The hidden secrets of Battle Bond
Chapter 17,
It was the day after our heroes went to the Showcase hall. Morning arrived and Serena had gotten up bright and early to make breakfast for her host and friends. As a thank you for Madeleine letting them stay over she made pancakes, toast, special tea from the book Vivi gave her so that they can start the day fresh.
Ash and Madeleine were the first ones to come on the dinner table. The woman always got up around that time and Ash was lured by the smell of fresh food.
"Morning everyone! I made breakfast."
"Smells delicious as always!" Ash always hungry for Serena's excellent cooking stacked his plate full as usual.
"Let's see if you're as good a chef as Palermo says." Serena had cooked a few times for her teacher during their training. Madeleine in occasional touch with her old friend had heard the rumors of the Kalos Queen ability and wanted to taste if Palermo wasn't overestimating her.
"Can I ask you something Madeleine?" Serena asked as the singer nodded.
"The small stage in the back garden. Can I use it to practice my Performances?" Serena wanted to brush up on Pancham and Illumise's routine. The garden was big enough to go anywhere but a solid foothold and stage might get her new Pokémon used to an area like that.
"I reserved the next couple of days for Nina anyway. You can use it as much as you like but don't damage the instruments on it please." Madeleine giving permission as long the Kalos Queen did not damage the things on it.
"Thank you."
"Morning." The voice of Nina drew their attention. Seeing all the food at the table she took a seat. The owner of the house noticed she looked a bit more relaxed than yesterday. The musical and the talk in the break seemed to have had it's positive effect.
"Have you thought about my offer?"
"Offer?" Ash and Serena wondered what offer. Perhaps the one where Madeleine is going to give her a singing career to be famous. Nina nodded no to them.
"She wrote a tune for us and she wants to spend the next few days with me and Primarina filling in the lyrics."
"And what is your answer?"
"I'm in. Primarina as well."
"That's great news!" Ash glad she took it on. Madeleine was getting closer becoming the rule then the exception. It's a small step for Nina to take in her healing process but at least her stubbornness dropped a little.
"Have your breakfast and then meet me outside in the back. We have work to do." Madeleine stood up from her seat and went to the entry to the back garden. She had to prepare for a few things right now and with her pupil having breakfast should give her enough time to do so.
"I'll come join you once I cleaned the kitchen."
"I'll call for help." Serena heard Madeleine call to her.
"Help?" Serena wondered as Madeleine slid the glass window open the singer whistled apparently drawing the attention from the Pokémon in the back who were already were taken care of early by some of the staff she hired to take care of them in the early morning.
"Oh no! The kitchen is all dirty! It needs a clean up!"
Before the three trainers knew what happened a group of tiny gray and white blurs ran inside the house to the kitchen. Jumping on the table they began to swipe off the dirt and filth with their large fluffy tails. Standing still while using their tail they can see what Pokémon it were.
"Minccino?" Nina recognized the species. One of them jumped on the table and launched the empty plates on it with a Tail Slap. Others that were near the sink caught as they put in the dishwater while others scrubbed their tails on them.
"They keep the house in order. They just can't stand dirty spots so I don't have to clean too much myself."
The old lady said as the Chinchilla Pokémon were all working thoroughly to get the place in order. All Serena had to do was dry and stack the plates on top of each other and put them back where they belong. She got used to this quite fast liking how much the little ones shared her preferred cleanness as one right next to her made small noises.
"They're singing while cleaning?" Serena recognized it. She found it great they were seemed to be having fun as she got pulled in as well. Her steps were light as she seemingly danced to the tune they made.
"What are they singing?" Not able to understand Pokémon she asked her companions who did. While Ash normally translated for her Nina took over singing with their little tune.
"Clean, clean, shiny clean. Swipe and wipe till there's nothing to be seen
Nasty filth, go away, we are cleaning all day
Turn it left, turn it right, keep swiping till it all shines bright
One more time, left and right, keep swiping till it all shines bright"
Nina ended the song they sang. The Minccino who heard her used their tails and paws to clap for the girl and all jumped for joy. Seeing them so happy with her singing Nina was reminded again why she wanted it in the first place.
"I think you just created a new nursery rhyme." Serena said.
"I think we can start creating something more special." Madeleine eager to begin with her protégé as she went outside as the Minccino all swept up and finished their work. Running outside again to go to the little pond to wash their tails clean it left the four trainers by themselves. Serena kept a close eye on the brushing Pokémon cleaning their tails.
"You ready to begin?" Madeleine asked her student who had come out. Nina took a Pokeball and threw it.
"Primarina, Swanna! Come on out!" The Soloist and Swan Pokémon both came out of their ball. Seeing the older woman in person Primarina waved hi.
"Nice to see you again as well. How have you been?" The mermaid like Pokémon unleased a friendly hum. The singing expert happy she still recognized her after the first time.
"Why Swanna too?" Ash asked her seeing that the song was mostly designed for Nina and Primarina.
"I had her even before Primarina. She was the first musical partner I caught. I don't want her to feel left out."
It was time to make the group complete.
"Altaria!" The expert singer yelled at the sky. The Pokémon in question flew from on top of the house and landed right next to her. Seeing it again Nina and Primarina were a bit on edge not taking their eyes off it. Primarina shared the same distrust to that species of Pokémon being her replacement while Swanna extended its wings warning it not to try anything. Still not completely trusting the Dragon/Flying type despite knowing that they all have to get along eventually.
