"May, Max, we meet again!" Liu Qing greeted them as he arrived at Gate Three. "By the way, May, you and Wartortle looked beautiful in your battle at the park this morning!"
"Oh! You saw it too, Mr. Liu Qing?" May asked in surprise. Hearing Liu Qing's praise, Wartortle turned around in the water and gave him a cry. May looked puzzled, though. "But we didn't see you!"
"We were in a car and saw you as we passed the park. Your battle with Mr. Nando drew quite a crowd. There were so many people that we couldn't get through, so we didn't stop," Cynthia explained.
"You and Lady Cynthia know Mr. Nando too?!" Max asked, slightly surprised, then continued admiringly, "Mr. Nando is amazing! He's a bard and a Coordinator, and he made the top four at the last Sinnoh Pokémon Contest Grand Festival. He even earned eight badges and qualified for the Sinnoh League!"
"I've also had the good fortune to face Mr. Nando in a Contest battle. He truly is remarkable! Getting to race in the same group as Lady Cynthia and Mr. Liu Qing is sure to make this an unforgettable competition!" said the competitor riding a Milotic who had been talking to May.
"Oh, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Bifang, an excellent Coordinator! Even our brief conversation gave me plenty of inspiration!" May introduced him to Liu Qing and Cynthia.
"Your views on Pokémon Contests have given me plenty of inspiration too, Miss May..." Bifang looked to be in his twenties, with short, tousled blue hair and gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. His features were handsome and mature, and his eyes shone with intelligence. Put him in a suit, and he would have looked like a typical urban office professional.
While Liu