Since my last encounter with a redheaded girl, I never would have expected such a good one to happen. And never would I have expected to see her nearby. 

  What happened was..... After practicing with my Pokemon the night before, that following morning, Clara waved a flyer in my face. To face all the old Ghastlys, I went to the event. Poke Puff baking.

  Stir the bowl.... Whisk, whisk.... The baking mantra is still in my head. Of course, I was only able to be really successful thanks to one girl who helped me, the girl who changed my bad luck with redheads; a girl named Chloe.

  Later that day, in the late afternoon, I was walking down the streets of Dendemille Town, the town of windmills, silently planning out our group's next destination, when....

  "Litleo! Let's do it!"That all brings me to now. In a quiet spot is the girl and her Pokemon. Chloe, a Litleo, and a Spritzee.

  "Dun dun...." Chloe quickly taps her foot on the ground, her Little balancing itself on its one paw. "Dun dun dun..." Chloe, humming a beat that gets faster and faster, does the same with her feet and begins dancing. A couple of fast single twirls, and Litleo continues the fast paced dance. The little Spritzee flies around the two, creating a somewhat unreal and enchanting realm with Misty Terrain.

  The clearing is surrounded by a shimmering fog, and Chloe slowly turns, eyes closed. When she brings herself to a stop, her eyes open, and she spots me.

  "H-hi." I nervously greet her, the rest of my body hidden behind a lone tree.

  "Hello. You look familiar." 

  "You helped me bake." 

  "Not that. Something... Else...." Chloe gets closer, closely eyeing my face.

  "Showcase?" Was she in the Dendemille Town Showcase? Perhaps I didn't notice.

  "That's it! You're the winner! Millie!"

  I blush at her excitement. I only won once. It's not like I'm Matinee. "Yes."

  Chloe gets even closer, squealing like a happy Grumpig."It was so wonderful! I only have one key, and I couldn't participate so soon."

  "Why not?"

  "Practice makes perfect." Chloe wags her index finger in the air."My grandfather always said that I'd have to sacrifice one competition to win all of them."

  "So wise." It's a bit weird for me to be casually talking to another girl that's not Clara or my Pokemon. On top of that, she's a Pokemon Performer like me, so we relate on many levels. 

  "Then again, he hates that I never chose an Ice-Type Pokemon for my partner, so...."

  "Litleo!"

  Chloe picks up her dark brown Pokemon, cuddling it."My precious pal Litleo! I'm sure that we can win together!"

  Just like my Petilil!"That's so sweet."

  Chloe then sighs, loosening her grip a bit, which seems to surprise even her Pokemon. "I want to make my performance work, but I don't know if Fairy matches with Fire."

 But her performance was good...."If it looks good, then it has to be just perfect!"

  "Hm?"

 I fold my hands together."Don't push yourself. Just having fun in itself is perfection, right? Then that's how your performance should be!"

  At first I regret my odd advice, but Chloe smiles energetically. "You're right! I should just have fun!"

  I giggle. I'd never imagine that I'd be the one giving another performer advice! 

  "Guess I'm just a little frustrated, losing to a girl who now has two Princess Keys."

  "Girl?" Matinee? "Who is this girl?"

  "She's French, blonde hair. She even SOUNDS like Monsieur Pierre. Madam Bijou."

  I've never heard of her."Is she really good?"

  Chloe's energy weakens, and she slowly nods."She performs with two Pichus and a Tigepi. She must be really lucky, too. It's as if she made her sleeping Togepi stand up!"

  I won once, and I'm not even close to lucky. But for once, it was as if the stars were shining on me for a change.

  "It's not because of her wins," Chloe further explains, setting down her Litleo."Her Togepi uses Metronome, and it always seems to work out no matter what. She's so lucky."

  Metronome? An image of Clara appears in my mind, her teaching me about moves."Metronome is completely random! Be it an Ice Beam or a Dig or an Explosion, any is possible with Metronome!" I remember her exact words, even my question about moves exclusive to Legandary Pokemon.

 "Yes! Yes! A million times yes! Metronome is really risky, and one shouldn't play with it!" She made sense up until only that point, when afterwards she said I could do whatever I want with a move like that.

  "Like in one performance, she had Togepi use it, and it became Sonic Boom! Her Pichu were so quick on it, too! I wonder if they're all in the luck!"

  I doubt that's the reason."Perhaps she's just skilled in performing under any circumstances. "

  Chloe stares wide-eyed at me like a confused Deerling."What?"

  "I don't think it's luck, per say, maybe she just has the ability to stay composed and work with what she's given.

  Chloe rubs the side of the top of her head, her fountain tails moving with her fingers." I guess you're right. She always wins Theme Performances."

 Another rival I'll have to face. I cross my fingers being my back. I won't let them beat me!

  Chloe sighs, as if she turned from a young teenage girl into an exhausted elderly man. "Anistar City had better be as slow as a Tirtouga."

  "Why Anistar?"

  "The next Showcase us there! The one we'll be in!"

  "Right!" I quickly dig into my bag, pulling out a map. Anistar City.... I finally spot it, and it's right next to Dendemille Town! Well, not RIGHT next to it, but it's the next town if we continue in the direction we've been going.

  "I need some new ideas." Chloe, from happy to down on her luck to old man and finally from depressed, leaps with vigor st my suggestion.

  "Perhaps a battle?"

              Chapter 10.....End! ; )