To attract more and more people to participate in Pokémon Contests, to better draw out and showcase the charm of Pokémon, and to make Contests even more highly sought after—these were the original reasons Lisia became a Contest Idol.
"Everyone can be an idol! The possibilities are limitless!"
This was absolutely not just an empty slogan.
Lisia looked at Hakuya, who was right in front of her, and the more she looked, the more satisfied she felt.
His mesmerizing, incubus-like good looks, his overwhelming strength that far surpassed his peers, and the stark contrast between his cold ruthlessness in battle and his gentle nature in private... The girl's snow-white cheeks flushed with a faint blush, and the bold, novel idea that had sprouted earlier intensified dramatically.
If Hakuya debuted in a duo with her, they would definitely attract a massive horde of Trainers to participate in Contests!
At this moment, smoothly pulling his right hand out of Lisia's grasp, Hakuya was struggling with how to reply.
Being an idol wasn't exactly an easy job.
Even though he'd be partnering with an agency fully owned and controlled by Lisia herself, compared to the hassle of daily promotional work and rushing between schedules, he much preferred traveling the world freely, violently elbowing Bug Catchers, Hikers, Fishermen, and Youngsters who blocked his path...
However, looking at the girl in front of him, whose face was full of expectation hoping he would agree, Hakuya couldn't think of a way to refuse right away.
Even with his "cultured" eyes that had appraised countless beautiful anime girls, he had to admit he was being critically hit by Lisia's sheer beauty right now.
Her fragrant, silky emerald hair was neatly tied back with a hair accessory, fluttering gently behind her. Framing her exquisite, delicate face was a Hime cut. She had a cute, upturned nose and soft, glossy lips.
Although her clothing obscured her jade-like, snow-white skin, it still slightly revealed her graceful, alluring curves.
—A modest but developing chest, a slender waist leading down to youthful but delightfully plump hips, and a sliver of her snow-white legs clad in white pantyhose peeking out from beneath her skirt.
However, if one had to pick the single most memorable trait about this girl...
It wasn't her pure, beautiful face that made people want to scream 'cute!', nor was it the snow-white, delicate legs exposed beneath her skirt.
It was her voice.
Even in a normal conversation, if you weren't careful, her voice would completely captivate you.
Sometimes it sounded like jade beads dropping onto a plate, and other times like a wind chime hanging from the eaves on a spring night, swaying gently in the breeze and tugging at your heartstrings. Her bright, sparkling emerald eyes shone like cat's-eye gemstones, perfectly complementing her pleasant, enchanting voice.
"Although becoming a Contest Idol does sound pretty nice, my answer is..." Under Lisia's expectant gaze, Hakuya hesitated for a moment before crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Dame! (Absolutely not!)"
"Ehhhh—!!!"
The rejected girl let out a wail of despair.
The plan to debut as a duo and become Contest Idols ultimately died before it could even begin.
However, although he politely declined her idea of forming an idol group, Hakuya was still forced to exchange contact information with her.
After the idol girl waved goodbye and her graceful figure hurriedly disappeared at the end of the corridor, it wasn't long before the PokéNav in his pocket began vibrating furiously.
[Ali is Number One in the World: I'm sneaking off to find my uncle first. Don't forget about the championship award ceremony later!]
[Ali is Number One in the World: By the way, I'm not giving up on the idea of us forming a Contest Idol duo that easily! Hakuya, if there is ever a day you suddenly become interested in being an idol, you MUST MUST MUST let me know!]
[Ali is Number One in the World: Also, also! You should be free for a while recently, right?!! (Altaria Expectant Face.jpg) I happen to not have any schedules for the next few days. Are you interested in hanging out and exploring Rustboro City together?]
As a Contest Idol, this girl naturally had countless schedules and appointments.
For instance, among the commercials playing during the intermissions of the Wallace Cup, many featured products she endorsed.
And her mention of "hanging out together" absolutely could not be interpreted as a date with a beautiful girl.
Although Hakuya was very confident in his looks, he obviously hadn't reached the point of being that delusional.
After a brief moment of thought, he grasped the true meaning behind Lisia's words.
