Forest Stroll
"Come on... You can attract more attention than that!" White watched from behind the curtain, along with three other trainers.
"Hey, keep it down, they can hear us out there!" Another trainer tapped her on the shoulders.
"Oops, sorry." White folded her arms and sat down.
White's Lilligant, dressed in a beautiful white cape, top hat, with a cane and mask.
She danced quickly around the stage with the other Pokemon.
She swung her cane around as the spotlight came onto her and sang a happy tune.
Although Lilligant's body was completely into the musical, she had a rather bored look on her face.
"..." White stared at her Pokemon, intently, "Wh... What is she doing? Instead of dancing with the man of her dreams, she looks like she's about to fall asleep!"
The Lilligant threw a flower into the audience and the show ended.
"Well, that could have been a lot better." White sighed as she stepped into the Musical Theater's lobby.
"Tell me about it!" Black join her with a yawn, "That was the most boring thing I've ever seen. I'd rather be watching the foot ball game only a few blocks away!"
"Black, you're not helping." White glared at her travel partner.
"Mmm, sorry. I guess." The boy leaned back, hands in pockets, and rolled his eyes.
"That show was wonderful!" A kind old woman walked up to White, handing over two small wings. "These are black wings. I do hope you'll use them, won't you?"
White looked down at them and formed a fake smile on her face. "Err... Y-Yeah, I will. Thanks."
White and Black left the musical building, as White stuffed various gifted props into her Prop Case.
"Wow, you sure got a nice collection after just one musical." Black laughed, lightly.
"Mmhm." White took out one of the props.
She released Lilligant from the Pokeball and tried the small chef's apron around her waist. "...Hey, that actually looks pretty nice!" White giggled and stood up to pose. "I'm going to be best trainer to join the musicals, ever!"
"Yeah, well, I say we go check out the roller coaster now!" Black pulled at White's arm.
He wasn't watching where we was going and walked right into someone.
The two trainers fell on top of each other, like dominoes, and starred up at the trainer with long, green hair, looking right back down at them.
"N-N?" White and Black both exclaimed in union.
Black was the first to jump to his feet. "What do YOU want, N?"
N remained calm, with a blank face, showing the slight emotion of confusion. "Oh..." He helped White to her feet.
White brushed the dirt off her shorts and put her attention onto N.
"Pokemon sing and dance, dressed up in costumes, for Human entertainment..." N pondered. "May I ask you something?"
"You want to ask us something?" White glared at the young man. "You know, last time I saw you on that Ferris Wheel, you told me that you were the king of Team Plasma! You're the one behind all of the bad things that have happened!"
"Yeah, what makes you think that we'd answer anything for you?" Black yelled at N. "...Wait, you two went on the Ferris Wheel together?"
"Sh-Shut up!"
"Pokemon Musicals..." N continued to talk.
The two trainers focused their attention on him again.
"A-Are they... Fun?" The green haired king grinned somewhat childishly.
There was a brief moment of silence before White and Black burst into a rage of laughter.
"H-Hey, I'm s-serious!" N waved his arms around, in a fit.
"What do you mean 'are they fun'...?" White patted her Lillygant, happily. "The Pokemon Musicals are the most fun I've had all my life!"
N's eyes lightened. "Oh? Is that so?"
"Yeah, of course it is!"
"Well, I don't really like them." Black admitted quietly, so no one could hear him.
"Well, maybe I'll..."
"Lord N, Lord N!" A member of Team Plasma came running over to them.
"Hm? Yes?" N blinked. "What are you doing out here? You have your orders!"
"S-Sorry, my Lord... But the Seventh Sage, Ghetsis wanted you to come back with us for now." The grunt bowed quickly.
N raised his hand and the grunt stood up. "Alright. I'd might as well tell him about my new target, then." N turned to White and Black, then waving. "We'll meet again very soon!"
"Oh, I bet." Black rolled his eyes.
Not long after that, N left with the grunt.
"New target...?" White wondered, "...Wait. What are they doing right now?"
"Hmm... I say we follow them!" Black instantly ran after them.
