Ask to Join Grand Festival || 2nd Ann!

[ChungHa]

The wind raced throughout the open airs of Hoenn, as fleets of happiness, eagerness, anxiety, excitement, and all other types emitted from watchers at home, to spectators within the seats, to the actual performers. Several Coordinators, both young and old, have gathered here to share their talents and hard work. They will compete with over a hundred others all for the grand prize of the majestic and golden Ribbon Cup, and the prestigious official title of Top Coordinator. No matter the long experiences one has had, anything could happen during this Grand Festival competition - there is nothing to do but try your absolute best, and show off your Pokémon to the best of your ability. Appeal. Fight. Win.

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A gigantic, silver-red stadium stood shining brightly reflecting off of the sun in the Hoenn Region. Slateport City was the place to be this time of year, and several people hustled and bustled about preparing for what was to come. The time was finally here, the incredibly anticipated Grand Festival. It was the final challenge and final step of the year in the world of Pokemon Contests. Tons of Coordinators had awaited the first day of the Grand Festival, which was today. People piled into the dashing hexagonal stadium that held thousands of spectators, while even more tuned in at home. As people took seats, eagerly awaiting the start of the giant competition, the participating Coordinators sat in the large waiting room backstage. Many rushed to get dressed, some brushed and tended to their Pokemon, and others simply sat watching the multiple television screens set up that streamed everything happening on the main stage. '

As everyone was seated, lights went completely out as music began starting up. Roars of applause came from the crowd as they waited for the next coming actions. Suddenly a single spot light shined on to the center of the stage, revealing a slender woman standing gracefully, head bowed down. She adorned long, curly blonde hair accessorized with a headband that held a large ribbon to the side. She wore a flowing red dress that stopped just below her calves. The crowd cheered as the familiar face rose up, and immediately waving her arms and began speaking into a microphone.

"HELLLLLLOOO EVERYONE!!!" She called out, the large crowd responded with shouts of excitement. "THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US IN HOENN THIS YEAR! ARE YOU ALL READY FOR DAY #1 OF THE ANNUAL GRAND FESTIVAL!? I HOPE YOU ARE, BECAUSE IT STARTS TODAY!"

As the lady announced, the light went back up brightly in the stadium, illuminating the area despite dusk decorating the night sky in dark hue. Multiple colored fire works going off in the air above the layered audience.

"You know me! I'm Lisa, your Grand Festival hostess! Please welcome our Judges!"

She went on to introduce three judges that had made their way on to the large stage platform, and then after applause, sat down in their designated chairs, with each of their digital scorers in front of them. Lisa went on to talk to the audience.

"And as a very special guest that will be aiding us in our judging this year - welcome Top Coordinator Platinum, last years Winner!!!"

As she would announce, the curtains would draw apart, revealing Platinum and leaving the blonde to introduce himself. Whenever Platinum would finish, Lisa would return on the mic.

"Here at the Grand Festival, each Coordinator will go on to perform in our first round, the Appeals! All of our contestants will have a chance to use their Pokemon's talent and hard work to showcase the best abilities that they have, all for you guys and for the ability to advance on to Round 2, the second Appeal Rounds! And then, if they manage to still earn enough points to advance forward, they come to the 3rd and final stage, the Battle Rounds! There they will gracefully battle it out with the remaining Coordinators to earn the prestigious Ribbon Cup and become Sinnoh Top Coordinator of this year's Contest Season!" She explained.

The crowd was hyped up listening to Lisa give the run-down of the Festival, and couldnt wait to get started. There were endless amounts of beautiful and amazing abilities that they were yet to see, and the majority of them had favorites they had been keeping up with this year, and were ready to root them on. Some audience members even wore dedicated merchandise.

"Now," Lisa continued. "The first round is about to start! Each Coordinator will only be able to use one Pokemon to Appeal with, just like a regular Contest! And if they advance on, they will be able to use that same Pokemon during the Double Performances in Round 2 if they wish! But choose carefully, contestants, because any Pokemon used for the Appeal Rounds cannot be used for the Battle Rounds! Without further ado, let us begin! Now introducing..."

After she finished explaining, Lisa introduced the first couple of Coordinators, who each gave a performance after another was finished. There were 4 that had performed, some doing great while others weren't quite as nice as the crowd and judges expected. The Festival kicked off to a great start, however. The crowd and televised watchers were having a great time spectating the plethora of creative performances they were watching. As the fourth Coordinator finished, Lisa took back to the stage to introduce the next one up.