"As we agreed Altaria." Madeleine turned to Altaria as it nodded and stuck her neck out. Madeleine undid the clip on the Altarianite on it and took it off. The stone in her hand she walked over to Nina and the Pokémon and presented it to her.
"Here."
"You trust me with this?" Nina did tell her what happened to the last one she took a hold and how it landed on the bottom of a lake. And Archer himself always telling her that if you beat a hunter that you should always take away his Key Stone and Mega Stone without doubt.
"I want you to feel at home." The Altaria chirped as Nina put it in her pocket for safe keeping. Now with the idea of Mega Evolution being impossible in the back of her mind it should relax the duo.
"Altaria. Why don't you start with the hum we made just for them?" Madeleine asked her Pokémon to do the tune she had in store for the Battle Bond pair.
Altaria began humming as the sounds echoed through the area. Nina and Primarina listened closely so that they get the feeling of the song the first time. Even with them having a high opinion of their skills and always being praised for the voice, they hated it that they came up so short to Altaria even without Madeleine joining in. The grandeur of opera could be heard in the style and the two students knew it most certain is the style they are going to focus on.
Years of expertise were noticeable as it didn't miss a beat. Ending her humming the Battle Bond pair hated it to admit.
"It's beautiful." Ash and Serena shared the opinion. It was a step up from yesterday in the musical and the difference in class was even noticeable to their untrained ears.
"Thank you. Can you imagine some of the lyrics in it?"
"Not much." The older singer smiled at Nina's inexperience.
"All part of the creative process. You'll learn it once you get the hang of it. You two can get started on warming up. We're going to need to work on your range if you want the beauty of it to be heard."
"Yes." Nina and Primarina started their vocal practice as Madeleine went to the non singers since they quite frankly miss a lot of the expertise Madeleine and Nina had.
"Let me tell you two how I normally treat my human students. As I told I teach trainer and Pokémon as long as they sound ok. But if I hear a person that can sing but doesn't have a Pokémon yet I try to hear if I can find one here that matches their voice. That's what some of the Pokémon here are for. But since she's already inseparable with her Pokémon I skipped that step."
"So why exactly did you choose opera for her?" Ash asked why this style if music fitted his battle partner best.
"It's one of the hardest things to learn as a singer. You need a lot of power in your voice to get to the range. Since they use their voices also during battles it makes them stronger in both at the same time."
The two were done with warming up their vocal cords. During the rest of the day Nina, Primarina and Swanna took the advice from teacher and her Altaria. Ash and Serena were looking on for while their range improved.
"A break. Don't over exert yourself." Madeleine called in a timeout for the trio to catch their breaths. They've been at it all morning not slowing down. Serena had made a tea earlier today. It was a special recipe that Vivi wrote down for Nina and her Pokémon to ease any stress on their throats.
With Nina and the others resting Ash and Serena had some time to get to know the singer better.
"Why did Palermo never told me about you?" Serena asked. Palermo could have send her and Aria to Madeleine for music practice but she never did. If Serena followed a few lessons from her she might have an additional talent to use during her Performances.
"I want to outdo Palermo by making a better singer than you are a dancer. You can teach people how to dance but only few know how to really sing to my standards."
"Rude." The Kalos Queen and Ash did not like the answer that she thought Serena can't sound be decent. The expert singer just smirked telling them as it is.
"You really have an eye on Nina huh?" Ash asked Madeleine. With how strict she is to his battle partner it reminded him of his time with Archer. When it came to the learning attitude they weren't much different.
"I like it when others sing because you really get to hear how they truly feel and if people are serious about it you can hear what is truly up with them."
"Is that how you knew she was not using her real voice?" Serena was there before the real reason the two hid it was brought out. She nodded yes stunning the two trainers.
"That's amazing. You can actually hear if someone is a good person or not?"
"When people sing they always convey emotions. From years of listening I developed a real sharp hearing. It's the same with instruments. The Pokeflute is a classic example. Only people with a good heart can play it and make it work."
"Can you play the Pokeflute?" Ash asked. She nodded yes.
"Every musician worth their weight can play it. Even if Nina admitted to me she's terrible with instruments she can play the Pokeflute."
"Can you teach me? I know you have all your attention on Nina but I would like to try as well." Serena wanted to have a go. Maybe she can use it to incorporate into a Performance like the story of the pied piper.
"She won't be able to sing for whole days on end. I can teach you in between. Do you have a flute of your own?" Madeleine agreeing to teach her as long as she has one herself.
"Don't you have a flute here?"
"Not one I'm willing to borrow."
"Do you know where we can get one?" Ash wondered wanting to help Serena get a Pokeflute of her own. It be a great experienced too to see how one is made.
"I have an old friend in town. He's an expert woodworker who can carve out and create flutes. Tell him I send you and he'll get you one." Serena turned to Ash. There was no need for rge puppy dog eyes act as he would say yes anyway.
"Ash? Once I'm done with my shoot can we go to the woodworkers workshop?" Serena having her photoshoot soon would go out on a date with Ash after it. The boy nodded yes knowing it was a fun activity and he can treat it as one by leaving Nina with her coach while they went together.
"Sure we can! It's a date!" The way Ash said it in his phrasing made Madeleine suspicious. He sounded a bit too excited for it too just mean as punching a time.
"Date huh? Is there something going on between you two?"
"Uh?" Both teens a little startled over the question not wishing to explain further. Luckily for them Nina and the Pokémon were rested up and called their teacher for another round.
See you around.