—Knowing she couldn't convince him with words alone, this idol girl was changing her tactics. She intended to use things like 'hanging out together' to close the distance between them, and then step-by-step trick him into signing an inescapable, eternal contract to be her idol partner for life.
The methods of the premier Contest Idol, Lisia, were truly terrifying!
Of course, none of the above was the main point. The main point was...
This girl's online persona was even more energetic and unhinged than she was in real life.
Looking down, Hakuya saw that after leaving her on 'read' for just half a minute, his screen was already being furiously spammed by hundreds of furious Altaria emojis. His mouth twitched slightly.
Feeling a bit helpless against the girl's overly lively personality, he finally typed out an honest reply: "Aside from my daily teaching classes, I'm pretty free these next few days."
The message had barely been sent...
...when it was immediately followed by a cheering "Yay! Yay!" from Lisia.
The girl sent over a long list of famous tourist attractions and restaurants in Rustboro City.
A specialty museum displaying various strange and beautiful rocks, a Kricketune music hall to cultivate one's artistic sentiments, a luxurious restaurant cooking local delicacies... Everything Lisia picked out was an excellent place to hang out.
At the very end, she even sent an electronic "Red Envelope" (cash transfer) to express her thanks in advance.
Looking at the eye-catching transfer of 50,000 League Dollars, Hakuya tilted his head back and fell deep into thought.
He could barely resist her aesthetic offensive, but he hadn't expected this idol girl to completely throw out the rulebook.
Is this the power of a sugar mommy?
He loved it.
"As expected of the premier Contest Idol. Not only is she covering all the expenses for the trip, but she even sent such a massive cash gift. She's incredibly generous~"
After a soft sigh of admiration, Hakuya seemed to finally make up his mind. "Well then, for the sake of Milcery's bright future, I'll just obediently cling to this sugar mommy for the next few days~"
He could save the Wallace Cup prize money for now. This 'friendship fee' was exactly enough to buy the Sweet item online to evolve Milcery.
"Nai?"
Floating beside him, Milcery tilted her head slightly, a question mark popping up over her head.
After waiting for a few dozen minutes, the closing award ceremony for the Wallace Cup officially began.
"Congratulations, Contestant Hakuya."
As the main sponsor of the event, Wallace solemnly handed a gift box to Hakuya.
Inside the rustic black box lay a Ribbon carved from precious emerald gemstone.
Unlike standard Ribbons, which were only valid in their specific region, this special Ribbon served as an entry ticket to the Grand Festival in any League region, making it incredibly valuable.
Although to Hakuya—who had no intention of participating in the Grand Festival—it was merely a nice-looking decorative item, in Floragato's eyes, it was a symbol of the victory she had achieved together with her Trainer. It held immense sentimental value.
"Here, Floragato, this is for you."
"Meowha~"
After gifting the Ribbon symbolizing their victory to Floragato, and having his cheek happily nuzzled by the large cat, Hakuya turned his head. He noticed the little jet plane's expectant expression freeze, and then her pale, round face instantly flushed red.
What the heck are you blushing for?
Watching Latias let out a "La-woo" and dart back into her Poké Ball, Hakuya smiled helplessly.
It couldn't be helped. The tsundere little jet plane really couldn't elbow her way past the large cat's direct, straightforward offensive.
Besides the special Ribbon and the 50,000 League Dollars, there was another prize for the champion.
"Hakuya, aside from the organizer's rewards, the champion's prize for this Wallace Cup also includes something I personally sponsored."
"Is this... a Sea Incense?"
Looking at the item that resembled a small incense burner in front of him, Hakuya asked in surprise.
"Yes. I didn't expect you to be an expert appraiser of items as well, Hakuya~" Wallace sighed in admiration before explaining.
"This is a special Pokémon item crafted from unique flowers and leaves. When held, it boosts the power of a Pokémon's Water-type moves. If used long-term as a supplementary aid during training, it also provides great nourishment for Water-type Pokémon."
At this moment, even without holding it, Hakuya could clearly sense a powerful aura of Water-type energy radiating from it.
Despite its small size, this incense burner was indeed a highly valuable, top-tier mystical item.
Although he didn't currently have any Water-type Pokémon, he could always store it away for future use.
"Thank you very much."
Hakuya expressed his gratitude and took the precious Sea Incense into his hands.
