Chapter 7
"…I'm…confused," said Ash. "Is anyone else as confused as I am?" he asked looking around.
"…yeah," continued Dawn.
The rest nodded.
Julie sighed. "I think we should leave this for next time, don't you think?" she asked Team Rocket.
"If that's what you wish, Miss Julie," answered James as he put an overprotective arm around Jessie and left the room.
"…Why did you let them go?" asked May.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"Because they're evil," replied Drew as if it were obvious.
"They're a bunch of crooks who-"
"Enough!" she said stopping them from continuing. They looked at her, shocked at her sudden outburst. "Look, you guys don't know the story of what's going on-"
"What story?"
"One that isn't mine to tell," she continued with a stern face, unlike her friends whose faces said that they didn't believe her. "Guys, I'm serious! I can't tell you! I really can't, maybe when the time is right they'll tell you, but for now, you have to trust me when I say they aren't part of that criminal gang anymore."
"I don't know…" said Misty unsure. "Can you really trust them?"
"I've known James since I was a little girl, I know I can trust them," she replied seriously.
"Well, okay," said Ash.
"What!" they all exclaimed at once.
"I mean, if Julie says we can trust them then we should trust them," replied Ash nonchalantly.
"But, Ash…" said Dawn unsure of how trusting her crush was.
"Come on, Dawn," he said. "Don't you trust me?"
She bit her lip, why did he always pull something like when she was trying to stay focused on one thing?
"Okay, fine," she said giving up.
"Thanks, you guys," replied Julie with a relieved smile. The group of teenagers were about to sit down once more when the door opened and in came the woman from before.
"Julie, you have a phone call," she said peeping her head in through the door.
"Tell them I'm busy right now, please, Jenny. I have guests," she said sitting down and emphasizing on the last word.
"I know, but it's that person," the older woman replied, cringing near the end, something Ash and his friends didn't fail to notice.
Julie's eyes turned hard, as she lowered her voice dangerously. "What does he want?"
"I-I'm not quite sure," Jenny flinched. "H-he didn't say-"
"Fine," replied Julie as she roughly stood up from the chair, making the others jump. She walked towards the older woman, who seemed to cower in fear of the young idol. Julie demanded the Pokégear with her hand, and Jenny was more than glad to have the electronic device off her hands. Julie looked at the device in her hand for a brief minute before turning to her friends with a smile.
"I'm sorry, I have to take care of something," she said and walked out of the room.
The room stayed quiet, until May couldn't stand it another minute longer.
"I-is it or did the room get colder all of a sudden," she said as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms.
"N-no, I'm sure it's just you," added Dawn trying to keep the flow of the conversation.
"-THE HELL YOU ARE!"
The sudden voice from Julie made them all jump. Whoever she was talking to had made the idol loose her composure.
"Is everything okay with Julie?" asked Ash.
"Yeah," said Michael, although he didn't meet any of their prying eyes. "I think one of the producers may have backed out at last minute," he added nonchalantly.
"Why is Julie in charge of the producers? Isn't she supposed to be more on-stage rather than back-stage?" asked Drew.
"Yeah, but when dad isn't here, it's up to Julie to work on the details. She's too much of a perfectionist to let me help her," replied the older Starlight as he leaned back in his chair. "Even though I'm supposed to be the 'older brother' she doesn't let me do much except focus on my music and that's it."
They nodded. Moments later Julie came back into the room, her demeanor completely different from when she had left the room. "Do you guys want to visit the recording studio?" she asked with a genuine smile.
"You sure? We wouldn't like to intrude," said Misty getting ready to stand up and leave.
"Nonsense," said Michael as he too stood up. "Besides, it's right here, so there's really no inconvenience."
"Well, if it's okay with you guys," Drew looked at the rest of the group to see if they were all cool with this, "then sure."
The two Starlight siblings nodded and led the way further into the grand mansion. They soon reached an elevator that oddly fit into the setting of the mansion. When they got in, Michael swiped a card next to the panel of buttons and waited until the light turned green to press a button.
"To reach the studio and other business floors of the mansion you must have an access card like this on to go up," explained Julie as she showed them her own access card. It was white and had a picture of her along with the words "Executive Access" on it. "Every card has a special access. Obviously the Executive Access has access to all floors, the Musical Talents to the studio on the 4th floor, the Fashion Department to the 5th floor and Partners and Investors to the 4th and 5th."
"What about the 3rd and 6th floors?" asked Ash.
"The third floor is under renovations for our new offices, it's for charity events and fundraisers," said Michael as they got off the elevator. "As for the 6th floor, that's dad's office."
"The whole floor?" asked Dawn shocked.
