In the white light.
The Pokémon said to be the most beautiful of all gradually took shape.
Its once-sparse tail fins lengthened into magnificent, leaf-shaped fans of scales, while its shabby, patchy scales became beautiful, elongated hexagons.
Its upper body stretched out. Its gaunt fish head became a graceful, full-featured face; its pectoral fins receded, hairlike feelers grew from either side of its head and fell downward, and two long tendrils rose from its brow to form a heart.
Its dorsal fin became a single horn pointing straight toward the sky, and its dull, dark-ringed eyes became bright, expressive pools of pale blue.
At last.
The light faded.
Shiny Milotic stretched her dazzling body. Her gold and red scales shimmered beneath the sunlight that broke through the clouds, gleaming with rainbow colors. Her cream-colored upper body and pale-blue, hairlike fins gave off a peculiar sense of calm.
She looked down at everyone watching her, then lazily closed her limpid eyes.
Inside the venue.
Silence fell.
Even the most restless hearts grew peaceful.
Gyarados had long since stopped spinning in the pool, and Pelipper had landed on the water. They looked up alongside their trainers.
Their gazes held both awe and irrepressible longing.
It was as though Shiny Milotic had stolen their souls.
Suddenly.
BEEEEEP!
A shrill blast like a steam whistle rang out.
Water Tornado dissipated. Shiny Milotic fell from high above, but Blissey quickly caught her with Psychic and brought her over. Only then did the spectators snap out of their daze.
Some instinctively touched their cold cheeks and discovered that tears had streamed down their faces without their noticing.
It had been spectacular.
It had been so long since they had seen a performance that spectacular!
And this was no scene crafted for a film or television drama.