"Ah... Fine." White ran to join him, "But only because I'm as curious as you are!"
The trainers followed N, who was accompanied by the grunt, and later two of the Sages.
They traveled until they were under the nearby Bridge.
White and Black slowly crept behind a corner of the bridge, to listen without being seen.
"N." Ghetsis looked back at N, impatiently.
"Sorry for the wait, father." N snickered.
Ghetsis glared at the boy.
He grabbed N by the collar, threateningly. "I don't suppose you'll be calling me that again, will you?"
"Ack... Guess not."
Ghetsis released him and N cleared his throat.
"Wow, is that really the way they treat their own king...?" White blinked.
"Lovely bunch?" Black grinned at his joke.
White hit him, hard over the head.
"...Ow, sorry, White, hehh, hehh!"
"You'd better be."
"Now..." N began to talk. "I think we should postpone our plans here until I get to see something."
The was a moment of chatter among Team Plasma after hearing this.
"Wh-What do you mean 'postpone', boy?" Ghetsis stuttered, "What could be more important then liberation, the reason Team Plasma even exists?"
N smiled at the head sage. "Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long. All I want to do is see them all. After that we can go right back to what we were doing!"
Ghetsis was silent. "...What exactly is it that you want to see?"
N smiled, cheerfully. "Something I've always wanted to see, but I'm not really sure about it... The Pokemon Musi-"
"H-Hey! Lemme go!" Black struggled as a grunt pulled him and White out to where the Team Plasma could see.
"These little brats have been listening to everything!" The grunt called out.
"White and Black?" N blinked, though not completely surprised.
"Those meddling trainers..." Ghetsis grumbled. "Don't just stand there, get rid of them!" He gave the order to the grunts.
They each ran towards White and Black, Pokemon in hand.
"So it's a battle you want..." Black and White escaped the grunt's grip and summoned out their Pokemon.
"Before you fight..." N stopped two, selected grunts, "You two, come with me. While these Pokemon trainers are kept busy, we will put my plan into action."
"Y-Yes, Lord N!" The grunts bowed and followed him, back to Nimbasa City.
"Quick, now use magical leaf!"
White's Lilligant did as it was commanded and shoot pointed leaves at the enemy Pokemon.
The Pokemon of the first three grunts were quickly wiped out.
"Only five more left and we can get out of here..." White quickly used a potion to restore Lilligant's health.
"Still, five against the two of us... That's still kinda unfair." Black exclaimed.
"Hehh, hehh!" A grunt laughed, "Well, that's what you get for meddling with Team Plasma!"
"Hmph..." Black grumbled to himself, "...C'mon, Tepig! Use flame charge!"
A flame went all around his Tepig, and it charged at the enemy Pokemon, knocking them all down.
"...H-Huh?" The grunts gasped, "G-Get up! How can we lose to two kids?"
"And that's what happens if you mess with us!" Black laughed as he and White called their Pokemon back.
"Now if you'll excuse us..." White pushed back the grunts, but was held back when a grunt grabbed hold of her arm.
"Hang on! You're not going anywhere until we say you can go!"
"Oh come on! We need to find out what N's up to!" White tried to break free.
"H-HEY! IS ANYONE DOWN HERE?" A familiar voice called out from the entrance to the bridge. "Listen, there's something really weird going on in Nimbasa City!"
"...Huh?" White and Black looked around to see who was talking.
"Whoa-WHAAH!" Bianca slipped on some dirt and fell down down the hill by the bridge.
"A-AHH, WATCH WHERE YOU'RE ROLLING!" The grunts panicked.
The sages each stepped out of the way as Bianca rolled right through them, knocking down each grunt.
"B-Bianca?" White blinked.
"Thanks for the help!" Black grinned.
"Uggg... N-No... Problem..." Bianca slowly got up, feeling quite dizzy, but fell right back down.
She snapped out of confusion and jumped to her feet. "L-Listen guys! There's something going on at the Musical Theater and I have a bad feeling about it!"
"The Music Theater...?" White blinked.