"Sort of," said Julie. "It's also his part of the mansion, like his room and other personal areas."
"He doesn't live with you guys on the first and second floor?" asked Drew, his eyes a bit narrowed.
"Not really," replied Julie crestfallen. "Father is always busy with work so he just shuts himself up there."
"But he still comes down to eat at the main dining area," added Michael, trying to cheer up the topic. "Anyway, we're here."
The group filed into the grand recording studio.
"Woah," they said. Across the room there were many panels that held many buttons to slide across, from behind the glass a group of microphones stood along with various instruments. On another side of the wall a small room with a glass as well and its own small panel of controls in front of it.
"What are we recording?" asked Michael as Julie entered the small room.
"Track 17," she answered.
"I thought you said you weren't ready yet."
"Yes, well I'm ready now," she said as she closed the door.
The older teenager sighed and moved a couple buttons and slides here and there. He pressed a button and spoke into the microphone. "Want me to put on loud?"
"Well why else would I would I have asked them to come," she replied into the booth.
He glared at her, before pressing another button and telling her through the microphone. "Whenever you're ready."
She raised her thumb and Michael pressed the button and soon room was filled with the start of the song as a light turned red on top.
"Come at me,
And you'll see,
I'm more than meets the eye.
"You think that,
You'll break me,
You're gonna find in time-
"You're standing too close to a flame that's burning.
Hotter than the sun in the middle of July.
Sending out your army, but you still can't win;
Listen up, silly boy, 'cuz I'm gonna tell you why...
"I burn!
Can't hold me now,
You got nothing that can stop me. (I burn!)
Swing all you want.
Like a fever I will take you down!"
"Woah," said Dawn entranced by the song. "Those are pretty straightforward lyrics."
"Yeah, and the brief guitar solo is awesome," said Drew tapping his foot to beat of the song.
"Thanks," Michael with a smile as he watched Julie get into the mood of the song.
"Reign supreme?
In your dreams!
"You'll never make me bow.
Kick my ass?
I'm world-class,
And Super Saiyan now.
"You're starting up a fight that you just can't finish;
Watch the little hearts while they scrape you off the floor.
Bringing out your rockets? Well, shoot 'em up, baby,
High as you can go, but I'm the one who's gonna soar!
"I burn!
Can't hold me now,
You got nothing that can stop me. (I burn!)
Swing all you want,
Like a fever I will take you down!
"It doesn't have to be this way;
Let's kiss and make up, then you'll learn
You can fight your life away;
I get what I want, so don't bother and just watch me burn."
"I-is that you, Michael?" asked May when she heard his voice through the speakers following Julie's.
"Yeah, I had recorded my section before Julie's," he said turning towards them. "Normally we record them together, but she said it was fine this way."
"Why is that?" asked Ash.
Michael shrugged. "Well, Julie normally records her songs when she gets into the mood of the song, if she's feeling happy, she's obviously not going to sing a sad song or if she's sad she won't sing a party song."
"But I thought singers should be able to change from one tone to another for concerts and stuff like that," said Dawn.
"That's true," said Michael. "And I'm pretty sure you've all noticed that she does do so in her concerts."
"Then why is recording so different?" asked Ash.
"Because this is the place where she first lets out all those emotions," said Michael as he turned back to her as his guitar solo appeared came back on once more. "It's the time that you will remember why you sang the song the way you did."
"I burn!
Can't hold me now,
You got nothing that can stop me. (I burn!)
Swing all you want,
Like a fever I will take you down-
"(I burn!)
Can't hold me now,
You got nothing that can stop me.
(I burn!)
Swing all you want,
Like a fever I will take you down!"
"And we're good," said Michael as he pressed the stop button and the red light turned off.
Julie took off the headphones and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She exited the room with a refreshed smile. "How did it go?" she asked.
"Listen for yourself," he said with a smile as he played the song once more. Julie listened to the song and bobbed her head to the rhythm.
"Perfect," she said with a smile. "Now we just need record a clean version from your part and we should be good!"
"You were really good, Julie," said Ash.
"Thanks," she replied.
"I didn't know you could sing something like that," added Drew. "I mean, no offense, but mostly what I've heard are your love songs."
Julie giggled. "You're right. My popular songs are my love songs, but I do take into account to have a variety of them, not just love songs that are about me, but about others and other things. I've been trying to move on from that jerk for a while now, and now that I've met you guys I can do that."
The group smiled, the Julie they had met back in school was back. Soon a growling stomach came broke their happy atmosphere.
"Sorry guys," said Ash as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Guess I'm hungry."
The group laughed. "Hey, you guys are welcomed for dinner," said Michael.
