room, Kashiwagi turned on his phone only to find his notifications had exploded.
Obviously Lisia was the biggest culprit.
The "online chat genius" had sent over a hundred messages.
She was a chaotic mix of crying because she wasn't there to see it in person and being moved to tears by Feebas's performance.
There were others too: Zinnia and Jinya from Meteor Falls, Yamamino and the gang back in Orre, and even Courtney from Team Magma—a rare occurrence for her to reach out.
And Dawn!
Finally, the girl had checked her phone. She sent a flurry of strange stickers, proving she wasn't quite a total tech-illiterate yet.
Following their links, Kashiwagi found a video of the Fallarbor Contest trending in the Top 50 of the Poké-Blog charts, its rank climbing by the second.
It had only been posted for twenty minutes, yet the view count and engagement were staggering.
Apparently, some high-tech wizard had edited a high-definition highlight reel and uploaded it less than ten minutes after the match ended.
It made sense. Contests were more popular than ever, and everyone loved a good evolution story—especially one captured with such professional cinematography.
The video even featured multiple camera angles showing Feebas scaling the water spout.
Kashiwagi checked the uploader's name: [Mawile Fan Club].
"Them again?"
Kashiwagi wasn't oblivious to the existence of the fan club; he had actually "infiltrated" the enemy ranks a long time ago.
So far, they had only bothered him once, despite having his number, and they didn't engage in any commercial exploitation—which Kashiwagi appreciated.
He had no desire to become an accidental spokesperson.
He had met the current president, the fragrance shop owner Kita Ayane, twice.
"A fan club, huh... I wonder if they'll rename it to the 'Milotic, Blissey, and Mawile Fan Club' now?" Kashiwagi mused.
Regardless, his fame had reached a new peak—even higher than after the Slateport Contest.
This brought up a serious problem: how long would he have to hide in the waiting room before he could safely leave?
The answer: Ten minutes.
Kashiwagi managed to snag a ride in Officer Jenny's cruiser.
She and her colleagues were outside maintaining order, preventing the hundreds of people waiting for him from causing a stampede.
When she came inside to use the restroom, Kashiwagi "intercepted" her and begged for a rescue.
Officer Jenny dropped him off at the Pokémon Center while the rest of the force dispersed the crowds and reporters at the stadium.
Everyone won.
"Keep it up! I'm looking forward to your next Contest!" Officer Jenny cheered, pumping her fist.
Her Growlithe gave an enthusiastic "Awoo!" in agreement.
"I will," Kashiwagi nodded.
Having received permission to pet the police dog earlier, he was feeling a bit reluctant to leave.
Growlithe were just too cute—their fur was so soft and warm. Unfortunately, this world had too many cute Pokémon for him to handle all at once.
Donning a mask and hat, he handed Mawile and the others over to the Blissey nurse for a check-up. He then sat by the window and opened his Pokédex to review Milotic's post-evolution stats.
...
Pokémon Profile: Milotic
Type: Water
Gender: Female
Height/Weight: 835 cm / 221.3 kg
Ability: Competitive
Level: 46
Moves:
Tackle / Flail / Haze / Mist / Captivate
Disarming Voice / Ice Beam / Hidden Power / Scald / Waterfall
Water Pulse / Aqua Ring / Refresh
...
"She learned four moves at once?"
Kashiwagi was pleasantly surprised.
He hadn't expected the metamorphosis to be so thorough. Of the new additions, Refresh and Aqua Ring were the most promising for future strategies.
She had picked up Scald while soaking in the Lavaridge Town hot springs, and Waterfall was clearly a "gift" from her climb at the Dragon Gate.
Interestingly, her Hidden Power turned out to be Electric-type. Not super powerful, but definitely a handy coverage move.
"She's got a bright future ahead of her."
Kashiwagi pulled a Mystic Water bead from his pocket. He'd been holding onto it for a while, and he couldn't think of a better fit than Milotic.
Now that she had evolved, it was the perfect congratulatory gift.
Not bad at all~