"C-Could it be N?" Black didn't waste a second and ran for the exit, "If that's it, then we can't waste any more time!"
"Right!" White chased after him.
"...A-And I'll be right behind you!" Bianca quickly followed, but much slower.
"W-What should we do?" The grunts watched the trainers escape.
"Oh, just leave them, we have better things to do!" Ghetsis snorted.
"Yes sir."
"Wha-What's going on here?" White and Black gasped.
"See what I told you?" Bianca pointed to the long line of trainers in front of the Musical Theater.
The streets were filled with the longest line up anyone had ever seen.
Two of the Team Plasma grunts that N had come with him were standing at the entrance.
"Four at a time, and hurry up!" A grunt snapped at a trainer.
"Um... Excuse me?" Black poked a trainer.
"Hm? Yeah, what do you want?" The trainer sounded quite annoyed.
"Mind telling me what's going on?"
"You don't know?" The trainer scowled, "That stupid Team Plasma had anyone with Pokemon stop whatever they were doing to stand in this stupid line until we get to the Musical Theater, where we'll have to put on a show for the leader."
"...That would be N, then." Black grinned, "Thanks, 'luck!" He ran over to join the others. "Looks like N's forcing everyone to put on a show for him."
"You mean... N wants to watch the musical?" White smiled slightly, "I would have never guess that he was a musical lover!"
"Yeah, yeah, let's just see if we can get in!"
"Shouldn't we wait in line...?" Bianca ask, nervously.
"What? No! We'll be in that line all day!" Black snapped and ran over to the grunt.
"Black, wait up!" White and Bianca chased after him.
"Hey, you!" Black pointed in the first grunt's face.
"What... You again?" Both grunts exclaimed, "How did you defeat the others?"
"Nobody can beat us! You of all people should know that!" Black posed, proudly.
"Yeah, well, we'll see about that..." The grunts were about to throw their pokeballs when N stopped them.
"It's fine, you can let them in." N smiled at the trainers.
"Y-Yes, Lord N..." The grunts sighed and allowed Black, followed by Bianca in.
"...I-Is that the guy we have to perform for?" Trainers in the lineup began to talk amongst themselves at the sight of N.
"He's kinda... d-dreamy!"
"He looks like a hippie to me. Why do we have to perform for a hippie?"
N blinked. "I-I'm not a hippie!" He waved his arms around.
White laughed to herself.
N looked back at her, embarrassed. "D-Don't laugh!"
"Heh, hehh... Let's just go in!" White grinned.
"...R-Right." N followed her in and the grunts closed the door.
"...Do I look like a hippie to you?" N ask as he and White walked.
"A little." She giggled.
"O-Oh..."
They made their way to the Musical Theater's main hall, where Black and Bianca stood, arms crossed.
"Ah... Is something wrong?" N blinked.
"You bet there is." Black glared at the king, "What's your deal with the Musical Theater? It's not even that great!"
N twirled a finger around in his hair, nervously, "Well, Black, the truth is that I've... Never actually seen a Musical."
"...Y-You haven't?" White and Bianca exchanged glances.
"No... I grew up in the Castle of Team Plasma. And I never set foot out of that castle until about a year ago. This will be my first time ever seeing a musical. So... I want to see the performance of every Pokemon in this City."
"So that's why you're making everyone perform against their will?" White wondered.
"Well. That's one way to put it." N chuckled. "When I saw your Lilligant earlier, she was enjoying herself quite a bit... I wanted to see if all Pokemon are as happy as she is when performing on stage..."
"Oh..." The trainers calmed down a little.
"Well... That still doesn't give you an excuse!" White huffed.
"H-Hm?"
"Yeah!" Bianca stomped her foot, "If you wanted to see the musical, all you had to do was enter normally! You didn't have to force everyone to do something they didn't want to do! It's not fair to them!"
"I don't really care about musicals." Black rolled his eyes.
The girls both glared at him.
"...Well, then what do you think I do should do?" N crossed his arms.
