Back in the waiting room.
Before Baimu could check whether anyone else had returned, a dark shape suddenly hurtled toward him.
It was Hoopa.
He stopped himself from stepping back.
"Little White! You were amazing! That performance was incredible!"
Hoopa shouted excitedly and clamped onto Baimu's head like a Facehugger. "Milotic was awesome!"
"Milo~"
Shiny Milotic swished its tail happily in response. It thought it had done a wonderful job too.
"Hoopa! Get down! Everyone's watching!"
Meray sounded frantic. A moment later, Baimu felt a powerful tug on his face as she apparently tried to pull Hoopa off.
These two...
Don't use someone else's face for a tug-of-war!
It didn't hurt, but if they kept this up, they would draw the staff's attention. Too many people were already watching him, so Baimu quickly pinched Hoopa's little tail.
"Ah!"
Hoopa cried out and let go.
Meray nearly stumbled. Once she regained her footing, she rounded on him, still furious. "Hoopa! You little troublemaker! My brother's definitely going to scold us now!"
"Hee-hee! Meray worries too much~ Did I surprise you, Little White?"
Thick-skinned Hoopa ignored her completely and even had the nerve to ask whether Baimu had been startled.
"You did, you did."
Baimu's answer was halfhearted. He pinched Hoopa's cheeks twice more as Punishment.
Hoopa had probably picked up this bad habit from the Dreepy Siblings. After all, those two were the only other Facehuggers around him who lost all restraint whenever they got excited...
Pokémon picked up bad habits so easily, yet breaking them was another matter entirely.
He glanced around. None of the others had returned yet. Puzzled but not overly concerned, he asked, "Did you use a ring to get into the waiting room?"
Ordinarily, spectators weren't allowed to come and go from the contestants' waiting room.