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THERE GOES THE PRESENTATION ROUND. Contestants march to the stage one-by-one, bring their plates into the judges’ tables. Some look terrified, not confident with the dish that they have come with for the contest’s duration. Others look overly confident, assured of the fact that they will win the bake-off. But it all boils down to the four remarkable dishes that the judges’ have the pleasure to taste.

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This duo really knows how to impress the crowd.[break][break]

Pompom’s CHARM sets up the expectation for the final round and its trainer Chu-e Choi shows he knows how to handle himself also, taking over the crowd with his overwhelming confidence. Dominique, who is embarrassingly playful as well, catches the imaginary bullet from the contestant’s finger gun, then makes the gesture of kissing his balled palm. This makes Sable and Sophie cringe and Selena chooses to look away at the publicity stunt.[break][break]

The three judges take a piece of the chestos before slicing the giant durin pastry for the three of them. They cut the smaller fruit open and the fragrance of the baked berries dispenses in the air. The flesh is smothered in the luscious Passho sauce before they take a mouthful of the Poires en Croute.[break][break]

To his possible disappointment, it is not his eye candy that loves the dish so much but the eldest of the three Desmarais daughters.[break][break]

“This is astronomical!” Sophie exclaims. “The berries are really bitter and dry, but as you said, they do jive well with the Passho. And booooy that Passho reduction is very sweet. I loooove it! I really do!”[break][break]

Which is pretty much the opposite of what her sister and her father’s reaction appear to be. They give him a small smile and send him away for the next presenters.

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Chu-e Choi presents his PUFF PASTRY WRAPPED DURIN AND CHESTO IN PASSHO ON PASSHO REDUCTION![break][break]

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At Zac Ramsay ’s mention of the word “family,” the three judges turn to Selena with a nudging look. The pinkette, in turn, glares at her eldest sister and rolls her eyes.[break][break]

The presentation surely is different from the rest of the group. Dominique, for one, enjoys live cooking as it builds excitement for the tasters of the dish. The explosion from Boshi’s SHELL TRAP, although it is unheard of when it comes to baking, literally makes an impact. The idea and the presentation excites him, but he is obviously cautious with Zac’s dish.[break][break]

As it slides out of the ramekin, the aroma of caramelization spikes through the air. Each of them are given whole pieces of the tiny pie delights, decorated with intricate placements of the pecha, razz, and oran berries. The pastry is undeniably a work of art.[break][break]

“You are very confident that the berry will cook when you present it to us. But what if it doesn’t? That is undoubtedly stupid.” Apathy coats the words that come out of Sable, her snubness visible in the features of her face that couldn’t be bothered to move.[break][break]

She gets a mouthful slice from the dish, making sure to get a bit of the whisky syrup, the berries, and the pastry it sets on. After a bite, there is a brief moment of delight that touches her soul: tired eyes glisten with bliss and her lips curl a little before her face reverts to its usual mask of indifference. “Stupid. But daring. I like it.”[break][break]

She finds her father and her sister nodding in agreement. They then wipe their faces off, and Dominique’s eyes settle with an intent to probe. In his mind, he thinks the dish is spectacular but it’s because the ingredients are far inferior than the other contestants’. The bigger question is, will it matter in this competition?

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Zac Ramsay presents his own version of DRUNKEN BOUNSWEET PUFF PIE DELIGHT![break][break]

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“I like it.”[break][break]

Dominique’s statement raises confusion for the two other judges who are looking at the dish that is obviously messed up and has been salvaged just enough to make up for the competition. Despite the obvious, Carina’s POLLEN PUFF saves its visuals which manages to make it barely appetizing. And despite the pâtissier lacking some baking measurements or overestimating the length of baking, or even when the ingredients are not the best in the contest, the flavors blend well when cooked in this manner.[break][break]

“What? I see the effort of the chef in this dish.”[break][break]

The patriarch of the Desmarais fortune has been known to be quite eccentric. It is a very unfavorable trait during competitions like this because there are always those instances where the unexpected wins because the two daughter’s dad is a weirdo.[break][break]

