The Milotic-Nami duo had set an impossibly high bar. At least when it came to sheer skill and artistry, they had reached perfection—leaving an intimidating act to follow.
Ray Chu rubbed his chin thoughtfully and turned to Lala beside him. "Lala, if it were you up there, how confident would you be about winning?"
Lala, normally carefree and playful, grew uncharacteristically serious. She took a careful, professional look at the performance and shook her head slowly. That Milotic had extraordinary musical talent—she wasn't sure she'd win.
"In that case, we'll need to get creative…"
"Next up, Ray Chu—wait, where is Trainer Ray Chu?" Moments later, the host was puzzled to see three Pokémon climbing onto the stage without their Trainer anywhere in sight.
One of the electric mice grabbed a microphone and confidently declared, "Pikachu!"
"Huh? Another Pikachu? Why does it look familiar?" Ash, standing off-stage, scratched his head, trying to recall.
The Pikachu perched on his shoulder suddenly grew excited, leaping down and racing toward the stage, enthusiastically crying, "Pika, pika!"
Team Rocket, spotting that dreaded yellow menace, trembled as cold sweat dripped down their faces.
"It… It's that Pikachu!"
"Of course it's here!"
"Maybe we should withdraw, Meowth?" Meowth whimpered, fur shedding in fright.
Jessie's temper ignited instantly. "No way! If we withdraw now, all our hard work goes down the drain! We won't back out!"
"But..." Meowth began weakly before Jessie shoved his head down, radiating an ominous aura.
"You were saying?"
"Nothing, Meowth!" Meowth wisely conceded.
Meanwhile, the host was still struggling to understand the Pikachu onstage when Ray Chu donned sunglasses, grabbed an electric guitar, and nodded at Farfetch'd and Jigglypuff.
The next second, electrifying music blasted forth. Sparks danced from Ray Chu's paws as he ripped through the strings at lightning speed, pouring out a torrent of vibrant notes.
The explosive sound drowned out the murmurs, and backstage lighting techs eagerly flooded the stage in dazzling, multicolored beams.
Electric sacs on Ray Chu's cheeks buzzed with energy, visible bolts crackling through the air and racing across the floor, creating a shimmering field of electricity.
Even Lt. Surge, the famed electric master of Vermilion Gym, stared wide-eyed at the Pikachu's astonishing control.
Amid the pounding beat, Lala inhaled deeply and began to sing:
A la qi ya qi ya yi~
Ya li bi da bi li n~
La be li qi ta n de n la n de nla n do yi…~
On the other side of the stage, Dapple the Farfetch'd twirled her leek energetically, matching the song's tempo with lively dance steps that instantly ignited the crowd.
With a mischievous glance, Ray Chu swayed his body and unleashed dozens of Double Team illusions, each clone swiftly darting around—some manned drums, others picked up accordions, still others danced behind Dapple. Chaos and order mingled seamlessly, each illusion contributing perfectly to the symphony of rhythm and motion.
A ba li pa ta yipa li pa li yiba li~
Bi li bi li bi li su te n te nla n do n~
Ya ba li n la n su te n la n den ya lo yi~
Wa la ba lu bu lu bu do wu bu dowu bu do wu yiya bu yi…~
Lala's charming vocals, perfectly synchronized with the rapid-fire electronic beats, sent shivers of delight directly into the listeners' brains, as if countless tiny fingers massaged their senses. Legs tapped involuntarily, surrendering to the contagious rhythm.
"Ka-mo!" Dapple's leek suddenly froze mid-motion, then flashed out like a gleaming sword, slicing through the air with dizzying precision. A storm of green leek shadows filled the stage, each slice timed impeccably with lyrics and drumbeats, driving the atmosphere to an ecstatic high.
The entire audience surged to their feet, swept away by the infectious beat. The electrifying performance felt like an opening salvo, each Pokémon showcasing dazzling, powerful moves in rapid succession.
The music played on, and Lala—true to her title as the Pink Diva—held the crowd in the palm of her tiny paw, singlehandedly turning the competition into a full-fledged concert.
When the final electronic note faded away, that addictive melody still lingered in everyone's minds.
Completely distinct from Milotic's ethereal melody, this dynamic, pulse-pounding tune stirred something primal within the Trainers, igniting their fighting spirit. Everything about the performance—from Pikachu's agile Double Team, Farfetch'd's lightning-fast sword moves, to Jigglypuff's mesmerizing voice—left spectators utterly exhilarated.
The judges unanimously awarded the trio a remarkable score of 38.2—the highest yet. Even without their Trainer present, the Pokémon's performance had been flawless.
Before the ecstatic fans could rush forward, the three Pokémon mysteriously vanished, leaving only intrigue behind.
Yet the catchy Leekspin Song, thanks to its broadcast debut, instantly became the newest craze, destined to ignite a fresh wave of popularity.
The dazzling contest continued, each contestant raising the stakes and turning the event into a sensation across Kanto.
After fierce elimination rounds, only four teams advanced to the finals. Daisy's Starmie, despite an outstanding performance, narrowly missed the cut.
The final four Trainers were Ray Chu, Nami, Jessilina, and Dodo.
This year's Kanto Grand Festival had been filled with dark horses; even the heavily favored duo from Hoenn found themselves unexpectedly placed second and fourth, defying everyone's predictions.
Meanwhile, Ash's Pikachu was overly excited, repeatedly shouting "Pika, pika!" and pulling Ash impatiently outside.
"What's gotten into Pikachu?" Daisy asked gently, kneeling to stroke Pikachu's head, masking her own slight disappointment.
"No clue. He's been like this for a while," Ash admitted helplessly.
Brock thoughtfully stroked his chin. "Looks like he recognizes that other Pikachu. Considering they're the same species, maybe they know each other."
Ash smacked his fist into his palm. "Of course! That Pikachu belongs to Ray. Wait—has anyone seen Ray?"
Daisy shook her head. "I haven't spotted him since earlier."
"Then let's go find him!" Ash declared eagerly.
---
bonus chaps
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200 stones -> 2 chapters
300 stones -> 3 chapters
and so on
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