"Wow… So, this is Couriway Town?"
Marinette was immediately drawn in by the many falls and water pathways that defined the town's geographical structure upon entering. It took another day venturing through Route 18, from training her Pokémon to relaxing and dedicating her spare time to pursue her fashion designing interests, to finally get to where she was now. She had made sure to arrive on time for the upcoming Rookie Class Showcase, wherein her friend, Juleka, was going to aim for her third Princess Key and qualify for the Master Class.
The town itself was lively, but Marinette was able to pick up the people and Pokémon heading in the direction of the site of the Pokémon Showcase today. She wouldn't have picked up on the location otherwise as she didn't expect an outdoor theater to serve as the stage.
"So pretty~!" a bystander tittered in awe.
Marinette silently agreed with the statement with a gape of amazement, admiring the backdrop of waterfalls that defined the outdoor theater. Such a display of nature's beauty would serve well in highlighting the performances that would soon take place. Of course, there was the chance that the background waterfalls would be a hindering distraction if a performance between Performer and Pokémon was out of sync.
"Wow, if I'm correct, then a stage like this will really put a Pokémon Performer to the test," Marinette muttered, turning her head about the small crowd of people and Pokémon loitering about. There was still plenty of time left to relax before the Showcase began. "Where's Juleka?"
"A really good question, Marinette," a low, soft-spoken voice behind her answered.
"Gah!" Marinette stumbled in place, abruptly turning around to discover two people greeting her. Well, one she was expecting to find while the other wasn't expected at all. "L-Luka?! Oh, and Juleka! I-I was looking for you!"
"You found me," Juleka giggled. "And my brother's here."
"I know I'm a bit of a sight, but I really didn't mean to scare you, Marinette," Luka chuckled. "We just found you and happened in on your search for Juleka. Sorry for sneaking up on you."
"Oh, no, no need to worry," Marinette waved off quickly. "I really wasn't expecting to see y-you so suddenly. It's… been a while. I thought you were stuck in Laverre City as the Gym Leader."
"I didn't want to miss out on more of Jul's performances live," Luka reasoned. "The girls running the Lavarre Gym have warmed up enough to me to cover for me for any challenger while I'm gone. And I'm glad you've been supporting her."
"Of course!" Marinette beamed. "Oh! And Juleka, your dress for the Master Class is nearly complete. Just one more Princess Key, right?"
"Uh, yeah, no pressure," Juleka mumbled under quiet uneasy breaths.
"You'll be wonderful, my sister," Luka embraced her. "You're pretty and talented. And your Pokémon adore you. Just do like you've done in Dendemille Town and Anistar City. Those performances really brought out your inner beauty."
"Yeah, Juleka!" Marinette cheered. "You have me and Luka supporting you on. And remember all your friends, especially Rose, are here for you, even if we're all scattered throughout Kalos."
"Th-Thank you, guys," Juleka smiled, pushing herself out of her brother's arms. "I got to prepare."
The gothic girl quickly ran off to check in before her nerves could claim her, leaving Marinette and Luka among the aimless crowd of enthusiastic Showcase spectators. Marinette looked up at Luka, who merely smiled back. Despite the limited time she spent around him, mainly to challenge him as the Laverre City Gym's newest Leader, she harbored familiarity towards him. For one thing, he was the older brother of a close friend. And she did, for a brief moment, harbored attraction towards him based on a digital photo she saw of him when news of the Laverre Gym gaining a new Leader was going around.
And he was certainly kind and easygoing, if not a bit eccentric when it came to battling and certain other aspects of Pokémon. But that was as far as Marinette's knowledge of him reached.
"Let's find a seat close to the stage," Luka suggested. "It'll be some time until the Showcase begins, so let's take the time to chill and maybe get to know each other."
"Uh, sure," Marinette nodded, inwardly thankful that Luka had similar thoughts. "Let's!"
The rows of seats expanded all around the central stage like a miniature arena. The two of them found a section that wasn't occupied by a lot of people yet mid-west of the theatre, allowing them to enjoy the natural peace that the rushing waterfalls far off into the background. Luka gestured for Marinette to take her seat first, to which she did, somehow missing her seat altogether and inelegantly plopping straight into the ground.
"Oh, are you alright?" Luka rushed to her aid, offering a hand to help her out.
"Ugh, thanks, just my luck," Marinette grumbled over her sore bottom as she was pulled back to her feet. She managed to plant it into her seat this time around, saving herself further embarrassment. "This… isn't the first time that's happened."
"It happens to the best of us," Luka shrugged, taking his seat next to her. "Though to me, you're a very… unique case."
"Unique?" Marinette repeated. "What do you mean by that?"
"I'm not trying to come off rude," Luka added. "I'm usually not good at talking to people, hence why my previous statement may have come off as such. I'm… better at feeling than talking, especially towards Pokémon. They're more… accepting than people."
"There's nothing wrong with that, Luka," Marinette reasoned. "I know a lot of people feel better in the company of Pokémon than with other humans. They just… have that kind of calming effect, you know? There's even scientific studies conducted around it, so don't feel that you're being rude to me."
"That's reassuring," Luka grinned.
"But why do you say that I'm unique?" Marinette questioned.
"Well, that's just it," Luka pondered. "Not to pry, but you seem to be in conflict. It doesn't show outward, but there's just… something past that. It makes me concerned for you. I couldn't help but point out. You're strong, Marinette. You proved that in our Gym battle, but doesn't mean you shouldn't accept help when it's offered."
Marinette blinked a few times before considering her next response. While he did not seem like much aside from a competent Pokémon Trainer, Luka had a very strong sixth sense. Though it would be nice if he could solve her internal conflict for her, her talk with Fu back at Terminus Cave reminded her that her conflict that created a disruption within her heart, which also affected Gardevoir's ability to maintain her Mega Evolution, was something she needed to figure out on her own.
"I appreciate the concern, Luka, but it's nothing you need to worry about," Marinette sighed.
"I see," Luka lowered his head. "But if you ever need to let out something, I'll be around for you. You're not unique simply because of what I said previously, but because you're a very extraordinary girl, Marinette. Your way with Pokémon. Clear as a musical note. Sincere as a melody. Like a song that's been in my head."
"U-Uh, n-nice music metaphors," Marinette giggled, feeling warmth lighting up her face.