It had to be said, as expected of someone related to Lisia, Wallace was also incredibly generous.
According to market prices, this single Sea Incense alone would sell for anywhere between 50,000 to 150,000 League Dollars.
Seeing Hakuya solemnly accept the Sea Incense, Wallace also revealed a satisfied smile.
The award ceremony concluded perfectly amidst roaring applause. However, the battle Wallace had casually proposed earlier ended up falling through.
—Some troublesome matters had popped up in Sootopolis City, requiring him to rush back and handle them.
Recalling the recent issues involving the Draconid people, Wallace couldn't help but rub his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.
Since he had to return to Sootopolis City, the previously agreed-upon Pokémon battle would have to wait until their next meeting, whenever that opportunity arose.
"Hakuya, I apologize, but I must regrettably break our promise for a Pokémon battle for now..."
"The next time we meet, please make sure to have a match with me."
Stepping off the stage, Wallace looked serious, making no effort to hide his acknowledgment of Hakuya.
Setting aside the fact that he had already heard the title of "genius Trainer" from Steven a few days ago... now, as a judge for the Wallace Cup, having witnessed Hakuya's gorgeous battles firsthand, he had no choice but to marvel at Hakuya's extraordinary strength.
Such a talented young man, and a genius Trainer who cultivated both Coordination and Battle commanding just like him... Even though Wallace didn't consider himself a psychotic battle maniac like Kanto's Flying-type Elite Four member (Lance), a burning desire to battle him ignited in his heart.
Battling is the fastest shortcut to understanding each other.
"Of course... Thank you for your acknowledgment, Mr. Wallace. I would also like to have a Pokémon battle with you if the opportunity arises." Hakuya nodded, responding with equal seriousness.
To be honest, he really did want to test exactly how strong he was right now.
—He was constantly getting kicked around like roadside trash in the Randomized Emerald. Back in reality, he had only fought rookie Gym Leaders like Misty and Roxanne, plus maybe Sabrina (who hadn't unleashed her full psychic powers). Crushing low-tier lobbies was certainly satisfying, but it made it incredibly difficult to gauge exactly what tier Floragato and the others currently belonged in.
Being able to spar with a Champion-level Trainer—one of the absolute strongest forces in the world—would definitely be a good thing.
Nearby, Lisia, who had perked her ears up to eavesdrop, sharply caught the key words and leaned in.
"Hakuya, are you really planning to battle my uncle?"
"Yes," Hakuya confirmed. "It would be an honor to battle a Trainer with Champion-level strength."
"I see..." The girl rested her index finger against her lips, revealing a thoughtful expression.
"I feel like, with your strength, Hakuya, beating my uncle is still going to be somewhat difficult..."
Even though she had been brutally crushed in the finals, Lisia acknowledged that Hakuya was incredibly strong. But if he actually fought the most renowned Contest Master in Hoenn, someone whose strength far surpassed the Elite Four, she didn't think Hakuya was a match for her uncle.
"However, if you plan on becoming a Contest Idol, Hakuya, I can give you some tips and special training~" Suddenly, Lisia shifted the topic, completely exposing her true objective.
"As his niece and disciple, I know my uncle's commanding style and his Pokémon's battle strategies perfectly~ With my help, and by formulating a series of targeted tactics, you might actually be able to take him down!"
She paused for a moment before finalizing her temptation like a little succubus.
"Hey, hey, hey~ Are you interested? Are you interested? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity~ If you beautifully defeat my uncle, you can fast-track your way to becoming an absolute mega-celebrity in the Hoenn region, and then you'll gain lots and lots of fans!!!"
"..."
Hakuya couldn't hold it in and laughed helplessly.
Setting aside the fact that this rebellious niece was plotting to backstab her uncle right in front of him... this idol girl really was... constantly obsessing over her plan to drag him into a duo and debut as Contest Idols~
And hearing Lisia—who made absolutely no attempt to lower her voice—Wallace's mouth twitched slightly.
Hey, hey, hey, isn't your bias a bit too obvious?!
Although I never expected my rebellious niece/disciple to specifically cheer for me...
...turning your elbows outward (siding with an outsider) this quickly... I'm your biological uncle!