Not far away, Theo had also been completely surrounded.
Many people crowded around him, all wanting to take photos with the Feebas in his arms. Some were fellow newcomer Coordinators, holding notebooks and eagerly asking him about the finer details of his move combinations. There were even longtime fans from Rustboro City, holding up signs that read "Go Theo!" excitedly praising today's Feebas performance.
Feebas seemed to be enjoying all the attention. Curled up comfortably in Theo's arms, it wagged its tail and occasionally blew tiny bubbles, causing bursts of laughter from the surrounding crowd.
Theo patiently answered each of their questions. Whenever his gaze drifted down to Feebas, there was always a gentle smile in his eyes.
Grace and Armani had also been surrounded by their own supporters.
Grace maintained her usual cool and distant elegance, politely acknowledging everyone's well-wishes. Armani, on the other hand, seemed somewhat distracted, his eyes would drift toward Theo from time to time, his expression mixed with emotions he couldn't quite hide.
The twin-tailed girl was also receiving considerable attention. Many audience members who adored Skitty swarmed around her, praising how cute her Pokémon was and how creative her performance had been.
Holding the Skitty, already full of energy again, the girl's face blushed a rosy red as she repeatedly said "Thank you, thank you."
Skitty cooperated adorably as well, wagging its little tail and giving everyone its cutest expressions, earning more gasps of admiration.
After waving to the last group of fans around him and saying goodbye to the viewers in the livestream, Theo tapped his screen lightly, ending what had been nearly seven hours of streaming.
Even after the screen faded to black, the lively bullet comments still seemed to linger in the air:
"The streamer was so handsome today I literally forgot how to speak!"
"Feebas's Aurora performance was god-tier, that combo move is unbeatable!"
"Please announce your next competition in advance! I need to prepare to go in person!"
"+1! I want to watch on-site too!"
Only when the screen went completely dark did the comments finally settle into silence.
Theo opened his system panel, unable to stop smiling—the popularity he gained today had surpassed the total of all his previous streams combined.
[Today's Livestream Duration: 6 hours 42 minutes]
[Peak Concurrent Viewers: 2,114,257]
[Total Popularity Points: 5,127,896]
As expected, participating in the Pokémon Contest had been the smartest decision.
Not all Pokémon owners were fond of battles, but very few people could resist the charm of cute Pokémon and the beauty of dazzling combination moves.
It was like idols from his previous life, many could gain a massive fanbase with just their looks alone.
And Theo and Feebas had both beauty and strength, producing a breathtaking performance together. Naturally, they captured countless hearts.
Of course, for now, Theo was undeniably the "face" of their pair. As for later… perhaps once Feebas evolved, they could reconsider how to position themselves as a duo.
"You worked hard today."
Theo lowered his head and gently whispered to the Feebas in his arms. The little one was clearly exhausted, nudging lazily against his palm, its tail swaying weakly.
Just as Theo was about to return Feebas to its Poké Ball and head back to the hotel to rest—
A young girl in the staff uniform jogged over.
"Excuse me, are you Contestant Theo? Champion Wallace asked that you stay for a bit. He said he has something he'd like to talk to you about."
Theo paused for a moment before nodding. "Alright, thank you."
He returned Feebas to rest inside its Poké Ball, then followed the staff member through the crowd toward the backstage lounge of the venue.
As they passed the competitors' resting area, several people were still packing up their things.
The air held faint traces of water vapor and floral scent—the lingering remnants of moves used during the contest.
The lounge was quiet. Only a warm, amber-colored floor lamp was lit.
Wallace sat on the sofa, and on the coffee table before him were two cups of steaming tea. When he saw Theo come in, he waved with a gentle smile.
"Come, sit. You must be tired after finishing the performance."
Theo sat across from him and accepted the cup offered to him. The warmth seeped into his fingertips, easing his fatigue.
"Thank you, Champion Wallace."
Wallace waved dismissively, his gaze drifting toward the Poké Balls at Theo's waist. A trace of nostalgia flickered in his eyes.
"Could you let your Feebas out? I didn't get to observe it carefully on stage."
Theo immediately pressed the Poké Ball.
A flash of red light, and the tired little Feebas appeared on the carpet. Seeing Wallace, it froze for a moment.
It tilted its head dramatically and stared at Wallace's green hair and white coat, then quickly turned to look at Theo.
It looked back and forth between the two of them, its big round eyes blinking rapidly—as if saying:
"Huh? Why are there two of my Trainer??"
"What a cute little one," Wallace said softly.
He reached out, gently lifting Feebas into his arms, lightly scratching the top of its head with his fingertips.
Feebas didn't resist at all—instead, it leaned into his touch, rubbing its face against his fingers and letting out a comfortable little hum.
A wave of affection and nostalgia washed through Wallace's eyes, as though he were seeing memories reflected in Feebas's tiny face.
Smiling, he shook his head and took out a Poké Ball.
"Come, let me introduce you to a friend."
A beam of red light, and Milotic's elegant figure materialized in the room.
Milotic lifted its tail fin gracefully, controlling the moisture in the air so that it floated lightly above the ground. It glided through the air as if wrapped in flowing water, noble and serene.
Upon seeing Feebas, a warm, friendly light rippled through Milotic's gaze. It approached slowly and pressed its smooth forehead gently against Feebas's cheek.
Feebas, filled with curiosity, wagged its fan-shaped tail and released a series of tiny water streams. Using the water to lift itself, it floated upward, circling Milotic with lively movements.
Its round eyes clung to Milotic's shimmering, radiant body—especially the long, ribbon-like tail, which Feebas stared at with pure fascination.
From time to time, it swam close to nuzzle the silky tail, eyes sparkling with admiration.
Milotic acted like a gentle big sister, not at all annoyed by the attention. With a slow flick of its long tail, it brushed its soft tail fin lightly over Feebas's body.
This sent the little Feebas into pure delight, its water streams bubbling with joy.
Right then, the Poké Ball at Theo's waist suddenly shook violently and with a loud "pop," it burst open.
Tyrunt charged out on its stubby legs, wobbling left and right. Its wide eyes were fixed on Milotic and Feebas. Clearly, it wanted to join in the fun.
Milotic welcomed it without hesitation. It flicked its long tail, teasing both Feebas and Tyrunt at once.
Tyrunt was instantly mesmerized by the shimmering tail. With its mouth wide open, it leaned in, wanting to take a curious bite to see what it tasted like.
Milotic flicked its tail swiftly, dodging and teasing the little dinosaur until Tyrunt was dizzy, wobbling in circles and shaking its head dazedly.
Wallace sat in his chair, watching the three Pokémon playing together. The warm smile on his face never faded, his eyes filled with unmistakable tenderness.
(End of Chapter)