They each get a slice of the cake, which despite its lacking visuals compared to the rest of the dishes that has been presented, has a very remarkable aroma that can only be achieved with the right ingredients and his style of cooking. As they fork through its cloudy texture, the cake is soft and the berries are baked to perfection. The Desmarais brandy doesn’t burst with each bite, but it is still enough to give its taster joy.[break][break]

“I respect a man who also respects heritage.” Dominique nods with acknowledgement. “My family is also saved by our business so I truly understand what you mean.”[break][break]

Despite the good words he has for Alexei Ivanov ’s dish, he will be left to wonder if it actually has bearing with the results of the competition.

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Alexei Ivanov presents his PECHA-BLUK-WEPEAR FRUITCAKE![break][break]

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Entering the crowd favorite, chryssa glasgow slides three pieces of the crumb tart into the judges’ table which shimmer underneath the spotlight. The girl’s words sound like a warning, as if her intentions have no priority for them to feel at ease with the food in-front of them. And perhaps, what she says is true that every dish is a risk that people should always be willing to take.[break][break]

The audience claps when she finishes—proving despite her age and perhaps her non-professional status—that she has what it takes to create a dish that will mark Hoenn’s history.[break][break]

The clefairy’s PRESENT creates a wonderful display before it’s time to taste her tart. The glistening filling is definitely eye-catching, the smell of roasted fruits adding a punch into the otherwise tangy flavor of the berries. Contrary to the other dishes, this one has no explosive aroma, but the moment they bring a slice into their mouths and into their nostrils, the explosion of flavors begins to linger, adding a sensation with every bite of the tart.[break][break]

“You do realize we have to dare taste your dish to give an unbiased opinion, correct?” Asks Dominique, who is already chewing happily with his tart piece.[break][break]

“You don’t have to scare us like that!” Sophie shrieks. “It tastes wonderful! There’s no exaggeration!”[break][break]

“Agreed.” Says Sable.

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chryssa glasgow presents her RAZZ-LUM CRUMB TART![break][break]

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THE STEREO BLARES, WHELMING THE PLAZA WITH KALOSIAN POP SONGS AS THE AUDIENCE AND THE CONTESTANTS WAIT FOR THE RESULTS OF THE COMPETITION. The fairgoers are spending their last minute going around the festival grounds, some of which are trying to get a taste of pastries made with Desmarais products baked by Desmarais, Inc. executive chefs themselves. The announcement of the winners marks the end of the celebration as well.[break][break]

A few minutes later, Selena goes up the stage, followed by the judges who hold the trophies and the gift certificates on their hands. “And now, we’re going to announce the winners of the Grand Bake-Off!”[break][break]

She opens the first envelope. “For second runner-up… we have a tie! Alexei Ivanov and Ki Ji-hoon (Chu-e Choi ), please come up the stage.” Selena nods at her fellow Gym Leader, a teasing grin welcomes him on the stage. Then she gives a similar nod to the one that follows, her eyes twinkling for a brief moment, a recollection is still trying to bore from her deepest memories.[break][break]

“For first runner-up…” There is a long pause, gauging the reaction of the audience as they wait for her biggest reveal. “We have chryssa glasgow !”[break][break]

She gestures for the personnel to assist her should she require help, considering the height of the platform from the ground. But before she can even ascend the stage, the confetti launchers have already blasted even when its noise easily drowns with the cheering of the crowd. The name of the contest’s grand winner is the only one left to be called.[break][break]

“The winner of this first Grand Bake-Off Competition is no other than Zac Ramsay !”[break][break]

The audience gives him a round of applause. He is greeted by both Sable and Sophie who gives him the giant board of the gift certificate and the trophy for winning the contest. They then proceed to congratulate the rest of the competitors by giving them medals for participation.[break][break]

Dominique then takes the microphone from his daughter and takes the center stage. “And that concludes today’s festivities! You should expect more like this from us as we extend our activities in Hoenn from Kalos. I’m glad Lilycove City had a good time with us today! See you next time!”[break][break]

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