"I'm also a bit of a musician when I'm not battling," Luka continued. "When I was still traveling around, I played some chords for many people and Pokémon. I'm nowhere as good as Jagged Stone, but he's been a huge inspiration for me when I started my journey. And he still is, actually." It was only then that Marinette realized that he had a guitar strapped to his back since seeing him again and had moved it under his seat so that he could sit down. "Maybe once the Showcase is over, I'll play a song for you."
The invitation was sudden, but not unwanted. No one had ever played a song for her personally, but the pick-me-up might help her regain clarity over her inner conflicts. Marinette didn't say anymore but accepted the invitation with a contented smile, allowing herself to relax as the people and their Pokémon around them began settling into their seats for the Couriway Showcase. The day reached its high point as the stage theatrics made use of brilliant sunlit sparkles reflecting off the background waterfalls and a familiar booming voice entertained the masses and swept a huge majority of the audience off their feet.
"Greetings and salutations, fellow Pokémon lovers!" Alec made his bold Showcase introduction. "A pleasure to stand before you once more, mes amies! For your guide to the world of dreams has now made a stop in the town that connects differences! Bonjour to Couriway Town's Rookie Class Showcase! Monsieur Alex Cataldi, at your service!"
"WE LOVE YOU, ALEC!" a great population of women, with a sprinkle of whimsical men, bellowed.
"Ah, beauty everywhere the eye can see," Monsieur Alec continued. "Couriway Town, not only known for its fabuleux railway, but for its magnifique waterfalls. Their aquatic splendor being what the railway brings many visitors from afar to. Ah, and speaking of visitors! I've been informed that we have some special guests sitting among us! So before we commence with the Showcase, let us recognize the powerhouse of our beloved Kalos region! The Kalos Champion and fashion mogul himself has decided to grace our company! Welcome s'il vous plait, Champion Gabriel Agreste!"
All eyes went to the designated VIP corner placed on the farther end of the theatre opposite of Marinette, yet the one who stood was not the Champion. Rather, the Kalos Champion's face was on her tablet's screen, wirelessly synchronized with the theater's audio system beforehand. His dour face soon appeared on the large widescreen structured over the stage as part of the wireless connection. The applause momentarily dissolved into confused murmuring among one another. This wasn't the first time Champion Agreste did not show up for an event in person, but that still didn't make it right that he could get away with doing stunts like these.
"Or what could've been live, but pressing matters required my attention elsewhere, so please excuse my absence," Gabriel's voice echoed through the speakers. "Rather, my assistant and Kalos Elite Four member, Nathalie Sancoeur, is here on my behalf. To oversee all participating Performers and encourage them to use my brand for future Showcases. Please give her the respect she deserves as you would me."
"Ah, what a twist this has been, no?" Monsieur Alec jested. "Champion, you will, at least, witness today's performances?"
"Fortunately, today's technology allows me to address many tasks at once," Gabriel replied. "Though I did plan to present myself before you, I'm afraid I've been caught in a real breakthrough. One that can potentially decide between life… and death. But enough of such dark existential trivialities. Monsieur Cataldi, I believe you have a few more special guests with a better attendance record than I?"
"Oui, indeed!" Monsieur Alec pumped the morale back up. "Aside from having a live broadcast of Champion Agreste, this Showcase also wants to acknowledge the presence of the Champion's son himself. The most incredible prodigy grown from our own home region! Adrien Agreste!"
Marinette immediately felt her heart skip a beat as she scrambled in her seat to look beyond the distance of the audience to find him. As she discovered, the special corner was right on the other side of her of the stage. Right near Nathalie, as expected. Adrien did the favor of standing up and waving, inciting many young girls their age to immediately swoon and clamor for his attention. Marinette was more annoyed than jealous of the girls due to the sheer volume of their pleas for him to look their way.
"ADRIEN, MARRY ME!" one brazen girl declared from the center of the audience, which further incited the other girls around her into a wild argument.
"Marinette, you alright?" Luka asked, noting her stunned reaction that followed.
"Oh, uh, it's nothing," Marinette waved off.
"You know Adrien too, right?" Luka followed up. "You were both in Juleka's class in Lumiose Academy. He's a really cool guy. A very skilled Trainer too. One of the first that battled me when I took over the Laverre Gym. Man, it must be tough with the popularity and all. I know he can handle all that pressure better than I could ever."
"What? Oh, I think you'd be fine under the same situation… N-Not that I'd ever wish for something like that on you!" Marinette responded.
"You'd think so?" Luka chuckled. "I guess… Maybe if I become as famous as Jagged? That'll take a long time though."
"Well, there are a lot of strong Trainers out there," Marinette remarked. "If you and your Pokémon keep training hard, then I'm sure that—Who's that standing next to Adrien?"
"Hmm? The Elite Four member?" Luka answered before turning his head to see what Marinette meant as another girl closer to their age was standing formally next to Adrien. A girl with hair a dark shade as Marinette's, yet her sharp eyes concealed true passionate emotions behind a cool and evaluating front. As if to further contrast with Marinette's appearance, her blazer was white compared to her own black jacket. Luka glanced back over Marinette, who appeared more worried than he had ever seen of her. "Oh."
"Et lo! Qu'est-ce que c'est? We've an overseas celebrity in the form of one of the Sinnoh region's strongest Trainers! Et peut-être, one of the strongest women of our time! An apparent acquaintance of Champion Agreste, no doubt! She is described a disciplined battler with honed senses to see everything. Quite ironic, given her condition. Sinnoh Elite Four Tomoe Tsurugi! Here with her lovely daughter!"
The woman in question was helped off her seat by Kagami. Those that heard of Tomoe Tsurugi knew of her condition that Monsieur Alec introduced. The audience members that sat close to them could see that the older woman could not, for she wore dark glasses and used a Johtonian bokken to walk and feel around with.
"Champion," Tomoe corrected, her voice calm yet influential enough to cease audience activity for a moment. Her speech was antiquated and to the point. "Sinnoh Champion is my title now, for one that has endured long and fought hard to the very end in her path."
"I verify Mrs. Tsurugi's claim, for her victory over the previous Champion of the Sinnoh region was within the week," Gabriel intervened. "News has already spread throughout the Sinnoh region, but slow overseas. She has come to Kalos to meet with President Bourgeois for formalities but chose to visit Couriway Town as her daughter was in the vicinity."