"Now, everyone please give it up as the next Coordinator to take the stage is......!"

 

[Platinum_]

Platinum looked out into the crowd and began waving enthusiastically as his name was called whenever Lisa introduced him as the fourth Guest Judge. His slender Dragonair stood elegantly at his side gazing into the crowd.

He was astounded to see the turn out of people that showed up to watch the Grand Festival live - but then again he of all people should know how popular the competition was world wide, and Hoenn especially seemed to go crazy about it.

The blonde Top Coordinator couldn't believe it had been an entire year since he had won Sinnoh's Festival, and even still he got jittery thinking about those times. Now he would be one of the people in aiding a trainer, who would mots likely be just like he was, achieve their dream. He was slightly nervous, as he originally didn't feel qualified to judge, but now he was excited and determined to be as fair as possible.

"Hello! I'm incredibly honored I have been asked to aid in this competition - I am so excited to see what all of our contestants have to offer!"

The teen finished his small introduction and waved once more to the crowd before finding his way to his seat alongside the other judges, intent on watching the next performer to come out.

 

[Shiny Blue Gardevoir]

"Olivia Miles, and Ceann the absol!"

Olivia emerged from the staircase at the centre of the stage, holding out Ceann's pokeball. For this performance, she was wearing old-fashioned riding boots, tight black trousers, and using her cape to cover her standard white contest shirt. Black gloves, and a white whip adorned with small, vertebrae-like trinkets were in her hands. Today, she was a dullahan, a headless horseman who was a harbinger of death, and Ceann was her steed. This performance was one of her most ambitious works yet, and she absolutely couldn't afford to mess it up.

She threw the pokeball high into the air, and a cloud of black smoke appeared, thanks to the seal she'd put on it. When it cleared, Olivia was sat atop her absol, bareback.

Olivia took a deep breath. "Ceann, use swords dance first!"

Ceann's eyes glowed bright red, as a ring of silver swords surrounded him, and then started to clash with each other, like they were being used by imaginary knights in battle. The absol strutted gracefully down the stairs with Olivia on his back, as the swords surrounded him, legs held high, like a shire horse.

Just before the two reached the stage, Olivia ordered Ceann to stop, she she could give the next order. The swords faded away quickly, disappearing into faint outlines, and then nothing at all.

"Ceann, use shadow ball!"

The absol fired murky balls of purple energy down onto the stage, and they floated there, like bubbles. Next, the creature leapt high into the air, graceful body arcing as he landed feet first into the first shadow ball. It burst into a delicate, glittering purple cloud.

"Now, Ceann, let's get them all!"

Ceann galloped around the stage, jumping through the shadow balls like they were hoops, and just like the first one, each shattered into glittering clouds. When they were all burst, Ceann walked to the centre of the stage, facing the audience.

"Flamethrower! Let's show them how terrifying you can be!"

Ceann spat out a red tongue of fire, covering the area behind himself with a row of flames. Thanks to the shadow ball particles remaining in the atmosphere, the flames turned an ethereal shade of purple, and the absol gave the audience a threatening glare, as Olivia cracked her whip. Soon, the dullahan would be coming for their souls...

"Let's finish this! Ceann, use night slash!"

The absol galloped toward the audience, before leaping into the air. The scythe on his head became shrouded in inky black energy, before he threw it towards the audience, and it flew through the contest hall like a shockwave. When it dissipated, he used the exact same move on the wall of fire behind him. The flames swirled upward, covering the entire back of the stage, and then burst from the impact, into silvery shimmers, as the two landed.

"Ta-da!"

 

[Cryronn the Mudkip]

Randish waited at the stairs. He felt both of his Pokéballs. He was ready to head onto rage and have the Pokémon inside them show the world what he was really made of. He was the champion of the last Kanto Grand Festival, and he wouldn’t lose now.

 

[Shiny Blue Gardevoir]

Olivia bowed as the crowd erupted into rapturous applause, before getting back on Ceann's back, and riding her way back to the coordinator's lounge. She'd had her moment, and now, all that was left to do was wait and see if her efforts were good enough to have taken her to round two.

She fed Ceann a mint pokepuff-his favourite flavour-as a reward for performing so well out there, as she watched the next coordinator took the stage.

 

[Crimson Sun]

“Up next, coming from Sinnoh Sunnyshore City, please welcome: Crimson!”

