The venue buzzed with excitement.
The familiar symphony of a Pokémon Contest played on.
Vivian raised her right hand and greeted the packed stands of people and Pokémon, then called out in a voice that stirred the crowd:
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Pokémon Contest hosted by Master Wallace—the Wallace Cup!"
"I'm sure you all know where we are today. That's right! We're in Master Wallace's hometown, Sootopolis City!"
The audience, which had waited so long, erupted in cheers.
The sea of white hats in the front rows showed just how powerful Wallace's appeal was.
In the waiting room, contestants crowded around a television showing a live feed of the venue. Excitement and anticipation shone on their faces.
"It's starting!"
"Is Master Wallace about to come out?"
"Come on, come on! Wallace is making his entrance!"
Baimu stood among the crowd, surrounded by Lisia and a group of girls dressed to impress. Wally and Brock had been squeezed off somewhere out of sight.
He watched the enormous screen, curious to finally see Wallace.
He had stayed at Sootopolis Gym for days without catching a single glimpse of him.
Was Wallace busy?
That wasn't it.
According to Lisia, Wallace had stayed away because he didn't want his devoted fans following him there and camping outside. That would cause trouble for Officer Jenny and disturb both the semi-retired Juan and the contestants preparing for the competition.
What a considerate man.
No wonder Steven considered him a dear friend. The two were cut from the same cloth when it came to treating others kindly.
As Baimu thought this, Vivian called sweetly from the television:
"Now, allow me to introduce—"
Dun!
An image suddenly appeared on the venue's largest screen.
A slender, well-proportioned man with teal hair and a white hat stood on