"Oh, my! That is big news!" Monsieur Alec tittered. "Ladies, gents, and Pokémon lovers everywhere, you've heard live in Couriway Town. For those seeking to travel to the Sinnoh region for a challenge, you now have Champion Tomoe Tsurugi to look forward to! Though if I may ask, nouvelle Champion Tsurugi, how will you enjoy the performances despite your handicap?"
"It takes more than sight to enjoy what one considers beautiful," Tomoe explained, taking her seat. It was astonishing how influential her voice was within a sea of Showcase spectators as all had settled down to listen. "Eyes are not needed to see a lacking performance if there is no substance or passion to resonate with the hearts of the beholders. That said, please continue, Alec-san."
"… We've heard her here!" Monsieur Alec resumed, inviting the spirit of entertainment back to liven the outdoor theatre. "A tough crowd to please, but we'll see! Time to open the first round of the Rookie Class Showcase!" He held his cane out, allowing his perched Klefki to fly off and dangle a beautiful Princess Key before all. "Performers will be competing to win this fabuleux Princess Key in order to qualify for the Master Class Showcase!"
"Those are some very wise words, Tsurugi-san," Adrien commented within the noise as he, Nathalie, and Kagami took their seats. The added suffix was out of respect as the Tsurugi family, though currently reigning in Sinnoh, had originated from the Johto region, and as such, held onto longstanding traditions of speech, dialect, and manners. At least, Tomoe did. "You really do see the bigger picture better than the rest of us."
"Adrien, kind words from a sincere heart, I thank you," Tomoe smiled in his direction. "I trust you are as skilled as my daughter described you to be since battling her recently."
"He is, Mother," Kagami answered. "Adrien is a very experienced Pokémon Trainer despite starting his journey within a year."
"Impressive, indeed, although what I find more impressive is that you've gotten Kagami to sing praises of you," Tomoe remarked, staring straight ahead. She felt a curious output of heat from her daughter as a result. It was not often that Kagami would react in a peculiarly shy manner. "She, too, has strict standards regarding Trainers she prefers to face in battle."
"Adrien has trained hard to get where he is now," Gabriel vouched as Nathalie held up his tablet, having disconnected the wireless connection to the theatre's main system as to personally communicate within the group. "And he'll only grow even stronger upon associating with powerful Trainers like you and your daughter, Tsurugi-san."
"… Father," Adrien sighed, knowing where he was going with this line of thinking, and it was certainly disappointing enough that his father was unable to attend an event alongside him for the umpteenth time.
He wasn't the only one feeling rather unsettled at the moment, unaware that a pair of bluebell eyes had not averted its gaze from his location since finding him. Marinette recognized the girl that Adrien was with this time as the fearsome Trainer that seized the opportunity to challenge Luka on stage at the conclusion of the recent seasonal Laverre fashion show. The one who had been inquiring where she could find Adrien and supposedly battle him to test his reputation.
It was increasingly clear to her that something more had happened since the two met, leaving her in a wicked state of uneasiness and anguish. Luka glanced between Marinette and the direction she dejectedly stared out and kept his observations to himself, believing that anything said would make his new friend feel worse. At least, not until he was sure of the cause. He needed to wait until her mood uplifted itself even slightly to help her find harmony within herself.
"The Theme Performance for this Showcase is a familiar activity, but with a superbe twist," Monsieur Alec narrated, bringing attention to the setup of long tables in front of the main stage. "Our Performers this day will not only be baking Poké Puffs, but also perform an exquisite dance routine while doing so. Bien que this may seem excessive, to be able to find joy and thrills in a common activity such as Poké Puff baking reveals the depths of true character that we, the people of quaint Kalos, want to see within our future Kalos Queens. After each performance, use the Glow Casters by your seats if you believe the Performer in question deserves to move on to the Freestyle Performance."
As Monsieur Alec wrapped up his explanation, the Theme Performance went underway, starting with a young enthusiastic Performer, partnered with a Buizel, whose face appeared to be new to the Showcase scene. Her opening consisted of having her Buizel juggle ingredients to her with the tip of his nose, making several close calls by diving and inflating his flotation sac to bounce a few fragile jars back to her hands. A risky, yet playful play in the kitchen between a Performer and her Pokémon, earning enough votes to move on to the next round.
A few more performances of varying appeal soon followed. Some Performers were practical in synchronizing with their partner Pokémon's movements in passing ingredients and preparing Poké Puffs for the oven. The unfortunate bland and accident-prone Performers were eliminated on the spot. One Performer had her Reuniclus dazzle the audience with flashy Psychic tricks while she quietly stirred and made her Poké Puffs beneath notice.
"Many are fooled, but this one won't be chosen," Tomoe prophesied. "A heart that cowers behind shallow glamour begets no confidence anywhere."
"That's… rather harsh to put, Mother," Kagami frowned, even as she understood her message.
"Are you growing soft, my daughter?" Tomoe questioned.
"N-No, but to say that her losing is absolute, well… it just doesn't sound fair," Kagami explained.
"Don't let yourself be held down with attachments that won't concern your future, Kagami," Tomoe advised unflinchingly. "Let others learn their lessons while you learn yours."
"… Yes, Mother," Kagami lowered her head.
Though he couldn't help but watch the interaction between mother and daughter due to the terrifying familiarity in his own experiences, Adrien kept quiet and focused on the ongoing performances. Still, it was uncanny for him to witness this on the other end this time.
"Many talented women have shown their zest in their performances, which now brings us to our final Performer for the Theme Performance," Monsieur Alec announced. "The elegant shadow that has brought warmth in her performances, having netted herself two Princess Keys now! Give your love s'il vous plait for Performer Juleka Couffaine!"
"Yay, Juleka!" Marinette cheered.
"So psyched to see Jul live," Luka smiled, raising his arms close to pump himself. "I'm really feeling it, too. Let's give it all we got for Juleka, Marinette."
"Yeah!" Marinette tittered.
They contributed their adoration for the rest of the growing Juleka fans that were sitting in among the theatre today. Their attention exclusively upon the seeming quiet girl wearing a black apron with lilac frills, joined by a Haunter floating above her that was already warming up with sleight of disembodied hand, immediately captivating the spectators on how far his hands can reach.
"… Showtime," Juleka murmured with precise seriousness. "Haunter… Night Shade."