At the mention of his name, Crimson dashed onto the stage. His attire popped with red and black, as expected of his name of course. His crimson button up paired with his midnight black slacks made the coordinator pop out on stage, contrasting with the more lighter and pastel colors of the Grand Festival. It was a cliché outfit, possibly too bland for a major renowned event such as the Grand Festival. However, it was his go-to appearance for every contest, there’s no need to change now. It was just the same him against the world.

“Volcarona, the stage is yours!”

With the flick of his wrist, Crimson threw a Pokeball into the air directly above him. The moment the monster ball opened up, instead of the classic red flash every Pokeball emits, this ball released out a golden light. As Crimson somehow defied the laws of physics, the the golden orb of light stayed midair, enclosing the area with a small velvety warmth, almost like a kiss from sunlight. The practical sun from the capsule seal soon fizzed out, revealing the Volcarona contained within the Pokeball.

“Volcarona, descend and use Fiery Dance!”

Volcarona gave a loud screech, as it was one of the few Pokemon incapable of yelling out it’s own name, and folded it’s wings onwards towards itself. After the Sun Pokemon encased itself within a coat of scarlet flames. Immediately after, the Fire/Bug Pokemon gave a giant flap of its wings, releasing the encased flames on it’s wings. The Fiery Dance broke into small bits of embers, but most still remained and clung into it’s wings. The small embers that broke off from Volcarona’s wings slowly descended, parallel with the giant moth from the ceiling, almost resembling a Sun Deity descending from the heavens above.

“Nice Volcarona! Now liven the stage with Silver Wind!

The giant moth was once again invigorated and flew in a spiral motion, while simultaneously lightly flapping it’s sunset-tinted wings. Due from the light flapping, and the motion Volcarona was flapping in, the Silver Wind was blown upwards, creating a helix formation from the Bug Type breeze. The Silver Wind picked up on the remaking embers, that were still descending from the previous move. The Silver Wind helix, now containing orange highlights from the embers, surrounded Volcarona. The giant moth began a little air show and dance, within the free space between the helix. It did some small acrobatics, twirls, and flips. As soon the Fire/Bug Pokemon finishes, it rode the breeze upwards, once again positioning itself within the air above the stage.

“Now Psychic!”

Volcarona’s blue eyes glowed a sapphire hue. The air current of silver and orange streaks froze in place. Volcarona manipulated the breeze to compress itself into a sphere atop the contest floor. The breeze flowed in a spherical sequence, the silver and orange streaks still prominent. Ultimately, Volcarona then pushed down onto the top of the sphere with it’s Psychic. The sphere, having no more mass and volume to compress, separated into to air blasts. Due to so much compression and erosion from both Psychic and Silver Wind, what remains of the Silver Wind and Ember is now a load of orange and silver glitter, that shines brightly on stage from both the left and right blast.

“Volcarona, finish the stage with Quiver Dance!”

Volcarona flew towards center stage. Once again, the giant moth’s blue eyes glowed a bright sapphire, but this time, the Sun Pokémon’s while body glowed a white hue. Volcarona began lightly flapping it’s winds towards the audience, blowing it’s fiery scale towards the audience with multiple colors. The fiery scales illuminated the darkness of the audience, brightening both the setting and their mood.

The appeal finished with Volcarona flying downwards to Crimson’s height level. Both the human and bug gave a bow, signaling the end of their performance.

 

[Cryronn the Mudkip]

As Crimson left the stage, Randish took a deep breath. It was his turn now.

“The next performance will be by Randish, coming from Fallarbor Town here in Hoenn!!”

Randish walked slowly onto stage, his turquoise suit reflecting light. It was what he had been given by his sister that year for contests, and he wasn’t going to lose.

“Lyre, take the stage!!!!” He yelled, tossing out a Kriketune. It came out in a flurry of musical notes and sparkles, courtesy of the seal he had put on.

“Now Lyre! Use Sing and Bug Buzz!!”

Lyre used its two blades and rubbed them together to create a soothing melody that was combined with a soft buzz. A green honeycomb wave began to fill the stage.

“Now, use Perish Song!”

Red notes began emitting from Lyre as the song became more intense. The bug buzz became distorted by the notes, and sparkles popped from it every once and a while.

Then, the bug buzz bent into a sphere and popped like a bubble into a shower of sparkles that rained down onto the audience.

“Now show them the beautiful melody of a triple combo!”

Lyre began to dance around as both gold and red notes filled the air, making an intense but satisfying tune mixed with the gentle hum of bug buzz. This time, the honeycomb sphere that the bug buzz created stayed intact.