"Oh we couldn't-"
"Nonsense," said Julie as she grabbed Dawn's hands to keep her from speaking any further. "Besides it would be nice to have a full table!"
Dawn couldn't resist that innocent smile and agreed. The group went back down to the first floor where they were later taken to a grand dining area. Soon maids came in and set the table as the butlers put down the food. They all ate with delight and for once after so many months, Julie had a sincere smile and the spark in her eyes was back.
"Well, we have to go," said Drew as he looked at the time on his watch.
"Already?" asked Julie a bit disappointed.
"Drew's right," said Misty. "It's almost 10, if we don't get back to the dorms soon, we'll get in trouble."
"But don't worry," said Ash. "We'll come back again!"
"-If you want us to come back that is," added Dawn.
Julie smiled and nodded. "I'd really like that."
The group stood up and Julie followed them all the way to the main door.
"So," said Dawn when they reached the doors. "We'll see you at school?"
Julie giggled. "Absolutely."
Back in her room, Dawn finished her homework as she listened to Julie's last album 'For You.' They had returned back to the dorms on time thanks to Michael's driving, even though he had advised them not to drive the same way he had. Along with her friends, she was glad Pikachu hadn't decided to use Thunderbolt after such a drive. They had thanked Julie's older brother and gotten back to their respective room.
As the song changed, she heard someone knock on her door.
"Come in," she said as she lowered the volume of her speakers. From outside came in her brother. "Lucas! Hey, how was tutoring?"
"Dreadful," he said flopping onto her bed.
"That bad?" she asked with a teasing smile.
"If it hadn't been for Tracey, I might never have left," he said covering his eyes with his arm. "But tell me," he said lifting his arm and turning to her. "How was Miss Perfect?"
"Well, Mr. Perfect," she teased back. "She's fine. Just some trouble with her dad's business but that's about it."
"What kind of trouble?" he asked sitting up.
She shrugged. "Don't know, just that they were behind on a photo shoot and then she recorded a song for her new album," she turned in her chair to face him completely. "Why? Are you worried about her?"
"N-no!" he said turning away from his sister. She noticed the tip of his ears had gotten red.
"If you were so worried you should've just gone and seen her with us," she said, a smile still on her face.
"Oh please," he said turning back to her. "Besides I already promised Lilia that I would help her and her friends with Pokémon History."
Dawn scrunched her nose; she didn't really like Lilia but that may have been because she was public enemy number 1. The girl had come from some rich family or something, she and her little entourage thought they ruled the whole school, but obviously that wasn't true. "But if you didn't have to help them, you would've gone to see Julie?" she asked trying to get back at the original topic.
He shrugged. "Maybe," he said as he put his hands behind his head stared at the ceiling.
Dawn rolled her eyes, even to her, Lucas was a mystery; there was no telling what went inside his head. As she went back to her homework she heard him say, "Don't you ever get tired of this CD?"
She shrugged. "I don't know, I just like it."
"But why?"
She smiled a little. "Because it's the first appreciation album she's ever done."
"First what?"
"Appreciation album," she replied standing up to look through her small CD rack.
She took the one she was looking for and handed it to him. He looked at the cover of the case and saw that it was Julie. He examined the picture closer, she wasn't really looking at the photographer but rather somewhere away, her expression different from what he was used to. He turned to the back of the case and read through the song list. He knew a couple of songs because his sister and his past girlfriends sang them before such as 'Teardrops on my Guitar,' 'I'm Only Me When I'm with You' and 'My Happy Ending.'
"They're all love songs," he said unsurprised.
"Did you look at the lyrics?"
He chuckled dryly. "Why should I when you've engraved them in my head for all eternity."
"Just look at them," she said crossing her arms.
He sighed, when Dawn was like this there was no moving her. He opened the case and took out the cover; he flipped a couple of pages into the booklet until he saw it. In between the lyrics there were a couple of letters that were in bold and in a larger font.
"Stay Strong, Dawn," he said in a low voice. "How do you even know she's talking about you?"
"Remember that time I asked you to send a letter for me?"
"You mean the letter you beat me up for when I didn't send it on time?"
"Yes, and I didn't beat you up-"
"-You had Piplup use Peck on me-"
"-One time-"
"-Six times!"
"Okay, fine," she said crossing her arms. "Six times, but you're missing the point."
"Which is…?"
"She had asked her fans for their own stories since so many people said they related to her songs and turned their stories into a new album."
"So the title, For You, isn't referring to her ex?"
"Exes and no, they are meant for the fans that have supported her this whole time," she taking back the case with the lyrics along it. "Inside each lyrics book there is a message from her to the person who it is dedicated for. For me…this helped me out a lot when Paul and I were together."
