Hidden secrets of Battle Bond

Chapter 16, The opening verse

Serena and the Battle Bond trainers had gone shopping for outfits they could wear to the theater show Madeleine invited them for. Serena with her affinity and fondness for shopping had an outfit ready to go but the same could not be said for her current companions. Having bought clothes for the duo she was certain Madeleine would be happy with the work she provided.

Serena had selected a black formal dress that showed off her legs and arms and a white belt for aesthetics. Wearing low heels and a little purse for her items she did a good job on herself. Her friends not as much into fashion and dress codes Serena was currently helping Nina finish her look.

"Don't forget your earrings." Serena held out the harp earrings belonging to her friend.

"Yeah. Yeah. I get it." For Nina Serena had selected a white variant of her dress. The golden earrings Madeleine put together with Nina's opera dress when they were together in Cyllage City were accessories Serena suggested the singer would put them on. Nina took the earrings.

"How do you think you look?" The Kalos Queen asking the singer if she was happy with the end result.

"I'm starting to think white is my color." Nina looking at herself in a mirror all over she was happy with the result.

"Maybe there is something to this fashion thing after all." Not having paid attention to her look for the longest time Nina slowly started to fall in love with the different outfits she started to collect.

"I can take you shopping next time. Really find a look for the new you!" Serena looking for an excuse to pull her along on one of her shopping trips. Her motto of fashion' that if you look great you feel great' slowly began to bud in her travelling companion.

"Ready Ash?" Speaking of companions.

"Almost!"

He wore a simple black suit with a white bowtie. It was simple compared to the girls but Serena couldn't help but blush about how great it looked on him. Noticing his bowtie wasn't fixed properly she went to him. Reaching out she slowly started to adjust it.

"You look lovely." Ash said out of instinct turning his head and scratching his cheek. Serena slowed for a second before finishing up his bowtie.

"There's that word again!" Mentally slapping himself again for using that word. It currently was the word he came to associate with Serena's style but despite his efforts to avoid the word he said the most in his Cute Charm struck daze it always came out.

"Thank you. You look handsome too." She said.

"You have a great sense for clothes." He complimented her.

"It helps when you wear it is always a right fit." Serena spoke her thoughts out loud telling him in her own way that he's handsome. Ever since they began dating she felt a lot more open not getting embarrassed anymore by her feelings for him. Her eyes locked onto his and they stared for a moment.

Contrasting to the musical that they were going to attend you could hear a pin drop between them. Serena fixed his bowtie yet she was unable to draw her hands away from him enjoying the contact.

Madeleine then stepped inside the guest room where the three were staying over. Serena quickly finished up his bowtie and pulled her hands away. Having changed into their outfits the old singer looked over the youngsters.

"You did a fine job dressing them up." Telling the Kalos Queen she did a fine job dressing her friends.

"Thank you." A short word is all Serena got out.

"You three are ready? The show is going to start soon."

A taxi right outside her house was ready to pick the four up. The ride over there was pretty awkward. While Ash and Serena were pretty excited to go Nina still kept quiet. Being back near the Mega Evolution singer and with the Key Stone in plain sight on Madeleine she had no intent of speaking.

Arriving at the Showcase hall the four all were dropped off at the VIP entrance. Serena knowing the place like the back of her hand thanks to the amount of times she performed in it knew Madeleine had a private box just like the one Palermo took place in if she visited a Showcase.

"They're with me. Let them in." The entree men recognizing the old lady and Kalos Queen let the four through. Taking their seats they waited for the show to start while Serena looked around a bit considering it wasn't as decorated as when a Showcase happened.

The show had started and the four trainers and Pikachu enjoyed it. The play was filled with songs of battle, hurt, pain and love between connecting it together. With the Pokémon being voiced by people backstage who sang the songs while the Pokémon performed on the woodwork as the play reached the end of the first half a twenty minute break for the actors and audience to catch their breaths was announced. A bathroom break or get some refreshments took place at the middle part of the show the male among them stood up.

"Let's get something." Ash never leaving the opportunity to get a snack got up. Serena a little thirsty herself joined him. The singers were still on their seats. Nina looked to them and for the first time the whole night she said something in Madeleine's presence.

"I don't need anything. I'm going to look around here a bit more."

"You two can go. I want to speak to Nina a bit more myself. Singers among each other."

"That's fine." Serena gave them their moment as she and Ash left the private box.

"What do you think so far?" Madeleine wondered how her main guest was liking the area. She was just so hard to read right now and being quiet didn't suit her at all. Not with the voice Nina was gifted with.

"I've nearly forgotten what a musical is supposed to be. I love it." The first encouraging thing out of her mouth tonight Madeleine saw a faint smile. Guess her idea of the musical to loosen her up worked after all.

"Can you see yourself standing there with Primarina?"

"It's what I always wanted. A stage like this with my Pokémon."

Nina repeating a line from a conversation they had earlier. From the short time they were together in Cyllage City they hit it off pretty well. With the duties she kept piling on to herself in her Battle Bond training visits to events like these were impossible. Sure she ventured into Snowbelle City a few times to keep up to date with the latest songs and trends but her attention was more aimed to her education.

"If they weren't an issue anymore would you do it?" The woman referred to the hunters. Madeleine knowing why Nina refused to take her voice and Pokémon to a more open life as a celebrity. Her origin and family ties to what she is preventing her from truly following her first dream.

