Although the competition was still two days away, the streets were already bustling like a festival, with little stalls of every kind. Liu Yuan naturally had no intention of working himself into a nervous state before the contest, and Liu Qing wanted to relax as well, so the brothers readily agreed on their plans. They shopped, toured the lake, and dined at the Seven Star Restaurant. The days flew by, and soon the opening day arrived.
"The Wallace Cup Pokémon Contest, hosted by the revered master of Pokémon Contests, Wallace, is being held on the shores of Lake Valor this time!" As the event opened, Bai An, Sinnoh's famous Pokémon Contest host, stood onstage. A photograph of Wallace appeared on the big screen as she continued, "First, let's introduce him. Sometimes he's a Gym Leader, sometimes a League Champion, and sometimes a Top Coordinator, but his true identity is... a supreme genius, the revered master of Pokémon Contests, Wallace!"
Just then, a mass of bubbles suddenly rose from the center of the pool in front of Bai An's stage, forming a towering column of water. As the water fell, it revealed Milotic, gracefully swaying within an Aqua Ring. Milotic used Surf to guide the wave toward the stage, then turned and sent the Aqua Ring down onto it. When the wave dispersed, Wallace appeared in a crouch, wrapped in the Aqua Ring and wearing a Champion's cape with a white exterior and a blue-green lining. He rose stylishly and called, "Good morning, my friends in Sinnoh! Wallace, the master of Pokémon Contests, has arrived on the Lake Valor stage!" As he finished, six fountains shot up from the pool, and Milotic slowly descended from the air to his side, drawing thunderous cheers from the audience.
"Just what you'd expect from