Her Haunter had set the mood in darkening the area a bit, just enough so that the shadowed atmosphere focused the rays of the sun into Juleka's personal spotlight. She closed her eyes as she had done in nerve-calming exercises, allowing the weight and pressure of the audience to slide off so that she could focus solely upon herself. She had gotten better in managing her initial stage fright, keeping even breaths as she opened her eyes and went to work.
Juleka knew that she was not as emotive as Rose when it came to carrying out menial tasks. The petite lover of pink would hum random joyful tunes when dusting her collection of Pokémon plushies back home. Rose would absolutely ace this Theme Performance if she was competing in it. She had a way of winning into the hearts of many with her cutesy charms and bubbly quirks, but she was at another part of Kalos, working on getting her third Princess Key as well.
Rose had been a significant figure in Juleka's life, among others. Her brother. Marinette. Adrien. Alya. Mylène. Alix. Nathaniel. Pretty much every supportive classmate she had known since Lumiose Academy, whether she realized it or not. It was through their love and support, whether at person or watching through live broadcast, that Juleka was able to win two Princess Keys by simply using her own style of elegance and beauty.
The making of Poké Puffs was something she knew well enough on its own, if her passing the Theme Performance in the Dendemille Showcase was of any proof. For this particular performance, Juleka added more power to her steps, making use of her long legs to stride about while placing emphasis on her pauses in retrieving needed ingredients and kitchen tools for dramatic effect. Somewhat like a lonely midnight waltz under a moonlit window, with Haunter's Night Shade providing the darkened atmosphere and lightening the sunlight's intensity to mimic moonlight. Even within the bright, vibrant, and waterfall setting of Couriway Town, the contrast of Juleka's soft alluring appeal had mesmerized many to focus upon her.
"What a calming sensation," Tomoe noted bemusedly.
"Juleka really has a lot of talent despite her introverted nature, Tsurugi-san," Adrien offered.
"You know her well, Adrien," Kagami commented. "Someone you call a friend?"
"Yeah, from Lumiose Academy," Adrien nodded. "She and her best friend, Rose, are Pokémon Performers, each with their own style and grace. Juleka's may seem the most… unconventional based on what we've seen in the past, but I'm glad that the people of Kalos are taking this new approach on beauty really well."
"I think the fact that there is beauty that can be found in unlikely places like in the dark instead of just sunshine and rainbows means that any girl with true heart can become Kalos Queen," Kagami surmised.
"A thoughtful observation, Kagami, but bear in mind that not many will share the same view on the ideals of beauty," Tomoe advised once more, though Adrien did pick up that her tone was somewhat softer than her last admonishment.
"… Yes, Mother," Kagami muttered.
Before Adrien could speak or reach out his hand, he felt Nathalie place her hand on his shoulder. Looking up to her, she silently shook her head as if to answer his unasked question. He looked into her unreadable eyes and found the sincerity hidden well behind the glasses. He knew that she was just as aware of what was going on among the Tsurugis and that she was basically telling him to stand down and let the family sort out matters on their own first.
"I'll never get tired of seeing how beautiful Jul looks on stage," Luka smiled. "And seeing it in person makes it worth more than just watching it on tv."
"I know what you mean," Marinette sighed. "I wanted to follow Rose too, but it's hard to catch her while on the road since she's somewhere else in Kalos. The best I can do is to wait at a Pokémon Center and catch her broadcasted performances. But even then, sometimes I just catch the end results of her Showcases and / or reruns."
"It is what it is, but a total bummer either way," Luka sighed. "But I think the rest of her and Juleka's friends are giving her the support she needs while you, Adrien, and I are here rooting for Jul. I think that's how it just works out."
"True," Marinette glanced back at the stage. "But does Juleka know that?"
Haunter's disembodied hands made handling the Poké Puff baking process easier and quicker on top of using his ghostly charms to maintain attention. Haunter provided the energy and spectral tricks, seemingly coordinated by certain sways in Juleka's form in her slow dances.
The creation of Juleka's sweet treats went on as expected. Right out of the oven, a startling finale arrived in the form of Haunter suddenly bursting out of the door and carrying the tray on his tongue before lobbing it into the air for Juleka to catch.
"And… pose!" Juleka finished.
"A soft and elegant process with a jump-scare twist, what wonderfully wicked surprises Performer Juleka has shown!" Monsieur Alec lauded among the cheering. "Mes amies, it's time to decide! Has Performer Juleka won over your hearts in the dark? Will she move on to the next round? Those who approve, cast your votes now!"
"Juleka!"
Marinette, Luka, and a good number of members sitting around them have picked up their Glow Casters and sent in their luminous approvals toward the stage. Likewise, Adrien sent in his immediate vote with Kagami giving her support as well, having enjoyed the unconventional performance, as Adrien had worded it. Gleaming orbs were slowly gathering throughout the theatre space. Just as with previous performances, they were collected into a holographic projection of the voting meter.
The benchmark to pass was quickly surpassed, but had stopped shortly right after.
"Les personnes have spoken!" Monsieur Alec announced loudly. "Performer Juleka gets to move on to the Freestyle Performance round! This concludes the Theme Performance now that we have narrowed down the Performers! Tough competition this time around! Such heaviness deserves an intermission! Let us break for fifteen minutes before resuming the show!"
"Breathe, Juleka, it's okay," Marinette gestured soothingly, placing a hand on the lingering contestant's thin shoulder. "You made it, that's what matters now."
She and Luka immediately caught up to the shaken Performer, who was wandering about and holding onto herself within her own arms while taking uneasy breaths. Luka had immediately gone to her side and held her close, rubbing her back to calm her down.
"This stage… it's different from I'm used to," Juleka mumbled, moving her head lower into Luka's embrace.
"The Couriway Theatre is outdoors, no inside stage darkness like we'd usually be in," Luka remarked. "I know your style too well, Jul. It was throwing your rhythm off a bit."
"I think I get it now," Marinette voiced. "Juleka, your performance style requires enclosed spaces and darkness so that you wouldn't feel many eyes on you. Haunter's Night Shade was what helped mitigate your chances of stage fright during the Theme Performance."
"I'll be fine," Juleka shook her head. "But… I don't think the audience will like repeat performances."
"They won't care as long as you do your best," Luka assured. "But if you need to mix things up a bit, I know you can handle it."
"Th-Thanks, bro," Juleka shivered, but sent a grateful smile up to him. She slowly pushed out of his arms to face Marinette. "Hey, um, you know Adrien's here, right?"