"Oh," he said looking down. "I-I didn't know-"
"I know," she said cutting him off. "Because you never gave her the chance. You keep thinking that she's this person that thinks she's all that, but she isn't! She's more than that, heck, the reason why we came so late was because she invited us to dinner and you know something, Lucas?"
He looked up at her. "What?"
"She's just a lonely girl whose father doesn't even spend time with his daughter or family…"
"Dawn I-"
A knock came from her door. "Lucas," came the voice of Nurse Joy from the other side of the door. "Room visiting hours are now over, it's time for you to go back to your side of the dorm."
He looked at the door and sighed. "Thank you, Nurse Joy. I was on my way back anyway."
He stood up from the bed hugged his sister. "Goodnight, Dawn."
"Night, Lucas," she said hugging him back. As he left the room, she said, "Don't forget about what I said."
He nodded. He closed the door behind him and made his way back to his room, thoughts of the young idol plaguing his head. He could remember perfectly clear the day he met her back at Twinleaf Town. She had this bright smile and hopeful eyes, of course her hair back then was shorter but still. He compared it to the young woman that stood in front of him when he led her to Professor Oak's office. She had those same eyes and smile, but there was something about them that made them look sad, lonely. He remembered that time he had unintentionally made her cry and that other time on the same day he had done the same again when they ate lunch. He pushed back his hair with both of his hands; this girl would be the death of him. Everything she did confused him, one moment she's normal, the next she's crying and then she just go missing.
He sighed, frustrated by the fact that he couldn't take her out of his thoughts. He knew of two other people that could hopefully answer his thoughts about the idol, and although he prayed Ash and Drew were asleep, he knew Drew would be asleep after making sure all his Pokémon had been groomed. Which left Ash, straight to the point, oblivious Ash.
'Dear Arceus, help me,' he thought to himself as he knocked onto his sister's crush's door.
Ash opened the door, surprised to see Lucas standing outside, he had expected to see Richie or maybe even Max outside his door, but Lucas? That was a new one.
"Lucas!" he exclaimed. "What's up?"
The elder Berlitz took in a small deep breath. "I need help," he said. "Can I come in?"
"Sure," replied Ash as he opened the door wider. Lucas took a seat on Ash's bed next to Pikachu who was snacking on a Poffin as Ash sat on the chair of his desk, waiting for the bluenette to start.
Lucas avoided looking at Ash directly and instead decided to pet Pikachu instead. After a while of petting he asked him, "What do you think of Juliette?"
Ash blinked back surprised. "She's awesome," he replied wholeheartedly with his traditional grin. "But I'm sure that's not what you want to ask."
Lucas looked up surprised. "Just because I don't notice much doesn't mean I don't notice anything," he replied with a smirk. "So tell me, what's really bothering you?"
The bluenette sighed. "It's Juliette…"
Ash nodded in understanding before saying, "What about her?"
Lucas chuckled. "I don't know, I just can't take her out of my mind."
"So you like her is what you're saying," replied the brunette with a serious face.
The bluenette's face turned red. "N-no! Not like that…at least I don't think so," he said the last part a little above a whisper.
"Well, if you don't like her, then what's the reason she's in your head?"
"I…I don't know, she's like a mystery to me…"
"Believe me you're a mystery to all of us too," Ash murmured under his breath, but let Lucas continue none the less.
"Maybe it's because I haven't seen her in such a long time that she intrigues me so much – or keeps popping up in my head all the time," he stood up from his seat, enlightened by his own response.
"Thanks for the talk, Ash," he said and left the raven-haired along with his Pikachu dumbfounded.
"You're welcome?"
Ash sighed through his nose before sitting down next to Pikachu and petting its head.
"Pika," it exclaimed happily.
"You know, I used to say the same thing," Ash said with a small smile before he got up and looked at one of the pictures that hung around his room.
"Took me a while to realize that I was only lying to myself," he continued as he took it off the wall and held it in his hands as he stared at the first group picture they had taken back in Pallet Town, focusing primarily on him and certain blue-haired girl.
For those of you who want a reference as to how Jessie and James look like, here's a link:
http: (slash) (slash) deviant art .com (slash) art (slash) James-Kojiro-and-Jessie-Musashi- 360173106
It should be noted that I got the idea of how they look like from Maimai, and if you guys have free time check out her comic "Pokemon 25 Years Later" or Pokemon25YL. It isn't Pearlshipping, but it's still cute.
Also the song that Julie is singing in this chapter is I Burn from the RWBY Volume 1 Soundtrack!
~Karie