“Now, finish this up with Hyper Beam!!!”

Lyre then charged and shot an intense beam of light at the sphere, which erupted into a flash of green, pink, and white light. When the flash dissipated, there was a rain of gold and white sparks that flew around both Randish and Lyre as the two bowed and walked off stage.

 

[Crystal1302]

In the performer's area Lily gave herself a pep talk. "Okay Lily, you already got 5 ribbons and already are the Kalos Princess (Runner up to Kalos Queen and apprentice of said). Just give a smile and have fun." It was finally her turn. She stepped out to the performance stage. "Alright Vivi, You're Up!". The pokeball bursted open with flowers via the seal.

"Vivi, Start off with Quiver Dance!". Vivillon immediately got enveloped in gold pollen. She flew arond in a circle and the gold dust started to fall down.

"Now, Hurricane!" Lily commanded. Her wings glow blue and it flew faster and wind whipped in the center. A golden dust tornado started to appear.

"Go to the center and use Bug Buzz!". Vivi flew to the center and charged a burst of sound. The force of it caused the tornado to basically exploded and the golden dust turned into wings. A giant golden butterfly was in the center. She swooped to the ground and Lily jumped on. She did a few tricks and did a divebomb. Gold dust launched off of Vivi.

"Finish it with Psychic." The golden dust formed into miniature butterfly pokemon with a lavender glow around them. They all flew out to the audience. She finally landed with a somersault and she held up her arm and Vivi landed on it. "Done!" Lily said. She did a quick courtesy and ran off the stage.

 

[Cryronn the Mudkip]

Randish watched from the sidelines and saw the new performance. “These people are top-notch! This is amazing!” He said. He liked watching other people perform. It inspired him to try and make his own performances even better so he could surpass everyone and become the true champ. He smiled to himself. He mostly kept to himself, so him doing contests was an odd thing as well.

 

[todoroki]

Osmio fidgeted with his hair as he got ready for his performance. He had been anxiously waiting for this day for years. One year prior he had failed to qualify for the Grand Festival, which had driven him to work even harder. His family, unlike those of most contestants, probably wouldn't be watching, and while that was a weight of his shoulders he still had plenty of other concerns. The previous top coordinator for the year was judging- he was the same age as him, and had already reached such a feat. That was just one participant in the last year, who knows where the skill levels of the participants this year were at?

He took a deep breath in. He put on a nonchalant poker face, and adjusted his amulet. Adorned in a jade green button up shirt, and an emerald brooch trailing into a tailored gray blazer, finished with some black dress pants and cherry red shoes, Ozzy stepped into the Contest Hall. Even his first actions, every footstep he took, was being carefully considered by the judges and the audience. Nothing he could do would mean nothing. As his performance was announced, he stepped out into the field, and sent out his Electivire, Chispa.

She looked Osmio in the eyes reassuringly, before they begun their performance. "Chispa, Electric Terrain!" He called out.

The Electivire charged up energy around her, her wires raising up with a roar upon release- a mist of yellow light spread across the colosseum, potentially even jolting some of the crowd to be more awake, due to its antidormant properties.

Osmio smiled, getting more comfortable through the performance. They were off to a good start. "Now, use Light Screen!"

A nearly transparent barrier formed in a seven foot tall decagon around Chispa. It began to shine, appearing more iridescent and opaque before locking into a beautiful glass like shield.

"Great work, now, use Double Team!" Surrounding every corner of the decagon, a clone of Chispa appeared with no barriers around them. It appeared that Osmio was attempting to demonstrate that Chispa was trapped within the Light Screen. The Electivires ran around the barrier, multiplying more and more, before adding more layers of circles full of Electivire. A blur of yellow and black zoomed around Chispa, who was clearly preparing for an attack, cracking her fingers.

"Now, charge towards her!" The copies ran towards the Electivire, the ones in the layered rows jumping over the ones in front of them.

"Brick Break!" Through the screen, each double attacked as the glass shattered, sparks of electricity swirling around it as the Electric Terrain petered out. Chispa jumped above the rest of them, the doubles all disappearing and turning into mist. This made a smokescreen, surrounding her, and obscuring the audience's view of her. As the dust faded, she punched her fists together, jolts of electricity forming between them, posing and demonstrating her performance was done.

Osmio returned her to her Pokéball, and left the arena when called to. He let out a sigh of relief. It was fun, of course, but it was stressful- who would know if he could make it through? He went into the waiting room and collapsed into one of the chairs, waiting anxiously for his results.