"O-Oh, well..." White thought, and the others all looked at her. "Maybe... We should find a way to make up for wasting the time of those trainers."
"And how are we going to do that?"
"Maybe... We could put on a show for them!"
"Wait... W-What?" N blinked, "You mean... We'll be putting on a musical that they can watch?"
"Yes!" White cheered, "That's exactly what I meant!"
"Yay!" Bianca sang, jumping up and down.
"...Seriously?" Black stared at her.
"B-But, White!" N protested, "My friends and I have never been in a Pokemon Musical before!"
"Oh, it's not hard! Now what musical should we do?"
N sighed as White continued talking with Bianca, "I wonder what Ghetsis would think of this..."
Outside, the two grunts at the front doors attempted to keep the annoyed trainers under control. Everyone became instantly quiet when N came out once more, and whispered a thing or two to the grunts.
"A-Are you sure, Lord N?"
"Of course I'm sure! Why wouldn't I be?" N spoke in a nervous tone.
"Well, don't let those trainers boss you around too much, remember, you're the king!"
"Yes, though I don't really object. Just tell these trainers what's going on."
N went back inside of the Musical Theater and the grunts lined up side-by-side to speak to the trainers.
"Okay, trainers, listen up!" The grunts called out.
"Huh? What's going on?"
"I'd bet that hippie just wants us to donate to charity or something."
"Ahaha!"
"...SHUT UP." A grunt snapped.
"There's been a change of plans!" The other one explained.
"A change of plans...?"
"Maybe they're finally deciding to let us go!"
The grunt blinked, "You're making this... Really hard for me..."
"We should have brought a whip." The other grunt sighed, then turning into a morbid chuckle.
"Heh, hehh, hehh, hehh! That would teach these stupid trainers!"
The grunt cleared her throat, "Yes, a change in plans! Now, instead of performing for the King of Team Plasma, the trainers who entered a while ago will be performing for you!"
"Performing for us...?"
"Now this, I want to see!"
"That's right!" The other grunt continued, "Now head on in to be seated, then wait for it to start!"
As the grunt said that, the door was opened and the trainers all began to walk in.
"...I just hope Lord N doesn't make himself look even more like an idiot."
Black tore Bianca's prop case wide open and began looking through it.
"S-Stop it, Black!" Bianca ran over and hit him repeatedly over the back.
"Sorry if I can't find a single good one!" Black argued.
"Well, you don't just mess everything up! Put some things back where you found them!"
"Hmph!"
Bianca plopped down beside him and looked through each item. "...Hey, how about these? They're very elegant!"
"Whatever, just for as long as it doesn't make my Tepig look stupid!" Black sat back, arms crossed.
Bianca pulled out a few different props: a white domino mask, white cape, gentleman's hat, and a cane. "There!"
"So my Tepig is the phantom of the opera, now?"
Bianca giggled, "I guess so!" She pulled out and gave her Oshawott decorative ribbon, with a purse and a little tambourine. "This is going to be the best musical ever!"
"Sure it is..." Black rolled his eyes.
"Oh, be quiet!" Bianca pouted, with Oshawott right beside, pouting with her.
"U-Uhh..." Black blinked.
"Now, what is the first step?" N knelled down at the floor, looking down at the little prop case, belonging to White.
"Oh, this is where you can dress up your Pokemon!" White joined him on the ground and took out a lace cap. She tied it around Lilligant's head. "Isn't this fun?"
"I see... So we're simply dressing up the Pokemon in Human-like clothes." N dug through the case, not truly happy with the idea.
"Oh... Yeah, I guess."
"Well, if that's the case..." N pulled out two props: a crown, and a tiara. He called his Zorua over and put the crown over it's head. "I say we should have a Pokemon king and queen for this."
"Huh?" White blinked, "That's a good idea. Who's gonna have the role for the queen?"
N smiled, "Lilligant will do, if she likes."
The Lilligant blushed at the thought of this role and N chuckled. He took off the lace cap, and placed the tiara on her head.
"And last, but not least..." White pulled out a necklace, "A beautiful necklace to go with a beautiful tiara!"