"Huh, oh, yeah," Marinette hesitated by looking away. "Well, he's with distinguished guests. I… I don't think I'll be able to reach out to him."
"It still wouldn't hurt to say 'hi' either way," Luka offered.
"Or… you can reach me now and say 'hi' like I was going to do upon finding you," a familiar boyish voice intervened, causing Marinette to skittishly stumble back into the Couffaine siblings.
"A-Adrien?!" Marinette stammered, held up by both Luka and Juleka. "And…?"
"Kagami," the sharp-eyed girl greeted genteelly next to Adrien. "I believe we met previously. Laverre fashion show?"
"That's right," Luka spoke up in realization. "You seized the opportunity for the post-show battle for the Fairy Badge."
"Yeah, sorry about sneaking up on you like that, Marinette, but I got excited seeing familiar faces," Adrien chuckled. His light laughter made her heart feel remarkably at ease as Marinette found the strength to stand without the Couffaine siblings literally holding her up. "Congrats on making it to the next round by the way, Juleka!"
"Thanks," Juleka smiled.
"And… don't tell me your name yet," Adrien faced Luka. "From the Laverre Gym, you took over for Clara. … Luka?"
"You're good," Luka grinned, holding a hand out for him to shake. "We only battled once when I barely started. I didn't think I'd leave any lasting impression."
"I strive to remember everyone I meet," Adrien declared, reciprocating the handshake. "I love meeting new people and making friends."
Though she was constantly grinning goofily due to sharing in Adrien's good spirits on top of reuniting with him after who-knows-how-long, Marinette shook herself back into reality upon remembering his current situation.
"Wait, Adrien, won't Nathalie be looking for you right now?" Marinette asked worriedly, only to fall into surprise when he and Kagami shared similar peculiar expressions and gestures.
"Oh, no, Marinette brings up a valid point, Kagami," Adrien recited, his voice lacking a sense of urgency. "Nathalie and your mother would want us in our seats before the Freestyle Performance begins."
"That is most troubling indeed, Adrien," Kagami responded, her face clearly feigning distress. "But surely, they haven't accounted for the many people scrambling about during intermission and how easy one could lose their way in large crowds like these. Could they?"
"And if they were to try to seek us out, they'll also be lost in the crowd and wind up frustrated upon discovering they should've just waited patiently for us," Adrien added flippantly.
A brief pause later, both Adrien and Kagami broke out into laughter over the playacting of their plan in escaping their strict associated guardians. It wasn't the best plan, but it was certainly plausible as Marinette would consider as she watched on concernedly. Concerned not because of Adrien ditching. She understood how much he yearned for freedom and would dare not tell on him lest it made him hate her. No, she was more concerned over the displayed closeness between him and Kagami as their apparent choreography was remarkably in tune.
Marinette didn't stay worried for long upon noticing Luka and Juleka laughing along as to laud them for their cleverness masqueraded behind the admittedly funny act. She couldn't help but join in along the mirth. Adrien slowed down on his laughter, happy to be part of a simple social activity of group laughing, but he had to note to himself how melodious Marinette's laugh was. She was such a sweet soul and an incredible friend.
"Heh… I think we can get away with it," Adrien surmised. "If it means hanging out with you guys a little longer."
"Yeah… it's nice," Kagami muttered, her head slightly lowered. "This is something I didn't know I've… always wanted to be part of."
"Hmm, we can catch up again and hang after the Showcase," Luka proposed. "Juleka has to leave in a bit, unfortunately. What do you think, Marinette?"
"M-Me?" Marinette responded, briefly caught off guard by the sudden attention. Her eyes shifted from Luka to Adrien to Kagami before circling back to Juleka. While it was nice to be around friends again just like in Anistar City, especially since she finally caught up with Adrien, Marinette still felt rather uneasy being around Kagami. The quiet and rather intimidating girl appeared neutral at most towards her, but again, her surprising closeness with Adrien had to be monitored. "Uh, there's no harm in it, I suppose?"
"We'll definitely be free after," Adrien promised, looking at Kagami.
"My mother will take off immediately to meet with President Bourgeois to make her Sinnoh Champion title official with Ms. Sancoeur accompanying her," Kagami confirmed, coming to a realization given her paused expression. "Wow, this fills me with a… new kind of excitement."
"… It's time," Juleka mumbled, her uncovered eye spying the flow of people retreating to their seats. It was pleasant for her to be in the presence of her older brother and close friends, even for a short moment. It was enough to calm her nerves regarding her earlier performance of qualifying for the last round by a thread. "… Wish me luck, yeah."
"Good luck, Juleka!" Marinette, Luka, and Adrien waved off as Juleka left with Kagami simply bowing her head respectfully instead due to unfamiliarity with the participating Performer.
"Welcome back, mes amies, to the Couriway Rookie-Class Showcase!" Monsieur Alec announced, taking center stage with all eyes and lights upon his theatre presence. "This is the start of the Freestyle Performance! You know what comes next! Each Performer and her Pokémon will come on stage and regale us of their rehearsed routines, demonstrating their beauty, coordination, and bond. And once all Performers have made their appeal, it is up to you to vote. Comme avant, use the Glow Casters by your seats to select your desired Performer and the winner will obtain the gorgeous Princess Key!"
Juleka watched from the waiting area's provided monitor among other Performers that have qualified for the Freestyle Performance round. This should be no different than any other Showcase she participated in. At least she did make it as far as the Freestyle Performance compared to her beginning attempts. Yet something felt different as the first Performer took the stage with an Oshawott and a Ducklett.
This suffocating feeling she had since the Couriway Showcase began and persisted during the Theme Performance. It wasn't as simple as stage fright as she had grown comfortable before the eyes of many. Another testament to her personal growth.
Juleka silently watched the monitor as Performer after Performer demonstrated their own talents and loving bonds with their Pokémon on stage under the bright outdoor sun. The sparkles. The cheerfulness. The thrill of performance. Their beautiful faces said it all.
"… They worked hard, too," Juleka mumbled in realization. "Really hard to get here."
As observant as she was, Juleka recognized a number of faces that also made it to the Freestyle Performance round as she did from past Showcases. None of them had won in the Showcases she competed in. The competition was clearly amped up now that the Master Class Showcase was looming over the horizon. And it would only get even tougher from here on out the higher she climbed. Even though Juleka needed one more Princess Key to qualify, it would be smart of her to earn one soon before the season of Rookie Class Showcases came to an end.
