A/N: This story takes place following Yvonne's walkout on the day of the gala and explores in greater depth her motivation for doing so. I advise that you read it sometime after reading chapter 4 of the main story.
"Fletchy, return," Yvonne commanded as soon as her Talonflame released her shoulders. She was already storming towards the entrance of the little single-story home by the time Xavier's Unfezant, Déflai, set him on the ground. She jabbed her key at the lock and missed. She jabbed at it again and missed again. Finally, she got it in the lock on the third try. She pushed and pulled at the door a bit until the key finally turned and unlocked it, and she flung the door open and strode inside.
Xavier was heading resignedly towards the door when he heard the notification chime of his Holo Caster. He quickly answered the call, happy for a tangible excuse to prolong his entry into the house.
Meanwhile, inside, Yvonne stormed into the living room and snatched a pillow off the couch. With a guttural cry, she chucked the pillow at the opposite wall, which had been left empty for this purpose. She took a few harsh breaths before picking up another pillow, which she crushed between her palms for a moment before hurling it at the wall. She inhaled deeply and exhaled.
"Are you finished?" Xavier asked nonchalantly from the entry hall.
Yvonne grabbed another pillow and spun around to face the entrance but caught herself before she threw the pillow into an area where it really could break something. She dropped the pillow back onto the couch and sighed, sinking down onto the couch cushions. "I'm quite finished," she said.
"Good," Xavier replied, entering the living room. He took a seat in the comfy brown recliner across from Yvonne, folded his arms, and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Now, how long do you plan for this walkout to last?"
"As I said in the theater, until they solve that damn ghost problem," Yvonne replied, regaining a bit of her haughty composure. "They'll come back tomorrow, begging for me to return, just like White did last time. But unlike last time, I will refuse to return until they ensure that the Phantom is gone for good!"
"That's not the only thing that's unlike last time," Xavier said with a frown, pulling out his Holo Caster. "Shauna's still at the Theater, and she sent me this."
Xavier pressed a button, and a small hologram of their sassy brunette friend popped up above the surface of the device. "Bad news, X-ey," Shauna said. "And, uh, you probably shouldn't share this with Y-ey until she's calmed down. They've found a replacement for her in the show tonight. Whitley Daaé. She's one of the chorus girls."
"A chorus girl?" Yvonne scoffed. "Those little ballerinas can't sing."
"…don't know why she's just been in the ballet chorus all this time," Shauna's message continued. "She sang that aria – 'Think of Me' – for the managers, and…holy shit, her voice was gorgeous! Not as good as Y-ey's, obviously, but close. Certainly better than anyone expected from someone like her. And with a bit of training…she could easily rival Y-ey in talent." The hologram scowled. "But of course, if they think Y-ey's quit on them, there won't be any rivalry – they'll stick with the singer they've got! X-ey, you have to get her back up here ASAP. They won't come back begging for her to return like they did last time."
The hologram vanished, and Xavier slipped the Holo Caster back in his pocket. "You heard her. I hate to damage your immaculate pride, but we don't have much choice now," he said.
"We have plenty of choices!" Yvonne retorted. "Who's to say this Daaé girl is even as good as Shauna claims?"
"Do you doubt your friend's judgment?" Xavier replied.
Yvonne huffed. "No. But surely this chorus girl is just a temporary solution…"
"After hearing you say that you won't return until they stop a ghost who they don't seem to even believe exists?"
"They'd be mad not to believe in him," she said disdainfully. "The Phantom's been causing trouble at the Theater for ages. I don't have a problem with a little mischief here and there, but I'm sick and tired of having him deliberately sabotage me!"
"But the new managers don't know that," Xavier pointed out. "Why should they put the effort into trying to stop a ghost so that you'll come back when they could just utilize the talent they already have?"
"Because I deserve a little bit of respect, damn it!" Yvonne shouted, slamming her hand down on the couch. She stood up and began pacing across the living room. "Mom wouldn't respect the fact that I didn't want to be a Rhyhorn racer. Shauna's parents wouldn't respect the fact that we followed them to Unova because we wanted to leave Kalos. The Phantom won't respect the fact that I earned my position as the prima donna of the Theater through years of self-study and practice." She stopped and turned to face Xavier. "I've struggled so much to get us both to a place where we can be happy, X. I just want people to respect me for it."
There was a long pause as Yvonne stared at Xavier. He lowered his gaze and bowed his head, fingering an arm of the char. "I respect you for it, Y," he said quietly. "I never would have had the courage to leave my house if it wasn't for your plan to run away. No one notices me here, especially when I'm with you. I owe my life and livelihood to you."
"X…" Yvonne blinked away the wetness that had blurred her vision. "X, I…I appreciate it. I really do. But it doesn't change the fact that these people don't respect me, and I don't know how to change that."
"I don't know any better than you do," Xavier said, shaking his head. "But I don't think running away again will help you in that regard. You have to go back. Maybe you can drive home the fact that you want something done about the Phantom. But you have to let them know that you do still want to sing for the Theater."
Yvonne glared at him. "Of course I still want to sing for the Theater, but I'm not making a trip all the way back there just to tell the managers that." She rubbed her chin pensively. "Ah, I know. They'll be casting roles for next season's production soon – Il Dolore Real. Shauna can take a message to the managers for me telling them that I will gladly play the Princess in the production if they make sure the Phantom stops sabotaging me. Call her and tell her that – please?" she added.
"It can be arranged," Xavier grunted.
"Merci," Yvonne said, blowing him an exaggerated kiss. She swept into her room in a much better mood than she had been in when she first came home, and she didn't think anything could dampen her spirits – until the next morning, when the letter arrived.
A/N: Since X nicknames his Pokémon based on their French names, Déflai's nickname comes from Unfezant's French name, Déflaisan. Also, for a bit of context in case you're not familiar with the XY chapter, X was swarmed by paparazzi in his youth for winning a junior battle tournament. To get away from them, he shut himself up in his room for several years. Canonically, he comes out at the beginning of the arc when his hometown is destroyed; in this universe, he comes out when Y comes up with a plan to run away from Kalos and live with Shauna, who just moved to Unova.
Please, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them!