"Yes..." N also gave his Zorua a white cape. "And to further the lovely lady's costume, a simple rose." He handed the Lilligant a prop rose.
The Lilligant spun around and then bowed to the Zorua.
N and White both laughed.
"And now, welcome to the Musical Theater of Unova!" The first grunt exclaimed on the stage, after receiving word from N that they were ready.
"About time!"
"Yeah, I was getting bored! You people sure do like making us wait!"
"Shut your face." The grunt glared at the trainer, who became quiet. "Thank-you!"
"Today we'll be showing: A Sweet Soirée! Now, this is a musical brought to you by the King N, of Team Plasma!" The other grunt continued, "And so, if he manages to make a fool of himself, keep the laughter to a minimum, please!"
Many snickers came from the audience, and the grunts ran off the stage, pulling the curtains up as the room became dark.
"Alright, do your best out there!" N smiled at his Zorua, "The same goes for you, Lilligant! Do your best, now!" He wiped a tear away and embraced the Pokemon.
"You... Really love Pokemon, don't you?" White couldn't help but to slap her hand over her forehead.
"Yes, why?" N blinked.
"Well... It's just the way that you're holding my Lilligant..."
"...H-Hm?" N released the Lilligant right away and quickly got up on his feet, with a bright red face.
White couldn't help but to laugh.
"Okay, Oshawott, I know you can do it!" Bianca giggled and patted it on the head.
Black looked directly into his Tepig's eyes, "Tepig... I pity you."
"Huh...?" White grinned excitedly as music began to play, "Music! It's starting!"
"Great!" N got up.
The Pokemon got together in a line, and danced onto the stage.
N leaned against the wall and watched, "This is very exciting."
"Yeah, I bet! Now we need to be quiet. They can hear what we say if we aren't."
The Pokemon aligned themselves up on stage, and began to dance to the side of the stage.
Then, dancing to the other side.
The jumped up into the air.
"Wh-Whoa!" N was taking back, "I have never seen any of my friends jump so high!"
"N, shhh!"
"Hey, Plasma guy! We can hear you!" A trainer shouted out, "Quit talking so your stupid Pokemon can dance!"
N's face became red with a rage the moment he heard that.
He peeked his head out from the curtain and shook his fist, "My friends are not stupid!"
The trainer glared at him, "Well, SOMEONE must be a disappointment to his father!"
The grunts popped up behind the trainer, giggling, "Oh trust us, he is!"
The crowd burst into a laugh.
N glared, somewhat evilly at them. "As soon as this is over, remind me to have those grunts beheaded."
"I-I wouldn't go that far..." White pulled him back into the backstage area, "Okay, the show can continue now!"
Lilligant twirled itself around Zorua as the Pokemon each began to dance with each other.
Tepig slowly got up onto it's back legs, and danced with Oshawott.
They jumped once more and then danced to the side of the stage again.
They stepped backwards, and then turned, dancing quickly around the stage.
The spotlight hit Zorua, and it quickly did a somersault across the floor.
The spotlight went on to Lilligant, who tossed the rose into the audience.
It was caught by a young girl, who giggled.
"How elegant!" N wiped a tear away, completely forgetting about the trainer.
After the spotlight hit it, Tepig danced around, swinging the cane around it's arm.
Lastly in the spotlight, Oshawott danced as it played the tambourine in rhythm to the music.
The Pokemon danced back and fourth on the stage, soon bowing to the audience, who clapped as they danced back off stage.
"I... Guess that wasn't half bad." The trainer yawned and stretched out his arms.
The two grunts exchanged glances at each other.
"Guys. c'mon!" White, grabbed hold of N and Black's hands, with Bianca, ran out on stage.
The four trainers then bowed to the crowd, which cheered.
Back in the dress-up room, the trainers each stood around, telling their favorite parts and congratulating their Pokemon.
"So, N!" White smiled, "How was that?"
N returned the smile, "It was... Interesting. I really enjoyed it, and by the sounds of it, so did my friends."