"Performer Juleka, you're on in five," a stagehand called out to her.
Mumbling her thanks as she prepared to depart, Juleka made her way to the underground stage elevating platform, joined by her decided freestyle partners of Mime Jr. and Jellicent. As lively as they generally were by nature, they were quiet the whole way due to sensing their Trainer's inner distress.
"Mime Mime?" Mime Jr. poked Juleka's cheeks, wondering where her smile was.
"Jell?" Jellicent crooned, eyes slanted worriedly.
"I'm ready… thanks," Juleka took a quick breath after placing Mime Jr. back on the ground. She clasped her own hands together and steadied her nerves as the platform lifted her to the stage. "Please bear with me."
"We have witnessed many colorful performances this day, but we have one more to take in!" Monsieur Alec announced. "A mysterious beauty of the shadows and rising favorite among Rookie Class Performers, she is one more Key close to qualifying! Here she is! Performer Juleka Couffaine!"
Much to the ever-shy Performer's surprise, she was greeted by an enthusiastic reception from the audience. Many faces she didn't recognize were cheering her on. Her eyes found her brother and Marinette, equally ecstatic to support her through and through. On the other side, she found Adrien, who was doing his best to root for her despite the small group he was in being more reserved in emotion, save for Kagami, who was slowly and awkwardly imitating Adrien's gestures. Only to stop completely when addressed by her mother.
"… Here we go," Juleka muttered. Her first move was holding an arm out. Mime Jr. took the signal and leapt up to use her arm as a jumping aid. "Jellicent, now. Ominous Wind!"
Jellicent floated down, aiming the top of her head in Mime Jr's incoming direction as she prepared her move. At the same time, Mime Jr. demonstrated his incredible acrobatic abilities while airborne with a couple of fancy midair twirls and arm waves. As expected from watching, Jellicent caught Mime Jr. with her buoyant head, quickly redirecting her body to spring Mime Jr. upward while using the concentrated force and eerie aesthetics of her Ominous Wind to propel the Mime Pokémon as done from past rehearsals.
"Jellicent, spread it! Mime Jr., use Barrier!"
Juleka twirled in tune to her Pokémon's movements as Jellicent mirrored her into a circle while maintaining the Ominous Wind updraft that kept Mime Jr. afloat. The initial column formation of the updraft widened in circumference, its force lowering in exchange for a wider coverage. The Ominous Wind was weaker, but reached twice the width of the Floating Pokémon.
While slowly descending within the ghastly purple gales, Mime Jr. waved his nubby hands in circles to conjure up clear circular Barriers about his size. He tossed one into the Ominous Wind, the lightweight solidified barrier essentially becoming a floating platform within the fell gusts. He tossed the second into the Ominous Wind, and quickly formed more circular Barriers and repeating his process. Not many people and Pokémon watching could instantly pick out the floating Barrier platforms without a little help from the overhead sun shedding a bit of light that would refracting through them.
After deeming enough had been created in a matter of seconds, Mime Jr. managed to imitate Juleka's waltzing movements on the stage floor by twirling himself through the Ominous Wind updraft until he came in contact with one of his self-made transparent platforms. He continued his mimicked dance upon standing on top of it, amazingly timing his leaps from Barrier platform to Barrier platform every time Juleka made a lengthy stride of her own from below.
"Wow, Jul must've really practiced a lot for this," Luka commented quietly to Marinette. "For Mime Jr. to maintain his balance while even Jellicent is moving and taking the Ominous Wind with her takes extreme coordination and reflexes. Like her own mobile tornado or something."
"Don't ask me to do anything like that," Marinette giggled, unable to move her face due to her own awe of the performance.
From the other end of the stage, similar sentiments were expressed.
"Juleka has a lot of untapped grace within her, speaking as a former model," Adrien remarked. "If she expresses herself often like she does in her performance, she'd be quite the threat."
"I don't know too much about Showcases, but your quiet friend really has an interesting style," Kagami added. "I mean that in a good way, Adrien. It separates her from all the others. That's why I think she should win this Showcase."
"Obtaining victory in a Pokémon Showcase takes more than separating yourself from the rest of the competition," Tomoe inputted. "To truly stand out among the arduous requires a valuable trait. Even more valuable than sheer power or a clever mind."
"What would that be, Mother?" Kagami asked.
"It is the same thing I asked of you the moment you left for your journey, Kagami," Tomoe responded, keeping her head held high without even facing her daughter. Instead, she continued to face against the stage and gauge the sensations of Juleka's performance through her other senses. "When a life meets another, something is born. Consider these words carefully as I trust you have since then, my daughter."
"… Yes, Mother," Kagami muttered with a slight bow. Adrien couldn't help but place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Despite believing to have found an answer to her mother's words, further evidenced with her recent closeness with the Agreste prodigy, she found herself hesitating to share her findings. Am I… sure of that 'something'?
In any case, the time to consider her findings had to wait. Right now was the time to enjoy the last performance of the Freestyle Performance round.
"Mime Jr., Psybeam!" Juleka commanded with an extravagant flick of a wrist. "Jellicent, get ready for Hex!"
Mime Jr. leapt high and imitated Juleka's recent pose before firing a colorful Psybeam into the Barrier he previously stood upon. The light of the Psybeam seemingly gathered into the Barrier, enveloping it entirely until it dissolved into glittering sparkles. The Mime Pokémon proceeded to rinse and repeat upon landing onto another Barrier and jumping high to destroy it beautifully until every Barrier platform he created was obliterated into raining sparkles.
At the meantime, Jellicent proceeded to hold her Ominous Wind until Mime Jr. was amidst his highest jumping point and destroyed his last Barrier. The moment was now for her to shift into her next move of Hex, allowing the glittering cover of the Psybeam-destroyed Barriers showering around her make her scare.
Malevolently glowing red eyes within the colorful remnants of the destroyed Barriers got the desired reaction from the audience, many of them stumbling back on their seats as Jellicent magnified her Hex within the center of the stage above her head as a huge third eye within a burning violet fireball. Mime Jr. then proceeded to dive down into the Hex. Many were still astonished from the surprise appearance of the Hex eye and were instantaneously worried about Mime Jr. coming into contact with it.
The big finale, Juleka declared in her head as she moved into position.
