One by one, the contestants made their entrance!
The Master Class Showcase began straight away with the freestyle performance.
In the Rookie Class, the reason for having a Theme Performance in the first round was to evaluate the level of coordination and cooperation between performers and their Pokémon.
But in the Master Class, anyone who managed to qualify had already proven their bond and teamwork. There was no need to test the basics anymore.
"Excellent! Then let's dive directly into the freestyle performances. Let me explain the rules: Contestants will be grouped into threes. Each performer will first have one minute of solo performance time. After all three have finished, they will then perform together for one minute. Once the performances conclude, the voting begins!"
"The winner of each group advances to the semifinals. Whoever triumphs in the semifinals earns the right to stand on stage against none other than Kalos Queen Aria herself!"
"Now then, let's begin! Please welcome the first group of performers!"
As host Pierre stepped back, the first group entered the stage.
Among them was Jessie—who, under her elegant alter ego "Jessilee," had managed to scrape together three Princess Keys by competing in small, out-of-the-way Rookie Showcases where Serena and her friends weren't present.
And this time, Jessilee's very first opponent was none other than Nini, the chubby girl partnered with a cheeky Smoochum.
Nini sent out Smoochum, Jessilee called upon her Pumpkaboo, while the third performer used a Scraggy.
Jessilee, despite her tendency to lose to Serena and others "with a certain light around them," was undeniably skilled as a performer. Against ordinary opponents, she was overwhelming.
Unsurprisingly, she clinched the first victory.
Nini burst into tears, realizing her Master Class dream had ended in the very first round.
Then the second group and third group took the stage one after another.
"Alright! Up next, please welcome our next group of performers: Serena, Miette, and Shulin!"
"Finally! It's Serena's turn!"
Unbeknownst to Serena, her mother Grace had also come to Gloire City—wanting to see with her own eyes how far her daughter had come, and to cheer for her silently.
Ash, Clemont, and Bonnie waved from the audience, shouting encouragement.
"Let's go, Braixen!"
"Brai!"
Serena paired up with her Braixen, while Miette chose her Slurpuff. Shulin, the third performer, stepped forward with her Accelgor.
"Serena, let's both give it our all! No matter who loses, no hard feelings, alright?"
Miette smiled warmly. Despite being rivals, she considered Serena a true friend.
The three of them gave their all on stage. Serena's face was flushed red from the effort of dancing, making her look all the more radiant and captivating.
"Very well! The performer advancing from this group is… Serena! Congratulations!"
Serena had made it through!
Watching from her reserved seat, Aria smiled brightly. Seeing Serena advance genuinely delighted her.
"Serena, I'll be waiting for you in the finals. Don't let me down."
She already knew about Palermo's interest in Serena. While she celebrated Serena's success, she also reminded herself not to falter.
Elsewhere, Shauna performed brilliantly with her Ivysaur and Flabebe, managing to secure her own spot in the semifinals.
And so, the stage was set for the semifinals: Serena, Jessilee, and Shauna.
This time, Serena appeared alongside her Pancham and Sylveon.
With Sylveon's Fairy Wind and Swift, paired with Pancham's Stone Edge and Dark Pulse, Serena crafted a dazzling performance filled with rhythm, elegance, and spectacle.
Shauna relied heavily on her Ivysaur's Vine Whip, using it to spin gracefully across the stage like a performer in an aerial dance routine. Her Flabebe provided glittering fairy energy to complement the display.
Jessilee unleashed a theatrical performance with her Meowth dressed as a clown, alongside her Gourgeist, filling the stage with bizarre yet colorful energy.
"Because this is the semifinals, the voting won't only come from our live audience here in Gloire City. Viewers watching from home across the Kalos region can also vote! So now, everyone—pick up your glow sticks, grab your phones, and get ready to cast your vote!"
Immediately, countless sparkling points of light filled the air, representing votes streaming in from across the region. Each performer's tally appeared on the massive screen overhead.
Serena's numbers surged ahead at an astonishing pace, quickly outstripping both Jessilee and Shauna.
At last, the result was clear—Serena was the one moving forward to the finals!
"Congratulations, Serena! Your next and final opponent will be none other than the reigning Kalos Queen, Miss Aria! You now have ten minutes to rest and prepare before the grand finale begins!"
With Pierre's announcement, Serena and Aria both left to ready themselves for the final, decisive stage.
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