"Hey..." The first grunt stepped in and leaned against the wall, "You people... You all look like you're great friends with Lord N, but you're also our enemies."
"Yeah," The second grunt followed in after her.
He scratched his head, confused. "Who exactly are you guys?"
"Oh..." N laughed nervously, "Yes, I suppose I'm the only member of Team Plasma who knows any of your names."
"Okay...?"
N cleared his throat, "Ahem, well..." He placed a hand over White's shoulder, "This is the lovely Queen White!"
White blinked.
N then pointed over to Black and Bianca, "And these are her travel companions, the Prince Black, and Princess Bianca."
Bianca blushed, "Ooh, you really see me as a princess?"
"Well, of course! And quite a pretty little one, too!"
"H-Hang on!" Black shook his fist at N, "The way you called me White's 'travel companion' makes me sound like the weakest trainer here!"
"Well, it is true that you have a lot of work to do before you can defeat me!" N grinned.
"T-Take that back!" Black gestured as of he wanted to hit the green haired king.
"Okay, break it up, you two!" White tapped them both on the shoulders.
"Well... Nice to meet these trainers." The grunts giggled at the names that N had given them.
"It's, err, nice to meet you too!" Bianca said, nervously.
The trainers continued to talk and tease each other as they left the building.
N held in his hands, a small prop case that had been given to him by the manager of the musical after the show.
"Hm?" White blinked when she noticed it.
She walked over to N and grinned, "Hey, you got a prop case!"
"So I did..." N looked through the few props that were already inside it. "What do you think this means?"
"Shouldn't you know?" White laughed, "This just means that now you can come here and do a musical for everyone anytime you like!"
"Ah, I see!" N smiled, "So if that's it, then before our battle at the Pokemon League, I'd like it if we could do this again!"
"You're really set on fighting us, aren't you..."
"Of course I am. It's all I've been thinking about for so long." N blushed, a bit embarrassed, "...I'm really looking forward to it."
"Well, you'll have a tough time beating me!" White grinned, proudly. "But in the meantime, let's have lots of fun as friends!"
N smiled, "Yes, that will be nice." He left White's side to be accompanied with the Grunts. "After all, you are my first human friends!"
"WHAT?" Ghetsis nearly screamed at his son as he pasted back and fourth in front of N, who lounged in his throne. "All that, you even interrupted the rest of us, for just some Pokemon Musical?"
"You wouldn't understand..." N sighed sadly.
"Understand?" Ghetsis' entire face twitched, "Oh, I understand perfectly! I completely understand what a disappointment of a son you are!"
He lifted up his hand to attack the him, but it was caught by N.
"Is that any way to treat your king?" N glared a him, coldly.
He let go of Ghetsis, who gave a harsh huff and walked off.
N let out another quick sigh and slid down in his throne.
"Why do things have to be so hard...?"
"Oh, you wouldn't believe what happened today!" Bianca exclaimed, excitedly to Charen later that evening.
"And what happened?" Charen asked, full of interest.
"...Trust me," Black looked at him with an unamused face, "You won't be interested."
"Well," Bianca ignored Black and began to talk, "First I saved these two from that Team Plasma!"
"T-Team Plasma?" Charen didn't lack excitement for the story at all.
"Yeah! Then we went to Nimbasa City, where we got to do a Pokemon Consert with N!"
"N-N? Team Plasma's leader?"
"And then, and then, h-he called me a p-princess!" Bianca was completely enthralled with the title N had given her. "Also White is the queen and Black is the prince!"
"That's... Interesting."
White wasn't paying very much attention to her friends talk. She took out a Prism Berry and gave it to Lilligant. "Here's to the soon-to-be greatest actress!" She laughed as Lilligant ate it, happily. "I hope we get to do another show with N sometime soon, it was really fun..."
"Lilligant!" Lilligant giggled and danced around White.
White smiled and looked into the starry sky. "Yeah, I have a feeling that we'll soon be seeing the King of Team Plasma again."
She embraced her Lilligant in a tight tug and hummed a sweet tune quietly to herself.
The End