Mime Jr. spun during his dive, gathering the lingering Barrier sparkles to enhance his impact and landing. He drilled through the Hex eye, which disintegrated into more miniscule flickers of light, albeit glowing with dark-shaded specks as to intermingle with the multifaceted colors provided by Mime Jr.'s previous Psybeam. Jellicent flew down alongside him for the final pose, two pink Pokémon side by side to greet their Performer dressed elegantly in purple and black.
Juleka held her arms out with the intent for Mime Jr. to bounce and swing off for a flavorful finish. She anticipated the direction that Mime Jr. was coming from for him to receive.
What she didn't anticipate was the outdoor sun placed directly behind the Mime Pokémon.
"My eyes!" Juleka yelped, the stinging flare of the high sun briefly blinding her and throwing off her direction.
"Juleka!" Marinette yelled out as she, Luka, and a number of spectators around them immediately foresaw the consequence of her inadvertent misstep.
Juleka felt the world slow down around her as she attempted to recover quickly enough for Mime Jr. Unfortunately, she wound up shuffling a slight too far for Mime Jr. to reach at the rate he was falling, which in turn, caused the Mime Pokémon to start panicking and flailing with the abrupt change in choreography. Juleka was prepared to dive first to give her Pokémon the needed assist, but that would likely ruin her big finish as it would be anything but graceful.
But she had to do something to prevent Mime Jr. from experience a very hard landing from his previous high point.
"Jell!" Jellicent grunted.
Before Juleka could reach out, her pink Jellicent sped her dive to reach the ground before her partner did, unceremoniously crashing into the floor though not sustaining any injury due to her Ghost-type nature, and allowed Mime Jr. to use her body as an emergency trampoline to help them return to their routine. Mime Jr. was fortunately quick enough to utilize the improvisation and bounced into Juleka's direction.
"U-Uh…!" Juleka scrambled to keep up, shuffling about until she was sure where Mime Jr. was going to land and held her arms out for him to finish. Mime Jr. caught onto her arm and performed his miniature acrobatic routine around Juleka's tall body, which allowed Jellicent enough time to return and strike the final pose. Still shaken up from the sudden hiccup, Juleka soon registered that it was over. "Oh… uh, done!"
Despite what was foreseen to almost become a disastrous finish, the audience applauded loudly for her entire performance. They could see she gave it her best shot. Particular exuberance from Marinette and Luka were expected when Juleka found them.
"That was a performance that took nos émotions for a ride, no?" Monsieur Alec lauded as the remaining Performers from the round made their way back on the main stage for the final tally. "Such performances and more will be expected in the Master Class Showcase, mais bien sûr! And now that all our Performers have gathered together for this final moment, it is up to you, mes amies, to lend your support to your favored performance of the day. Lift up your Glow Casters and select the Performer that will win this Showcase and the Princess Key!"
Marinette, Luka, Adrien, Kagami, and all members of the audience held the unique wands high and casted their luminescent votes towards the stage. Colors of blue, green, yellow, orange, red, and purple accumulated at the holographic meters of their respective Performers. Juleka was too stiff to look to the side to see her growing purple meter.
"And the tally's have finished!" Monsieur Alec announced. "Oh my, oh my! Very tight competition, but only one can have the Princess Key!" The dramatic ceremony of singling out the winner began with the background drumroll and concentrated stage lights swerving about to find said winner. "It is… Performer Mary!"
A youthful black-haired girl with a Scraggy and a Croagunk looked absolutely stunned when all the attention came upon her from winning the Couriway Showcase. The applause rumbled throughout the outdoor theater while her fellow Performers, including Juleka, clapped for her success.
"I'm sorry that happened, Jul," Luka held his sister tightly in his arms. The Couffaine siblings and Marinette were out of the Couriway theater and were in the middle of town simply hanging out. "I think the way Jellicent put in the extra effort to save Mime Jr. was very cool."
"So why didn't it earn more people's votes?" Marinette groused. "Seriously, that was cool, Juleka."
"She hesitated," a voice bluntly answered.
"Ah, Adrien and Kagami!" Marinette greeted, eyes darting worryingly between Kagami and Juleka. "I-I mean, uh, hey…!"
"Sorry we're late, but Kagami and her mom had a lengthy talk before she left with Nathalie for the League HQ," Adrien chuckled. "Great job out there, Juleka. Really sorry about the loss though."
"… Thanks, Adrien," Juleka mumbled through Luka's shirt.
"Appreciate the support," Luka smiled before glancing at Kagami, frowning at the harsh slight she just made against his sister. "And what do you mean by her hesitating?"
"Though she and her Pokémon recovered from the mishap, she showed hesitancy for even a fleeting moment, creating a short disconnect between her and the people she appealed to," Kagami explained. "While you should be wary no matter where you are, battle or Showcase, you can't show weakness for even a second. The moment you do, you create distrust with those around you and fail to live up to their expectation as a result."
"While I do agree with Kagami's… assessment, I would've put it in better words," Adrien scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"No sense in sugarcoating on what's already done," Kagami sighed.
"Maybe not, but can you at least put the feelings of your friends in consideration before you speak?" Marinette prompted defensively on Juleka's behalf, only for her to hold back a frightened squeak when Kagami's intimidatingly sharp eyes stared into her.
"…" Kagami held her stare.
"Uhh," Marinette wasn't sure what else to say.
"Guys… it's okay, really," Juleka finally spoke up, pushing herself out of her brother's arms. "This isn't my first loss. And it was close."
"Really close, too," Adrien concurred. "You were tied for second with another Performer according to the tallies. If it weren't for the sun blinding you at that moment, you could've won."
"Accidents can happen, but a full performance shows a Pokémon Performer's true heart," a new voice intervened.
Juleka, Luka, Marinette, Adrien, and Kagami all faced the newcomer that stumbled upon their gathered spot. This girl appeared their age and had a modest sense of fashion, from the ashen-green skirt she wore with matching dark stockings and the front-button blouse she wore for a top. A red beret covered the top of her head and appeared to hide most of her hair while a pair of rather stylishly framed glasses was adorned before her light-brown eyes. However, a fringe of dark hair did hang over her forehead up to her eyebrows. There was something about her kind face that struck a familiar chord within a majority of them, but they didn't voice it out of courtesy until more information would be present.
"Uh, hello there," Marinette was quick to greet. "Can we help you?"