"I'd jump on the first stage in sight and sing till I lose my breath." The old lady glad to hear it.

"No stage fright?"

"None." Without a doubt Nina answered. For all the issues she has appearing in front of a large crowd to display her voice isn't one of them.

"What is the biggest stage you've been on or your audience in numbers?"

The two spend the rest of the time talking about their performances with little things they didn't know about the other. Nina saying that the largest audience of her only existed of a couple hundred people compared to the halls Madeleine sold out. Idea's for Nina to write her own songs with the experts help since so far the young woman fell under the guise of a cover artist imitating others.

"Do you really think this can work out between us?" Still Nina had her doubts about this. Madeleine slowly laid a hand on her shoulder.

"I believe it can. What is a strong foundation for a friendship or partnership?" The younger singer knew thanks to her amazing bond with her Pokémon what it took.

"Uhm…respect, understanding, compromise, trust…"

"That last one is what I'm after with you. I trust you to come through. But do you trust me?" The Battle Bond trainer stayed silent for a few seconds before she reluctantly admitted it.

"Not as much as I should." Nina wasn't able to lie to her face. For the bond she build with her Battle Bond master and wife her current bond with Madeleine is nowhere near what it needed to be for a partnership the expert is looking for.

"There's a part of me that screams not to trust you because you are a Mega user." She realized what she said.

"Sorry. I didn't mean…" Madeleine gave a nod in understanding.

"Old habits die hard."

Madeleine didn't mind knowing she has trouble letting go after what she has been through. Nina at least apologized to her so she liked to think she made some progress already in their short time as master and pupil. Nina still was a long way off trusting every Mega Evolution trainer but at least the two of them shared a common respect for each other due to their love and talent of music.

"So besides them, is there anything else holding you back? What is the second most important reason you don't accept it immediately?"

"It has to do with what happened after I left home. I heard about a Pokémon Village out of Snowbelle City that housed Pokémon that were abandoned or mistreated. I wasn't in a good place but the least I could do is make them feel better by singing for them. I was just wandering around looking for the Pokémon Village when I got lost. That's when I found the man who saved me. He was watching when Primarina and I were practicing our transformation."

Nina didn't know why she was telling her this. All this time she threatened and endangered other people when it came to the location and identity of her mentors. Having made a vow to never speak of them outside their living area in the forest her mouth was just on auto pilot. Reminding her masters words that she's too loyal to people who helped her. But using her gift of intention reading she can trust her new mentor as a friend.

"I told him to get lost but he beat us in record time. I then found out he was like us. He took me in and he and his wife taught me at my request. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here now or done what I accomplished since then."

"They must be great people. It's not like you to speak about anyone else so highly."

"They're incredible and I love them. But I also know that if I take your offer to be your student I'll hurt their feelings."

"You are torn between your love for them and love for singing."

"Yes."

Madeleine understanding her dilemma. Unlike most others her new student never had the freedom to choose what she wanted to do in years. Always on duty, on guard, always fighting and never truly relaxing and enjoy the small things that makes music so wonderful. The Sparkling Aria trial she and Primarina had proof enough they lost their happiness when singing and only after making the two imagine they were in front of a crowd did they get it.

The expert had a little surprise for the girl back at her home the moment she arrived but because the introduction to Altaria didn't went as expected she delayed it till now.

"I've got a good idea for both of us. I've been writing a little tune for you and Primarina which I think fits you two perfectly."

"You wrote a song for us?" Nina surprised Madeleine went through the effort.

"Just the background music for now." Nina didn't know what her singing coach had written up. Still the prospect of having her own song with Primarina and the others was just too tempting.

"With what you just told me I have an idea." Filling in the lyrics for the song would be a lot easier after their little exchange of stories.

"We'll write it together with no one around. No Pokémon battle training, no Ash and Serena, no future commitments to each other. Just two singers collaborating with the Pokémon in my garden and your friends as your audience when it's finished. You did promise you'd sing for them right?"

"I did." Unable to break her promise she owed the Pokémon something. Also another reason the expert singer wanted Nina's help in finishing it.

"See it as a test run as to how our time together will be at my home if we make this permanent. You don't have to decide right now. Sleep over it for a night and then make your choice in the morning." Not putting any pressure on the choice right now the show would resume soon again.

"Do you really think we can write a song together in a few days?" The silver haired girl doubting they can create something in such a short amount of time.

"I've helped you with a thing with what you've been struggling with for years right?" Reminding Nina of the Sparkling Aria again as an example it gave her faith that if they worked as a team they can create something wonderful. And with Nina's other teachers as a source for it, it would be straight from her heart as a tribute to the people she declared she loved they'd create one in no time.

"Nina?" Madeleine found Nina awfully quiet again.

"Sorry. Just talking to Primarina about it." Madeleine nodded. Not fully aware of all the things the two are capable off as a duo let them do their thing.

"Excuse me then." The older singer nodded as she left her potential protégé to her own as Ash and Serena returned in time to see out the rest of the play. The two asking how the talk between the two singers went Madeleine said it was just perfect as it could be.

Giving Nina and Primarina plenty of time to think and respond to her offer of a lifetime without knowing the two had already made their choice.

See you around.