"Oh, sorry for intruding, but I'm actually a fan," the new girl grinned, her sights aligned in Juleka's direction. "You're Performer Juleka Couffaine, right? Like I said, I'm a fan."
"A… fan?" Juleka repeated disbelievingly, tilting her head slightly to the side.
"C'mon, Juleka, you've done awesome in past Showcases," Luka patted her on the back. "Don't act so surprised."
"Glad to know Juleka has fans out there and willing to support her," Adrien approached the new girl with a friendly hand out. "Can we have your name?"
"My name… Right, it's Mi…," she blinked, seemingly caught off guard before she reached out her hand to shake Adrien's. "Mirabel."
"Very nice to meet you, Mirabel," Adrien smiled, proceeding with the introductions. He was just that eager to meet many new people "I'm Adrien. You know Juleka. That's her brother, Luka. She's Kagami. And that is Marinette, a really good friend."
Did he have to say it like that? Marinette griped in her head before sensing something was off. Hold on, that girl… She watched as Adrien took the new girl and brought her closer to Juleka and Luka. She's… really calm around Adrien. Most girls would flip out just being close to him. She then looked at Kagami, who was observing the whole interaction neutrally. I wonder if she knows something's up too.
"Really lovely to meet you all," Mirabel bowed her head. "Say, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to spend time with Juleka, if it's alright. No other way to say it, but please forgive my forwardness. I'm just really anxious to hang out with her and spend some girl time together. I understand if she's tired from the Showcase earlier, but I'd like to show her around town and spend some time with her. I promise to keep her safe, of course."
"What say you, Jul?" Luka prompted. "Day's still young. Your fan looks trustworthy. I'll still be around until tomorrow when I head back to Laverre City. I know you can take care of yourself and all, but we'll all be around if you need us."
"Uh… yeah, sure," Juleka mumbled, walking over to Mirabel's side.
"Splendid!" Mirabel clasped her hands. "I'll have her back at the Pokémon Center this evening. Sound good?"
"Awesome, thanks," Luka waved as he saw off his sister and her thoughtful fan.
"Interesting on how you immediately trusted the welfare of your sister to a stranger," Kagami noted. "Just a comment, not questioning your choice."
"I sensed no ill intent from her, and I think this will help Juleka out in the long run," Luka explained.
"You… ah, never seem to let your guard down," Marinette commented, feeling a sudden chill when Kagami stared into her direction again. "N-Not that there's anything wrong with that! I mean, but… it's okay to relax around friends you trust, right? It's… not good to remain so… paranoid."
"… Friends," Kagami repeated under her breath.
Marinette felt another uncomfortable situation rising up as no one had said or done anything else to mitigate the tension. Kagami continued to eye her down, expression completely hard to read. Adrien and Luka glanced at each other, both wondering if it was necessary to step in. Adrien nodded to him that he would take the initiative.
"Kagami?" Adrien called out tentatively.
"… Marinette, right?" Kagami continued. Unable to respond vocally properly, Marinette responded with a couple of quick nods. "… Battle me."
"Eh?" Marinette blinked, only to see Kagami take out a Poké Ball.
"Kagami, what are you doing?" Adrien asked urgently.
"I wish to challenge your quirky friend to a quick battle," Kagami explained. "To see her strength for myself. Or were the praises you sang of her during our time together completely unfounded?"
Adrien sung praises of me?! Marinette instantly felt her face overheat.
"What? They're not!" Adrien defended, a bit of pinkness coloring his cheeks. "Marinette is a very skillful and consider Pokémon Trainer. It's just…" He looked at his friend carefully, who appeared to have spaced out until feeling his eyes on her, causing her to quickly turn away and hide the redness he already witnessed. "I can't speak on her behalf if she's up to it."
"I… It's fine, but thanks for being always considerate, Adrien," Marinette gained enough nerve to speak for herself, facing Kagami next. "And I accept your challenge, Kagami. Our eyes did meet, as tradition goes."
"I'm pleased to know you're well-versed in long-standing Trainer customs," Kagami smirked. "This should be interesting. Shall we relocate to the Couriway Pokémon Center?"
At her proposal, the four of them proceeded to move on to the Couriway Pokémon Center and utilize one of its spare battlefields. The air around them became as tense as ever with Kagami and Marinette walking side-by-side at the front with Adrien and Luka trailing behind.
"Hey, just a random question that came to mind," Luka whispered to Adrien.
"What's up?" Adrien urged.
"You probably battled against Marinette before, but… have you battled her recently?" Luka asked.
"I haven't," Adrien shook his head. Luka had a point. The last time he did battle against Marinette was the day they all left Lumiose Academy behind and Marinette wanted to travel together to Santalune City. "But… I have my reasons why I haven't challenged her again."
Still alive here, just so you know!
And so, multiple things have been set in place. The latest Showcase, Kagami confronting Marinette, and the mysterious "Mirabel". And those are tame compared to what our dear Mr. Agreste has been up to, assuming you've been keeping up. Of course, I hold part responsibility for this due to my lengthy absence.
The second half of 2019 became hectic with many ups and downs, most of which distracted me from writing. Main factors were work and finding new work without getting too deep about it, that's all I can say. Side factors were getting hooked on certain Nintendo Switch games during my spare time: Fire Emblem: Three Houses in the summer and fall and Pokémon Sword in the winter. And of course, by the time this chapter is posted, most of you may be aware of future DLC content for said games coming out later on in 2020.
Speaking of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, funny thing is that now when I imagine dialogue for Kagami, all I hear is Petra Macneary's broken speech patterns speaking in place (Fun fact that they both share Faye Mata as their English VA).
And funny thing about Pokémon Sword and Shield, I'm not sure how much influence I'd want from it to place here. In my opinion, I see Silicobra/Sandaconda more of a match for a Snake Miraculous rep than Arbok, but maybe it's because of its defensive sand powers seem more akin to Second Chance while Arbok is more offensive with Poison attacks and Glare. That's just me, of course. Arbok does have Shed Skin as an Ability, after all, to make for a Second Chance mechanic.
Also, the winner of the Showcase was meant to reference sweet little Marnie, whose Japanese name is Mary (both names originate from rosemary) and owns a Scraggy/Scrafty and Croagunk/Toxicroak in game. What can I say? She grew on me big time while playing through Pokémon Sword.
Random commentary aside, I won't give up on this story after all the progress that's been made. It might take a few more years at my rate, but the story will reach its end.
Please review!